Sorry Mark,

I'll miss the Live Stream today but I'll try to "Hold It Together" and watch later tonight. 

Cheers

Russ. ???✌️

During the live stream today there was a discussion about wooden clamps and making them at home, so I thought people might be interested in the ones I made a long time ago and have used for years.

I used a large brush handle in place of metal flat bar as I couldn't get any at the time (pre Internet) and made sure the hole drilled in the top part is quite slack to allow the clamping action to work. The saw cut to create the moving part also has a hole drilled to stop it splitting any further.

Used re cycled oak bed end legs which are very strong and have even used them for joining body blanks, just needs a long bar.

I've seen a video of someone making these - must have been one of the YT woodworking channels that I wander into (very) occasionally.

Looked simple enough to make, though it was a US channel (IIRC), and they had a massive workshop with every (power) tool imaginable!  Probably not quite as easy as they made it look.

I made mine out of off cut ps from different builds..

I used this site as a basic guide as I wanted different lengths..

https://www.canadianwoodworking.com/plans-projects/make-set-cam-clamps

And them being used in anger....

Posted by: @david-johnson09

I used this site as a basic guide as I wanted different lengths..

@david-johnson09

I like the way yours are laminated it gives extra strength

@tv1010101

Sometimes I think people over use power tools and it makes the job more complicated than it is. I was lucky that I already had Square edge timber of the correct size and only had to scrape the finish off. All the work was done with hand tools, saw/chisel/drill, which takes longer but does keep the dust down.

Sometimes I think people over use power tools and it makes the job more complicated than it is

That's a good point @rocknroller912

Sometimes it feels like I spend a couple of hours making templates and jigs, so I can use some power tools (more accurately) and save half an hour doing the job ...

Of course, the templates and jigs are all still there next time I want to do the same job ... which I invariably never do!

@tv1010101

i think that's the difference between professional builders and amateurs. If you are making lots of the same model then setting up for power tools is worth the time, but if you are just making one its not.