Woodworking needs precision and accuracy. It involves the use of a lot of dangerous machinery. If the wood pieces are not held into place at the time of work, it may cause serious issues. Therefore, you must be careful while working with woods. Woodworking clamps hold the wood pieces together. Thus, it will help you maintain safety, accuracy, and precision.
A clamp works as a fastening device. It holds or secure objects together, so that separation or movement becomes impossible. While some clamps are used for temporary purposes, like fixing things together, others are used for permanent purposes. That is to say that you will find a wide variety of clamp types. Band clamps, bar clamps or sliding clamps, bench clamps, Cardellini clamps, flooring clamps, magnetic clamps, Mitre clamps, spring clamps, toggle clamps, toolmakers’ clamps- these are some of the various types of temporary clamps. Among permanent clamps, there are hose clamps, Marman clamps, etc. Besides, there are some cramps for medical purposes or used as a medical term. Some of these are- Homeostatic clamp, Forester clamp, Gomco clamp, Pennigton clamp, etc.
Now comes the clamps that we are going to discuss here- woodworking clamps. Easily assumable by its name, woodworking clamps hold wood pieces together. These are specially used when two wood pieces are glued, but the glue has not dried yet. The clamps hold the pieces until the glue dries off. As you already understood, there are a wide variety of clamp types and use. If you do not choose the correct one, you will not get the expected result. Best woodworking clamps will help you in that process. In the next paragraphs, we will share some of the best woodworking clamps.
Irwin Quick-grip Clamps
Irwin quick-grip clamps are one-handed mini bar clamps. The clamp set is perfect for small projects where the working space is small or confined. This clamp has a reinforced resin body that helps to ensure durability and strength. The hardened steel bars also help in the process. With sturdiness, these bars prevent the clamp from bending and flexing. These clamps from Irwin have one-handed triggers that work on the quick release. Irwin quick-grip clamps have non-marring pads. These pads protect the work surfaces and wood pieces from scuffs, dents, and scratches. However, what matters for almost all of the people is the price. You can be sure that these clamps are within your budget.
Weighing only 1 pound per clamp, these are easily manageable. Moreover, the size of these clamps is only six inches. These clamps are of regular style, among many available styles. Some clamp types require a battery, which may be a problem for charging issues. However, these clamps do not require batteries. As a result, you can be assured of its performance. That is why Irwin gives a lifetime guarantee in these tools. If the tool does not face any damage due to alteration or misuse, you can expect it to run for a lifetime. As the name suggests, this clamp from Irwin has quick-grip technology that releases the clamps at once when triggered.
These clamps are a perfect fit within the budget range for all. With a high-quality build, you will get the experience of smooth operation. The rubber cushioning pads will ensure the safety of your wood products on which you use the clamps. You will get four pieces in a set. You will get a sufficient clamping force of 140 pounds. However, keep in mind that these are for doing small tasks, not huge projects.
Key features:
- Non-marring cushion pads: protect the wood pieces from scratches
- Quick-grip: Triggers release the clamps at once
- Sturdy: The steel bars prevent bending and flexing
- 140 pounds: A clamping force of 140 pounds
- Ideal for use at small workpieces in small areas
Bessey 3/4-inch H-style Pipe Clamps
The next one in our best woodworking clamps list is the Bessey 3/4-inch H-style pipe clamps. As the name suggests, this clamp has two feet, resembling the ‘H’ shape. These feet stabilize the clamp, giving it the unique dual-axis to stand on. The weight divides into the two dimensions of ‘H,’ making it safer. These H-style clamps have the ability to elevate and stabilize your workpieces with their ¾ inches Bessel pipes. The H-style base gives another advantage. It prevents the clamp from tipping over.
You often need to raise the wood pieces of your project off the table or work surface. It makes tightening easier. With this clamp, you get that opportunity and can tighten more easily. Another mentionable feature of this clamp is the large clamping surface. The large surface ensures that the clamps provide positive grips. Powder-coated finishing ensures durability. Besides, the extra base-height gives an unobstructed work surface.
