Clamping Cauls

[George Bokros]

How many of you use them?

If you use them did you make them or buy them?

If you bought them where did you buy them?

i am thinking about getting some.

[Chris Padilla]

Look no further than bowclamp.com. There is even a quote on the Testimonial page from Yours Truly.

I bought the 3 pair package several years ago.

[glenn bradley]

Easy enough to make. I'll assume we are talking about bowed cauls and not just a milled piece of hardwood. Mine are pecan in pairs of about 2, 3, and 4 foot lengths. A nice straight grained hardwood will serve you best as it will give a fairly consistent pressure although other material can certainly be used as well. You can't use them for everything which is what the advertising would have you believe just as you can't mix a souffle with a router despite some folks videos and books . However, they can be a life saver for middle of the panel pressure requirements and mine get enough use to warrant the "new" set I made after the original set proved so useful.

Here they are with wax applied to one side of the first caul. They shed glue easily with a touch up about once a year.

cauls-v2.jpg

The arc is 1/8" difference from centerline to the ends on the 2', 1/4" for the 3' and 3/8" for the 4'. This will vary with your material of choice and pressure requirements. I had the pecan left over from a project. If I was going to buy a quality hardwood and mill them to accept clamp heads and all that I would seriously consider just buying BowClamps ready made. If you just want something simple, they are quickly made.

[Paul Cahill]

Use them all the time. I made mine based on a tutorial by Mike Henderson:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...uls&highlight=

Easy to make and work great!

Paul

[David T gray]

u can also make them on a jointer in 30s

[Peter Quinn]

u can also make them on a jointer in 30s

This. Its not magic for sure. I make them at work, keep a few different sized sets under my bench. I've made them from maple, oak, poplar, or what ever stuff drops of appropriate dimension from my project or somebody else. Don't think I've ever used material that could have made product. Its always stuff with some inclusions, stains, maybe pin knots or something that got rejected for cosmetics but is still strong. I chuckle at the idea of buying them. Maybe buy one...use that as your pattern and flush trim your own to that if necessary. I've read the sales pitch about "CNC machined to the perfect arc considering the wood's modulus of elasticity....." Really? Its wood. Do you test each piece and make a custom arc? Do you think every piece of maple has the exact same modulus of elasticity? Its a tree, not an aluminum billet. Call me dubious. Not that they aren't good, just that you can achieve a very excellent functionality from drops in minutes, and the bought ones are probably the single most expensive way to buy hard maple I can think of.

Any way you come by them, they sure are handy.

[Tom M King]

Working with Yellow Pine allows easy pickings of pieces that are plenty perfect enough just by setting the right pieces aside left over as offcuts from something else. I wouldn't pay 5 bucks for one, much less anything more.

[David Eisenhauer]

Use them regularly. Mine are made from old 2x4 drop-offs. I did write "caul" on them after accidently cutting one up for something. Not that big of a deal to make up, but rather not have to stop and remake them every time I use them. I have always intended to re make them for good out of some decent, straight grained hardwood, but 20 years later still using the SYP 2x4 versions.

[Jay Aubuchon]

I use them whenever I glue up panels. Mine are made from Borg 2x4s. Someday I will find time to make better ones. Someday.

[Clint Baxter]

Made my own of ash and maple. 2', 3' & 4'. Bent them into a bow and trimmed off the ends to create the "supposed perfect" arc. Don't know if that is entirely true or necessary, but they work just fine. Used a method similar to that of post 11 of thread http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...Clamping-Cauls. A bit of effort, but appears to be well worth it

Clint.

[Bill Orbine]

Reasons why we keep scrap. Make 'em quick on jointer. Boom! done! pennies saved.....a lot of 'em.

[Bill Sutherland]

I have the Bowclamps and love em.

[jack duren]

How many of you use them?

If you use them did you make them or buy them?

If you bought them where did you buy them?

i am thinking about getting some.

I don't have any but if i wanted them I would just buy the Bow Clamps. From time to time you'll hear "the one with the most tools when they die wins" But then again the one with the most hand made crap doesn't. Buy the brand name and be proud...

[Rick Lizek]

Been making and using curved cauls for 40 years. Inexpensive and easy to make. Can be as simple as using 2 x 4's. Would buy a push stick? You took up woodworking to make things. If you can't make cauls I can't see being able to make anything. The thought you need a CNC to make cauls is total nonsense and marketing talk. Curved cauls have been hundreds of years. The first veneer presses were caul based.

Follow Mike Henderson's directions. All you need is one and you can use a router and pattern bit to make as many as you need.

[jack duren]

Been making and using curved cauls for 40 years. Inexpensive and easy to make. Can be as simple as using 2 x 4's. Would buy a push stick? You took up woodworking to make things. If you can't make cauls I can't see being able to make anything. The thought you need a CNC to make cauls is total nonsense and marketing talk. Curved cauls have been hundreds of years. The first veneer presses were caul based.

Follow Mike Henderson's directions. All you need is one and you can use a router and pattern bit to make as many as you need.

He's not saying he can't make the cauls. Not everyone took up woodworking to make jigs for the shop.