Clamps are incredibly versatile tools, offering a wide range of applications that continue to surprise even seasoned users. With each type boasting its unique strengths and limitations, they cater to various needs, from intricate woodworking tasks like panel joinery to providing additional support in the workshop. Crafted from materials such as steel, cast iron, and plastic, clamps come in numerous forms and functions. Here’s a comprehensive overview of 29 types of clamps every DIYer should be acquainted with:
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C-Clamp
- Ideal for: General woodworking, automotive repair
- Description: Features a C-shaped frame with a fixed jaw and single-threaded screw for flat surface applications.
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Extended Throat C-Clamp
- Ideal for: Woodworking, face gluing boards, automotive tasks
- Description: Similar to a C-clamp but equipped with longer jaws for clamping deeper into workpieces.
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F-Clamp
- Ideal for: Wood joinery, face gluing boards, holding workpieces
- Description: Resembling the letter “F,” this clamp employs a sliding member to expand jaws, enabling a larger clamping capacity.
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Clutch Clamp
- Ideal for: Wood joinery, face gluing boards, holding workpieces
- Description: Functions similarly to an F-clamp but utilizes a clutch mechanism for one-handed operation.
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Parallel Clamp
- Ideal for: Wood joinery, panel gluing, large workpieces
- Description: Features a robust bar with two parallel clamping surfaces to maintain straight glue-ups effectively.
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Pipe Clamp
- Ideal for: Wood joinery, panel gluing, large workpieces
- Description: Consists of two clamp ends mounted on a customized steel pipe, offering flexibility in clamp length at an affordable price.
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Trigger Clamp
- Ideal for: Wood joinery, face gluing boards, holding workpieces, one-handed operation
- Description: Designed for single-handed operation, featuring a fixed jaw and a sliding jaw controlled by a trigger mechanism.
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Spring Hand Clamp
- Ideal for: Holding workpieces and materials
- Description: Applies pressure through a spring mechanism located at the hinge point, available in various sizes and materials.
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Ratcheting Hand Clamp
- Ideal for: Holding workpieces
- Description: Functions similarly to spring hand clamps but utilizes a ratcheting mechanism for incremental pressure application.
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Bandy Clamps
- Ideal for: Woodworking, gluing edge banding
- Description: Spring clamps with an added band spanning the jaws for applying force towards the workpiece’s edge.
C-Clamp Edge Clamp
- Recommended for: Woodworking, gluing edge banding
- Description: This clamp serves a purpose similar to the dual-spindle edge clamp but operates without the need for an F-clamp. Utilizing the jaws of a C-clamp to secure it to the surface, it features a perpendicular screw and pivoting jaw to apply pressure toward the edge of the workpiece.
Hose Clamps
- Recommended for: Pipe fittings, water hoses, automotive repairs
- Description: A hose clamp consists of a metal strap with a screw used to tighten it around objects such as pipe fittings or water hoses. Available in various sizes, hose clamps cater to a wide array of applications.
Strap Clamps
- Recommended for: Wood joinery, furniture making, irregular workpieces
- Description: Strap clamps employ a cloth strap to tighten around irregularly shaped objects. Adjustable plastic pieces can often be fitted to the strap to protect the corners of the workpiece.
Wooden Hand-Screw Clamps
- Recommended for: Wood joinery, furniture making
- Description: One of the most traditional clamp varieties, wooden hand-screw clamps feature two identical wooden jaws connected by opposing threaded screws. The wooden construction helps protect the workpiece’s surface.
Locking Plier Clamp
- Recommended for: Holding workpieces
- Description: Locking plier clamps are essentially locking pliers with larger throats and flat clamping surfaces. They are excellent for quick, temporary holds.
Corner Clamp
- Recommended for: Wood joinery, box building, frame building
- Description: Designed to fit inside a 90-degree joint, a corner clamp applies pressure on the outside of the joint using threaded screws with pivoting heads. This custom shape allows for the perfect alignment of 90-degree angles, ideal for building boxes and frames.
Toggle Clamp
- Recommended for: Holding workpieces to work surfaces
- Description: Mounted to a work surface, a toggle clamp features a jaw that applies pressure against the top of a workpiece, securing it tightly to the work surface.
Fence Clamp
- Recommended for: Holding workpieces to tool fences
- Description: Similar to a toggle clamp, a fence clamp is mounted to a tool with a fence, such as a table saw or miter saw. It is often used to position stop blocks for quickly duplicating cuts.
Drill Press Clamp
- Recommended for: Holding material on a drill press
- Description: Designed to hold a workpiece steady on a drill press, a drill press clamp can be quickly adjusted to hold the material in the desired position.
