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Thread: Pipe clamps. Size and material?

  1. #1
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    Pipe clamps. Size and material?

    I'm going to make some more up. Currently I use 1/2" and with less than 3 feet deflection is tolerable. I also have black and galvanized.
    Due to the staining and deflection - 3/4" galvanized is the best?

  2. #2
    I prefer 3/4" black pipe, staining is an issue but the clamps seemed to slip more on galvanized.
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    I've used 3/4" galvanized for years and have never experienced the slip some folks report. I am using Jorgensen heads but, any name brand head should grip well enough. It could also be the quality of the galvanized pipe but, I picked mine up at the BORG twelve years ago or so.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


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  4. #4
    3/4
    Galvanized just because its cheaper and more readily available.
    Yes, it will slip the more you use them, but its not that big an issue.
    Stick some plastic under a panel and you won't get staining.

  5. #5
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    I have lots of pipe clamps and some have galvanized pipe. I've never had a problem with slipping. All my clamps have cam jaw type grips. The grippers that are several flat plates might be more prone to slipping. I use 3/4" pipe exclusively. I place 1/4" scrap blocks under the pipes to prevent staining on light colored wood.

  6. #6
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    Glue stains from black pipe...........

    I use 1" long pieces of 1" dia PVC pipe, with about 40% cut away on the BS, for "spacers", if you will, to keep the pipe off the wood - and the glue line - by ~ 1/8".

    I also have the same things screwed to the wall, so my pipe clamps snap in place for storage.

    This first photo shows what the sections of PVC look like. In this particular application, they are mounted to scrap to give me "stands" to hold the pipe clamps, which are under the pieces being glued/clamped, at the correct height.

    Cauls - 03.jpg


    Second photo - you can see a pipe clamp snapped in place on a stand.

    You can also see a section of PVC snapped onto the pipe itself. All of my pipes have 2 pcs of this "standoff" PVC snapped to them. When I lay the clamps down on the work pieces, these offsets keep the pipe out of the glue. Easy to relocate anywhere on the pipe, as needed. Not needed for the clamps that are under the workpiece - but they live on that pipe. Essential for the alternating clamps that rest on top of the workpiece.

    Absolutely, positively zero stain/smear issues since the day I did this - 15 years ago +/-.

    Cauls - 07.jpg

    I will be honest with you - For the life of me, for anyone using pipe clamps, it beats the absolute heck out of me why you would not do this. I did not invent it - I think I got it from a tips-type segment of FWW, back in the day when I bought that rag.
    Last edited by Kent A Bathurst; 04-22-2015 at 8:48 PM.
    When I started woodworking, I didn't know squat. I have progressed in 30 years - now I do know squat.

  7. #7
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    Excellent Idea!!!
    >>> Je Suis Charlie <<<

  8. #8
    If you go the galvanized route, look at rigid conduit instead of water pipe. Remember you can't get two five foot (working length) clamps out of a ten foot section of pipe.

  9. #9
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    1/2" pipe clamps are a complete waste of money and time IMO.

    3/4" galv pipe here for 40 years now. Even with 3/4" pipe, you quite often have to still offset the clamping pressure with opposing clamps but not always.

    As you accumulate pipe, get some lengths that are threaded on both ends so you can join them to others with a coupling for longer lengths.

    As Bruce W points out, 1 10' cut in half does not equal 2 5's, but you can couple those with pipe threaded on both ends to increase the working length.

    Then after you have spent all your money on 3/4" pipe clamps, we can talk about parallel clamps.

  10. #10
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    I use 3/4" black pipe and have not experienced the staining much. The minimal amount I get sands off after gluing the panel. I have put painters tape on the pipes sometimes to completely avoid any staining.

    I use the 30" lengths that are threaded both ends most often. You can couple them together for longer pipes.

    Since I got some good parrallel clamps, I do not use the pipe clamps nearly as frequently.

  11. #11
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    Had galvanized rigid conduit for years & found that the more the clamps were used the more they slipped. So I threw away all the galvanized & got black pipe. No more slipping. The problem with galvanized is that the zinc is very soft & will creep under clamping pressure.

    I have the clamps that use 3 of 4 flat plates that lock against the pipe. I thing as they get worn they don't bite as well.

    As my collection of parallel clamps grows I use the pipe clamps less & less.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Zellers View Post
    Then after you have spent all your money on 3/4" pipe clamps, we can talk about parallel clamps.
    AIn't it da truth, ain't it da truth.
    When I started woodworking, I didn't know squat. I have progressed in 30 years - now I do know squat.

  13. #13
    Grizzly has their summer sale going on now, and they have pipe clamps, and I beam. I ordered 6 I beam clamps. Had to redo my clamp stand to hold 6 more, have to quit now.

  14. #14
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    Any recommendations for 3/4" clamp manufacturers?

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick Johnston View Post
    Any recommendations for 3/4" clamp manufacturers?
    Pony.

    3/4" galvanized pipe.

    10' length cut at 3', giving you a 3' and 7' pipe.

    I haven't used any of the more recent "stand up on their own" pipe clamps, but if I were getting pipe clamps today I'd get some that do so. I have 4 3' and 4 7' pipe clamps, haven't used the 3' in years, only use the 7' when the length is needed, which is very rare. The beauty of pipe clamps is they're inexpensive for their length, especially if you're willing to swap the bits around onto different lengths of pipe. The downside is they are heavy and have a shallow reach.
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