Moreover, these H-style clamps have padded jaws. These padded jaws help you protect your woodworking from marring. You will get 2 or 4 of these soft jaw cushions or caps with this clamp model. If your workpieces or other materials are damaged, it will undoubtedly lead to harm. However, these pads, caps, or cushions will ensure that the materials do not face any damage.
Earlier, we mentioned a positive grip and pressure. Well, the large handles of this clamp will ensure that positive pressure. On the other hand, the ‘clutch’ action will ensure that it automatically grips the bar. The clutch components are zinc-plated, making it more efficient. This tool includes a casting jaw, which offers durability. The crank handle also helps in maintaining this durability. They also provide the action spindle to be smooth. Besides durability, the crank handle clears off the work surface when closing and opening the clamp’s jaw.
Key features:
- H shaped feet, giving two-dimensional stability
- The extra height of the base
- Cast jaw, ensuring durability
- Soft jaw caps- 2 or 4
- Crank handle, clearing of the work surface
- Powder coat finishing with high-durability
- Threaded spindle with a black oxide coating
Right Angle Clamp, Housolution Single Handle 90 Degree Aluminum Alloy Corner Clamp
This corner clamp makes assembling works easier. No matter whether you are assembling a cabinet or furniture or merely doing some woodworking, this tool will come in handy. If you are a professional carpenter, this is a go-to type tool for you. Even if you are a DIY person, it is the right choice for you. With this tool, you can accomplish a wide variety of tasks- welding, nailing, aligning, screwing, woodworking, which is our concern in this matter, etc. This tool will be helpful in making cabinets, picture frames, boxes, etc. The jaw has a unique swing design that allows rotation in two ways.
The manufacturer company ensures a lifetime guaranty with this product. That is because this alloy tool is made from aluminum and is abrasion resistant and die-casting. For this reason, you can expect this tool to perform the same way years after years. While many clamps create an obstruction in the working area, this one ensures that the working area remains unobstructed. As a result, you are able to assemble joints or weld without any hassle or worry. The tool features a quick releasing mechanism. It has a rubberized handle to make sure of easy adjustments.
This clamp from Housolution allows you to use it on glasses. However, if you are going to apply this tool on glasses, make sure of the thickness beforehand. If the glass is too thin, you should not use the tool on it. That is because the glass may crack and cause further issues. Even if it does not crack, there is much possibility that the glass item will have some scratches. Therefore, we will suggest that you coat the glass’s sides before clamping. Thus, you can hope to avoid accidents. While there are many tools that require batteries, this tool does not require any.
Key features:
- Aluminum body material alloy
- Rubberized single handle jaw with the advantage of rotation and adjustment
- Durable clamp with a right angle, making clamping easier
- Swing jaw design with rotation in two ways
- Works as a clamping device for 90-degree joints
- No batteries required
WORKPRO 16-Piece Nylon Spring Clamp Set- 4pc 6-1/2” Clamps, 6pc 4-1/2” Clamps, 6pc 3-3/8” Clamps
This spring clamp from WORKPRO is a handy tool that can be used on multiple occasions. The clamp is quick and easy to use. This set on Amazon includes 16 pieces in total. Four of them are six and a half inches; four are four and half-inches, and the other six are three and a quarter inches. These variations in size will help you in the clamping of different items. You can use the smaller clamps for clamping plastic materials. However, if the plastic material is heavy or oversized, you can use the bigger clamps as well.
This spring-based clamp comes with thick pads, which ensures high durability and protection of the finishing. The surface is geometrically textured. It helps in doing better friction of the clamps and in fastening objects. Moreover, the pads are flexible, allowing rotation of up to forty-five degrees. You can adjust them as per the irregularity of the materials. The clamps are constructed with nylon, ensuring a steady, long-lasting, tight hold. This firm construction of nylon ensures longevity in the lifetime of the clamp. With no batteries required, the tool becomes more desirable.
