Sometimes short clamps can replace long ones.

[Leon]

For the third time this year I have needed 2~3 clamps that are 8 feet long. I have been perfecting a method of clamping rails to the ends of long plywood panels without the need of long clamps. One way is to use pocket hole screws to replace clamps, but then you end up with those holes that you might have to deal with. Today I perfected my method of using clamps that are less than 12" long to replace the need of clamps longer than 95".

A picture is worth 1000 words. I will say that the top temporary price of plywood has PSA sand paper attached on the bottom side to prevent it from slipping. If you have k-body style clamps remove the handle screw end and reverse it's orientation on the bar so that you can get a relatively square alignment.

Hollar if something is unclear. :-)

[woodchucker]

I think you have some glue under the top handscrew... Go wipe it off before it dries... Oh please don't thank me for the help :-)

[none]

Not as clever as your solution, but I purchased a pair of these K body clamp extenders from Lee Valley Tools.

[Lee Michaels]

Are you sure you are using enough clamps there Leon? LOL

That will do the trick!

[Gramps' shop]

That's pretty cool, Leon. I had a similar issue a few projects back and ne eded a couple of 70" long clamps. I screwed a cleat into one end of a two- by and drilled a 3/4" hole at the appropriate spot at the other end, into w hich i inserted one of those handy adjustable LN bench dogs. Worked like m agic.

Larry

[Leon]

No! But there was no more room. LOL

[Leon]

It's still there but I have a really good sand paper that removes it instantly.

[Leon]

Cool! I was thinking of doing similar but did not think of using a dog, it was all about keeping all of the force going parallel to thr panel

[Leon]

I have those too but still not long enough, my long Bessey clamps are 40".

[WW]

I have those too but still not long enough, my long Bessey clamps are 40".

Leon You get 2 LV extenders and a length of proper sized bar stock. problem solved. WW

[Greg Guarino]

As an occasional weekend blunderer, I have a motley assortment of clamps. I bought a special "clamp extender" for a buck or two at Home Depot a couple of years ago. The more observant among you should be able to find it in this photo:

They are still available. Just look in the Plumbing Dept. :) And yes, I have since learned that there were a number of more standard ways I might have accomplished this task.

[-MIKE-]

What could be more "standard" to connect two pieces of pipe than a pipe coupler?

[none]

On Thu, 10 Oct 2013 10:58:13 -0500, -MIKE-

Clamps tend to bow depending on their tightness. I'd think that a regular pipe coupler would be the weak point and the first part to break when used to join pipe clamps.

[Greg Guarino]

Poorly phrased on my part. The coupler worked fine. It's just that there are apparently ways to glue a hardwood edge onto a desktop without using seven-foot long clamps.

[-MIKE-]

BREAK!? LMAO!

If you're getting close to breaking a steel pipe coupler by using it in a pipe clamp, I would submit... A. you're using a bulldozer to plant flowers. B. you can't turn the clamps hard enough with your hands to break it.

[none]

On Thu, 10 Oct 2013 11:38:53 -0500, -MIKE-

Actually, I had cast iron pipe in mind when I posted.

[-MIKE-]

Wouldn't have changed my post one bit.

[SonomaProducts.com]

Yep, clamping cauls of a sort. Clamping to clamps is quite often useful. Also, in my opinion preferable to a long clamp. I think you get better control than trying to control the clamp face flex over a 6 foot clamp, bowing the material, etc.

[none]

On Thu, 10 Oct 2013 13:09:52 -0500, -MIKE-

You're entitled to your opinion.

[-MIKE-]

Understood. There are many ways and yours is one of them.