Jig or Ideas for making a clamp rack

[Joe Barta]

Call me a crabby old shit, but I suspect that many of these basic questions are for projects that never get beyond the "I was thinking of..." and "how do I..." stage.

Not directed at the OP because he did have several clamps and you probably wouldn't have several clamps unless you've actually built a few things. Actually I'd say the number of clamps one has is probably a good barometer of how much woodworking actually gets beyond that "thinking of" stage... and that rusty pair of C-clamps on the shelf don't count. Now... if those two rusty C-clamps are hanging on their own nifty glued and screwed smartly labeled plywood clamp holder...

[Tim and Steph]

In these parts (Northern Vermont, close to the Canadian border), it's called a "garage", and it's pronounced "Ga-rarj". Note that there's an extra R in there. It's an Algonquin word that means "place that you put your tools in and park your car in front of". The flatlanders (non-natives, Jeff), god bless 'em, actually put their cars INSIDE this space (no, really!), and as such have to store their clamps on fancy clamp racks.

[Tim and Steph]

That's true. I've built some goofy jigs over the years, just because. Sometimes, you just have to do a complicated solution.

Well, if you're new to the game, you (or, I do, anyway) have a tendency to seek answers, just to make sure you're not missing something basic.

Nice Granny quote, BTW!

[Tim and Steph]

Or how tolerant your respective SWMBOs are of your rust hunting...

[Joe Barta]

Mine's not always so tolerant... but I straighten her ass out damn quick ;-)

[Tim and Steph]

Lotta clamps come in handy for that?

[Joe Barta]

Clamps and a roll of duct tape. Seriously though, been divorced for a few years now so you can see I'm probably not someone you'd want 'handlin women' advice from (unless you want them handled out the door). I did learn that straightening out women works very well in theory. In practice... well... let's say there are a few kinks.

[J T]

Thu, Jan 5, 2006, 12:51am (EST+5) [e-mail] (Joe=A0Barta) who wants to be called names, doth sayeth: Call me a crabby old shit, but I suspect that many of these basic questions are for projects that never get beyond the "I was thinking of..." and "how do I..." stage. Not directed at the OP because he did have several clamps and you probably wouldn't have several clamps unless you've actually built a few things. Actually I'd say the number of clamps one has is probably a good barometer of how much woodworking actually gets beyond that "thinking of" stage...

Oh, I don't know. I know of people who have a whole shop full of tools, and haven't used a one.

My belief is, that a lot of these guys just want someone else to do their thinking for them. Their first implulse is to ask someone how to do whatever. Either that, or they are so lacking confidence in their abilities, they think they can't do it on their own.

Apparently my background is radically different, because my first impulse is always, "How can I do this myself?". I've got about 10 clamps in my living room, on a small stand I made for doing small jobs in the house. Took about 3 seconds to decide that a bar along each side would take clamps hanging from it. I suppose, if you worked at it, you could make it more complicated, but it wouldn't work any better. Designed the stand too, no steenkin' plans - all glued, no fasteners, held together with clamps until the glue set - works fine. The only prob is, I need to put it out in the shop, and make a more advanced version for in the house. The design for that one will be worked out in my mind, same as the first one.

JOAT You'll never get anywhere if you believe what you "hear". What do you "know"?

- Granny Weatherwax

[Woody]

One comment: I started with clamp racks like the one you indicated and when removing them, inevitably some would get yanked out along with the one I was removing. I ended up building a rolling cart, very similar to the one from New Yankee Workshop:

your set on the design you indicated, I built mine by cutting 1" diameter holes into 3/4" plywood and then cutting slots from the board edge to the hole. The slots hold the pipes. Then it's a matter of securing them. Good luck.

~Mark.

[Dave]