Rockler 4-Way Panel Clamps 54% Off

[-MIKE-]

These seem to be the perfect combination of top/bottom parallel clamping and using cauls. They use shop made cauls as part of the clamping mechanism, so you get flatness and it prevents boards from popping up at the seems under compression.

I've been waiting for these to go on sale and will probably get at least four. Seems like a no-brainer considering the great design and how much cheaper they are than good parallel clamps.

I go in with caution because having bought many of Rockler's "inventions" and being greatly underwhelmed due to low quality control and under-performance, I've grown to be wary of their house brand.

However I'm fairly certain, they didn't invent, nor manufacturer these. We'll see how it goes.

Anyone have these, already?

[Leon]

I would caution you to wax the cauls so that they do not stick to the panel joints.

[Leon]

Oh wait, ;~) one more caution..

WARNING Cancer and Reproductive Harm. For more information go to

[-MIKE-]

I planned on using iron-on melamine, since I have a bunch of it leftover.

[DerbyDad03]

So how come when I posted a link to a set up that used cauls you chastised me...errr...I mean...politely stated:

"IMHO learning to glue up panels correctly negates the need for cauls of any kind."

[-MIKE-]

IIRC, he suggested using the over/under parallel clamping technique in which you have parallel clamps on the bottom and top of the panel which keeps the panels from popping up at the seems.

These clamps, which incorporate cauls as part of the clamping mechanism, accomplish the same thing as over-under clamping.

Perhaps he was saying that using parallel clamps *with* cauls was overkill since you can do the same thing with parallel clamps alone.

[DerbyDad03]

Clear packing tape works pretty well too.

[Leon]

The beauty to these type clamps is that you are unlimited to the length of clamp you set up. The fact that is acts as a caul is secondary IMHO>

[krw]

They're a good use for warped wood, too. ;-)

[John Grossbohlin]

I had 8 sets of clamps like those when I started getting serious about woodworking... I made the cauls with camber so that the pressure in the middle was maintained as they were tightened. Ultimately I got a bunch of Bessy clamps and got rid of the 4 way clamps. When I need really long clamps I've got pipe clamps with couplers that give me all the length I'd ever need... As I recall I had them about 12'-14' long one time to help with straightening out framing during a house renovation.

The 4-way clamps were a crutch when I started as they let me glue up panels with cupped boards where the edges did not butt up square without them. With good board prep the need for them disappeared... About the only time I need cauls now is when I'm gluing up things like cutting boards that have a lot of slippery glue joints. I haven't missed the 4-way clamps at all.

[-MIKE-]

So, you've used all three types and still prefer the Bessy.

If I had a bunch of pipe clamps, I suspect I wouldn't be getting these

4-ways. The price is so low on these, I had to bite. The cauls being integrated in them isn't the feature that makes me want them. To me it's the customization of length-- similar to pipe clamps. But, the fact that they use cauls for that purpose is definitely a bonus.

We'll see what happens next time I have a panel glue-up. Who knows, maybe I'll be buying a bunch of Bessys. :-)

[John Grossbohlin]

We all work a bit differently so they may be just the ticket for you... or maybe not. After some experience with them you'll know if they work for YOU. Having the Bessy clamps, a bunch of handscrews, a bunch of C-clamps, a bunch of spring clamps, packing tape, rubber bands, and 4 pipe clamps that I can adjust for length is meeting my needs. I've been known to use a vacuum bag food sealer for things too. ;~)

[-MIKE-]

I wish I would've taken pictures or recorded a video, but I came up with a pretty ingenious solution to challenging veneer gluing job I had, several years back.

I was asked to put Bubinga veneer on some 22" maple bass drum hoops. Bass drum hoops are what hold the head on the drum and are a bit larger than the drum shell. They are about 1-3/4" wide, 1/4-3/8" thick, and usually around 18-24" in diameter.

The outside was easy to clamp using a simple band clamp. Piece of cake. But how do you clamp the inside of a cylinder, and one that big? I though about using a couple dozen spring clamps. But I came up with a great idea that came from this contraption I made...

In the video you can see how I used a pneumatic tire to hold the drum shell while the base spins. That gave me the idea to try a bicycle inner-tube as an air bladder clamp for the inside surface of the bass drum hoop. It worked absolutely perfectly and even bent the veneer around the curved edge on one side of the hoops.

[DerbyDad03]

I assume you read the reviews. One common complaint is that the depth for t he notches given in the instructions is too shallow to hold under pressure. I think that was mentioned in both the Amazon reviews and the Rockler reviews. That could be a user/usage issue, b ut the complaint is pretty common.

I wonder if cutting flat notches with a dado blade or a router might be bet ter than the curved bottom notches that you get by drilling holes and then cutting the cauls in half per the instructions.

[-MIKE-]

I think it will be simple enough to drill separate holes for each one and not cut through the dead center of the holes. I'll start there and see how it works.

[DerbyDad03]

or the notches given

was mentioned in both the

e, but the complaint

better than the curved

s in half per the

It wasn't about the making of the holes, it was the size of the holes that appears to be the issue. Even if the loss of some of the hole due to the kerf is the main issue, you'd think that they (the designers) would have accounted for that when they decided what size to put in the instructions.

Then again, it could simply be that those that complained were trying to apply more pressure than should be necessary. Let's us know.

[-MIKE-]

I also suspect that there is a certain height required for the cauls in order for them to be effective. The higher the cauls, the more downward the pulling action is making it less prone to pulling out of the groove.