Bad Habits

[Chad Smith]

Someone on this forum has caused me to have bad habits. I don't remeber who it was, but before I started coming here I could go into the hardware store just to look and not buy anything. But now when I go in I can't leave without buying another clamp. If I can't quit this habit I will have to build a cabinet just for keeping clamps in. Please can anyone help!!!!!!

Chad

[Jim Hillman]

Chad, bar clamps are great for building cabinets, do you have enough???

[G. Schollmeier]

Chad
This is my habit, and I might have said as much on this forum. I do have a cabinet for my clamps. I'm sure I have enough room to store yours as well.
Gary

[Paul]

Listen, a man who can go into any hardware store or a Home Depot or a Lowe's and come out without any tools under his arm is shopping with his wife.

[Jamie Hascall]

We always said that it's impossible to use the words "too many" and "clamps" in the same sentence unless it was that 'there are too many clamps to carry in one load" or "too many clamps for the size rack we've got".

Some bad habits are just good habits in diguise. (Pass the Oban please. )

Jamie

[Ross Faneuf]

Bad habits, you say? I lived next door to a lumber yard when I first started working on my boat (WAY too many years ago). I had an account at this yard. I got into the middle of my first big glue-up job - laminating the two 3/4 mahogany planks for the sheer clamp of my boat. Each was scarfed up to a 'plank' 39' long and about 7" wide. So there I was with all that wet epoxy, the thing about 1/2 clamped up (over the outside of the set-up frames, to get decent shape) - and I ran out of clamps. So I ran next door, yelled 'help!!!' and, with the assistance of 2 guys working in the yard, took EVERY SINGLE c-clamp they had, rushed back, and finished the job. All the clamps they had were just barely enough (20 odd). And the clerk wrote them up after they were on the boat and charged my account. Now that's good service.

I've got a bunch of racks in my shop with around 200 clamps on them, which is peanuts compared to a real boat shop. But it still drops the jaws of woodworking friends who don't do boats.

[Ross Faneuf]

When you go into Hamilton Marine in Searsport Maine (excellent chandlery), you are confronted with a sign which says:

'Your wife just called and said you should buy anything you want'

[John B]

Must be an international thing.
I took a couple of new clamps home the other day ( they were on special)and left them on a stool. came back in 10 minutes and my 5 year old had em clamped up on the seat." hey look at that ,Dad".

ah...... setting the hook

[Todd Bradshaw]

Speaking of clamps, there was an article and plan for a one-handed, Norwegian, wooden, cam-operated, lapstrake planking clamp that can be easily constructed in an early issue of WoodenBoat. I looked it up in the index and it said issue #29 if I read it right.

It was just as elegant as the boats that they use them on and any good clamp collector should have several. It was called the "Brenne" (sp?) clamp. A good winter project - check it out.

T.E.B

[This message has been edited by Todd Bradshaw (edited 11-09-2000).]

[SailBoatDude]

I stopped buying clamps a number of years ago. I don't have enough and am willing to accept it. I've made some up in last few months, but I've found it no big deal. when I need more then I got (30 some) I beg, borrow or make some. My shop only has 8'6" headroom so a rafter serves to hold them all 'till needed, no need to use something I don't need (like a clamp cabinet).

[none]

I have two, small< stanly clamps with pistol grips. any care to donate?

[Chad Smith]

I like the idea of overhead storage. Just clip to the bottom of the upstairs floor joist. Only problem I would have would be taking them elswhere. Most of my boat work is done outside. I may get some of them Gatemouth bags that you see in Duluth Trading Co.

Chad

[jeffery]

Since finding sheetrock screws need for clamps had scrunk why is it I still run short ? find I use them to hold pieces in place while they are fastened.

Tools are like boats the moreyou have (with in reason) the better. just let the reasoner be your self

I'm sure Imelda marcos never thought she had too many shoes

Jeffery

[Ian Wright]

Carver clamps,,,, more a metal bashing tool but a great bit of kit, they will push as well as pull and will shift 25mm boiler plate. Tough old tool, about £30 each and worth it.

IanW.

[Paul Frederiksen]

Rather than build a cabinet for them you could just send them to me. I have an empty cabinet (curiously boat shaped one) which will hold them nicely.

[Joe Dupere]

I run a stringer along the bottom of the rafters of my garage/shop. That way I just hang my clamps from the stringer out of the way until I need them.

Joe

[Ed Harrow]

Garret Wade has some smaller german bar clamps on special, I think 10 for $20.00. Looks like a good deal if you're wanting some smaller light-work clamps.

[Kermit]

G-W has a more or less standing deal that lets you buy several of those 4" barclamps when you order something else. I've got about 35 or 40 of 'em now. They are good little light-duty clamps. They come in other lengths too, and I have a few of the 12" ones. They are limited in capacity and aren't powerhouses, but I sometimes have had all of them in play at once. I was sort of skeptical when I first ordered them, but was pleased.

Those Record (I think) bar/sash clamps that utilize a wooden bar are pretty good too. I keep various lengths of ash beams on hand for using appropriately. I hate having to use a six-footer when I only need 2 or 3 feet.

And learn to make your own. Fun to use up that scrap inventory and turn it into clamps!

[Bayboat]

For many years I have been working on a breeding program for C-clamps, in the hopes they will someday reproduce themselves. I'll let all forumites know when the research yields results.

[Gib Sosman]

Bayboat, have you checked with www.coathangers.com?

Now that you have brought up the subject of breeding... wasn't it Elly May Clamp-ette who got clamps once a month?.. that is, until...


[This message has been edited by Gib Sosman (edited 11-12-2000).]

[rbgarr]

Not to be sacriligious (sp?), but for many people with our interests going to the hardware store is like a visit to church. Consider your clamp-collecting tendency the equivalent of dropping a donation in the collection plate. Some wood boat nuts even lay their hands on hardware store tools every weekend and call it 'the blessing of the fleet"! It's good for your soul.

[John B]

I bought some cheap clamps once.
Taiwanese imitation f clamps.
They LOOKED like clamps.
They were PAINTED the same as the good german ones I already had.

They SLIP.The pads dropped off em.
They DISTORT and I HATE EM.

But I can't bring myself to throw them out because 2 of them will still do the job of 1 good one.
Every time I see one of those things I think of the shop I bought them from and remember to go elsewhere.( those people sold me a bendable crow bar too)

Its a bad move to sell a man with a clamp habit a bad clamp.
Bad.

[cs]

Don't know why these keep coming to the top, but this is a good one.

Chad