The ergonomic handle provides an easy and comfortable grip. The fine-textured surface of the grip prevents your hand from slipping the clamp, ensuring excellent holding power. As the name suggests, these spring clamps are based on screws. Screws do the whole purpose. Therefore, it should be your primary concern. Well, you can rest assured about the quality of the screws used in these clamps. They are made in a way that ensures high-durability, long-time service, and high clamping force.
As you already know, clamps are sometimes used as beautifiers in photography. Spring clamps are the perfect choice to enhance the beauty of photography backdrops. Besides, they are an ideal choice to be used in arts, crafts, or even in home decoration.
Key features:
- Reinforced nylon construction
- Durable pads, protecting the finishing of the materials
- Handle with a comfortable grip
- Long-time, highly durable spring
- No batteries required
Buying Guide
We have come a long way in the article stating different best woodworking clamps. Now, let us discuss some key points that will work as a buying guide, helping you buy the best woodworking clamp. At the top of the article, we have mentioned the types of woodworking clamps. We will revisit the types in the buying guide.
If you are a new woodworker, different clamp types in the market may overwhelm you. You can get puzzled as well. However, if you know about the variety in their functions, it will be easy for you to choose the perfect one for your woodwork. However, that does not mean that you will need to buy different clamps for different purposes. Although that is an option, you will get some products that include different-sized clamps within a single packaging, as one of the products in this article. Another thing you should keep in mind is the size of the tool. Although a big tool may seem incredible at first, small tools are always preferred.
Hand-screw Clamps
Hand-screw clamps have been in the market for an extended period. They have long jaws, which give perfect reach to your wood pieces without damaging it a bit. There are two screws- one at the top and another at the bottom. They are operated independently, enabling clamping of abnormal-shaped wood pieces. You can use these clamps for holding small workpieces. These tools give you quick adjustability.
Parallel Clamps
This type of clamps ensures immense clamping power. Some features of this type of clamp are large jaw size and non-marring pads. This type is the most common of clamp types. As the jaws are parallel, the pressure of the clamp pad gets distributed evenly.
F-Style Clamps
The style is simpler than that of other types. That is why they are less expensive. They do not distribute even pressure like parallel clamps; instead, they concentrate the absolute pressure at the end of the jaws. If your budget is low, this type must be the best choice for you. There are different models with different sizes of this type. There are rubber padding like other types, which help protect the surface of the wood products. However, some models may still leave oil residue on the wood.
Pipe Clamps
Pipe clamps are perfect for working with bigger wood pieces because parallel or F-shaped clamps are not that big. They have only two jaws, making it affordable. You will need to buy the pipe for yourself. If you are on a budget, this clamp may be the best choice for you.
C-Style Clamps
They work as a multi-purpose clamp. These clamps offer a lot of clamping pressure. They range from 3 inches to eight inches. In woodworking schools, they are the most used type. You will often see this type of clamps to be used for bending frames of instruments. Although the tool is pretty simple, it still may feature convenient features like a quick-release button.
Ratcheting Clamps
You won’t get the same clamping power from this clamp as that from other ones. It requires only one hand to perform the task, making it convenient. You will get additional convenience with the quick-release button or trigger. This type also includes rubber pads that prevent your wood pieces from getting damaged. Ratcheting clamps are perfect for gluing ups that do not need much pressure.
Spring Clamps
They are the most affordable among all types of clamps. However, they provide the least clamping pressure. Although our concern in this article is woodworking clamps, we must say that it is suitable for plastic products.
There are a lot of other special types that might be the best choice for you. While going to buy a clamp, learn about its clamping pressure, padding, price, size, etc. Hopefully, you will be able to buy the best woodworking clamp.
Conclusion
Woodworking clamps are essential for any wood related work. The versatility of its appliance does not confine in woodworkers. Regular people also need clamps sometimes for their wood furniture. Moreover, clamps are nowadays being used as a part of photography. As we have mentioned the best woodworking clamps in the early part of the article, you can choose the best one among those. However, you should follow the buying guide to get a hold of what will suit you the best.