Don't have clamps big enough...

I need to make a 76" table top, 16" wide out of plywood, with "breadboard" ends. My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying bigger clamps for one project.

There will be drawers under the center of the table; so I could screw a cleat into the center of the table and clamp from the cleat to the end with

4' clamps. I could even do both ends at the same time, so the clamps are opposing each other, rather than just pulling on the cleat. (I suppose I could also make the ends 6" and glue one on normally first, and then use the cleat for the second.)

Any comments on this? Will being slightly off axis make much difference? Any other suggestion on how to clamp 78"?

Obviously I could use veneer edging tape, but will not look so great.

Reply to
toller
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I just put two clamps together to make one long one.

tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (real email)

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Reply to
Tom Watson

Can you attach multiple pipe clamps together end to end with $.99 couplers?

Barry

Reply to
Ba r r y

If you are using old style pipe clamps, you can turn the ends 90 degrees to clamp both ends like you suggest, with no problems. Otherwise, you could try using scrap boards (2x4's or whatever) with cleats on each end. Between the cleats and the breadboard, tap in wedges to tighten everything up until the glue dries. I've used both methods before, and they seem to work equally well.

Good luck, Rob

Reply to
Rob West

Reply to
Mike Marlow

"breadboard"

difference?

I believe you can also buy just the heads and feet of a sash clamp and then provide your own shaft of suitable length to make any length clamp you want.

FoggyTown

Reply to
foggytown

Pipe clamps.

Pipe clamps, and a bunch of three- and four-foot pipes (that's a good handy size). And a few pipe couplers so you can combine sections to make seven- or eight-foot clamps.

It's cheaper (a LOT cheaper) to buy ten-foot sections of pipe at a home center, than to buy two four-foot sections. And they'll cut and thread them at no charge, too. I'd suggest buying five, ten-foot pieces. Have one of them cut 5 & 5, two cut 6 & 4, and two cut 4, 3 & 3. This will give you four each of 3- and 4-foot clamps, and two each of 5- and 6-foot clamps. With appropriate couplers, you can build clamps of almost any size you want.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

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Reply to
Doug Miller

Or you could just get a longer pipe.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

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Reply to
Doug Miller

"breadboard"

.... provided that that they can also thread all those pipe ends for you too, or you have the faculties to do it yourself.

Dave

Reply to
David Radlin

I recently made a table with breadboard ends and didn't even need clamps. I put three pins (1/4" dowels) in each end. What I did was drill the holes for pins in the end-cap piece first, then slightly offset (1/64" - 1/32") the holes in the tenon. That way when you pound in the pins, it will draw the two pieces together. When I did it the joint was very tight and simply didn't need any clamps.

Reply to
jeffmarston

[snip]

Didja see the part where I said that the home centers would cut *and* thread the pipes at no charge? It's certainly true at Lowe's and Home Depot, anyway. I've had it done both places. Matter of fact, I have *never* encountered any hardware store, home center, or plumbing supply house that would cut pipe to length but *not* thread it. Some won't thread it for *free*, but IME every place that cuts it will also thread it.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

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Reply to
Doug Miller

not sure if you can justify the cost for a couple of these, but you might and they would do the job very well:

Reply to
Mike in Mystic

Build an inexpensive clamp. A cheap 2x4 stud with cleats 80" apart and a pair of wedges is effective, inexpensive, quick, and re-usable.

Want something fancier? Use a cleat on one end and a Lee Valley "Wonder Pup" or "Panel Clamp" on the other.

Reply to
Morris Dovey

A longer board, cleats on both ends, and a couple of wedges. Why do you have to *buy* clamps when you can *make* them?

Reply to
DJ Delorie

Use the cheapest clamp ever. Get a length of rope, tie it in a loop and wrap it around your table. Tighten it by laying a stick across it and twist until you have the clamp pressure you need. Total cost? I need to make a 76" table top, 16" wide out of plywood, with "breadboard"

Reply to
Joe C.

That's more than enough justification for most of us.

We're talking about $3.50 for a pipe clamp, and $12 for an 8 foot pipe. It will cost you more if you trying to rig something together that pops loose

10 minutes after you get it set and have walked away, and your project is ruined.

Kevin in Bakersfield

Reply to
Kevin

hmm.. hard to explain and my ass-key sucks, but here goes:

you can throw together a few plywood or other scrap extenders...

the simple ones are a 5 or 6" wide piece of ply with a cleat running along the two sides, one cleat on "top", the other on the other end, opposite side, or "bottom".. sort of like '-------, that?? make the bottom cleat to fit the breadboard, the top one to fit the type of clamp you're using.. Sometimes these work best if you just use one at the end of the clamp that's too short, most times, I like one at each end for equal clamping angle.. YMMV

mac

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Reply to
mac davis

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Reply to
igor

Pipe clamps are cheap and with a little scrounging you can get the pipe for free.

Reply to
Lawrence Wasserman

I have five-foot pipe clamps (actually 66", owing to the vaguaries of standard pipe lengths), plus a few nipple/coupling combinations I've built up as the need arose.

Though all my projects lately have been rather large, making me think that perhaps some 90-inchers are due me after my next big lottery win.

Reply to
U-CDK_CHARLES\Charles

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