I have had these box clamps for several years and never quite found my rhythm on using them and felt they weren't as good as I had hoped. This video is key!!!! Now I can't wait to use them on my next project. By far one of your best videos in showing the value of a tool. Thank you for the great info.
I bought two sets of these a long time ago. They are awesome. And now they are even better after "our" Mr Farris, who is a great teacher, shows us even better ways to use Woodpecker's "Box Clamps". For he KNOWS it, believe me. Thanks to Woodpecker's; that make awesome joy when working with wood; and the experts to tell us exactly how to use their products. Wow! It doesn't get any better than this folks! WOW!
Agree with all the other comments on Keith’s great ability to clearly explain the woodpecker lineup. I have been frustrated with these box clamps before now - but I clearly see where I was going wrong. I will also be adding some T Tracks to my assembly table... genius idea!!! Thank you and keep these videos coming Keith you are a woodworking Rock Star!
Hey, Keith, glad you learned something new. Something I left for the next Deep Dive is that you can use the Box Clamps in a T-joint, too...the stock can pass through either side.
Bought 2 sets of these on sale. Started using them and bought 4 more sets on sale so that I could build a cabinet with 2 side area’s 1 center area and 2 larger areas below that and kept all my divider walls and patricians square and plumb while glueing and screwing together. I love these things.
Okay ... but seriously: When you are FINALLY done adjusting your clamps, my whole box is already neatly finished! I like them box clamps but it all takes SO much time. ...Good lord!
Jeff, many thanks for another very valuable deep dive. I, like others, have had the Woodpecker corner clamps for awhile but an older version without the grooves. I put 2 parallel t-tracks into my workbench, but you inspired me to put another one in perpendicular for use as you illustrated. I am a bit surprised you didn't put a right-angle intersection in so that it's easier to install the one corner clamp. That's a bit of a pain when I already have tracks installed, but shouldn't be a large problem, although I don't want to remove the existing tracks. I think I'll just cut the two tracks in place and then notch the new right-angle tracks to accommodate the intersection. Keep up the great work!
I have been using these for a couple of years, they work great for small projects, and dried glue comes right off of them! Thank you for this video, now I love these clamps even more. I'll have to invest some time into the track table.
You forgot the GLUE! I have these clamps and have fumbled around with them for a long time. You set them up on a dry fit, then take them apart to apply the glue, then put them back together again. This can sometimes cause long open time with the glue. I really like the idea with the railing, it would be like a third hand that is so often needed.
I, too, was wondering about the glue. You certainly can't apply the glue while setting up the clamps unless your glue has an extremely long open time. Your idea about getting things all arranged, then disassembling the box, adding the glue and reassembling makes sense. The real benefit to these clamps then is when you are building multiple drawers or boxes that are the same size. Once it's all set up, you can glue up matching drawers about one per hour (the time it takes for the glue to set). The advice I find in the comments is often as good as what's in the video. Thanks!
Cool beans Jeff. I can see where these might be very handy in the shop. The T-track installation was very helpful for alignment and so many other uses..
Lots of value-add on this video. I’ve had a chance to use these on a small project and they are a little fiddly. But... big but... they take the guesswork out of the equation. Doing that project without them would have been a Lot more dinking around. I wasn’t sure I was using them right but turns out I was... just not fully. And these tracks are a great idea. When I build my proper bench I was planning on embedding tracks. This makes me think wow! Lots of uses, and I don’t think I would have ever thought of this. Great video and a great product!
@@WoodpeckersLLC lol!!! Thank you for sharing! I have a bunch of these and never thought to use them like you demonstrated. Love the deep dives Jeff. 👍
What length 10-24 machine screws did you use? They need to be short enough to not impede wood travel in the clamp, yet long enough to allow the track nut to slide freely in the t-track.
This is very helpful, but there aren't enough t-track screws to do this. I only end up with 4 extras when I replace the screw with the knob for the top ones and I think I need 6, no? Where/how can I get more of these or what else can I use that won't get in the way?
I've had these for several months and got extremely frustrated trying to use them. One thing I did not know before watching this video is that these clamps are for square alignment of parts only, not to apply clamping pressure to a joint. Perhaps they shouldn't be called "clamps" then.
So cool. . . Wish I could afford the cool stuff Woodpecker sells. Woodworking is a hobby, I usually do a little better than break even, but it's not my primary source of income. If I wasn't at least breaking even, it'd be hard to justify doing it at all.
The video was very informative, but it let me a little upset. First, I have the woodpecker box clamps, but obviously an earlier version. Mine do not have the iot ndicators fro 3/4" or 1/2" on the rear clamping triangular as shown in this video. And I wish a glue up had been shown. A lot of set up and then you have to glue? Not a lot of time to glue up, particularly the finger joints shown. Yes, you can use a slower setting glue, but it's a challenge. I did learn that the clamps don't pull the joint together - wish I had realized this on my earlier attempts to use. And it is nice to see the use of a hex screwdriver, instead of the allen wrench I got originally. I measured mine and it is a 3/16" allen wrench - I'll be buying a screw driver with hex head. This video was informative, but maybe I should never again buy a woodpecker product that is first introduced. I should wait for the corrective/additive features to be introduced.
Douglas, Whether I'm using these or anything else, I always do to a complete dry fit and dry clamp. It greatly reduces the drama when the glue is spread. While the clamps won't pull a joint together, They'll keep a good-fitting joint in place. We didn't get a really good shot of a corner coming together the way I wanted. Watch the Guy Dunlap video on the Box Clamp web page. He's got a great shot of having slight pressure on the joint, tapping it together, and then locking it secure. When you tap the joint together, the one-way nature of the clamp lets the parts slide together, but not bounce apart. We sell that 3/16" long handled driver for a pretty competitive price. It' ball-end, too, which you may have noticed in the video.
Love the t-track idea. Could these be used in place of clamping squares on larger projects or are they better suited for smaller boxes, drawers and such?
This feels like a relatively fussy and lengthy process to undertake while your glue is setting up. Also a bit of time as I’d definitely end up doing it twice, once as a dry fit. Anyone with experience gluing up boxes with these have any tips or reassurances?
Brilliant idea with using the t-track in the assembly table to align the box clamps. Could you provide some more details on how you attached the track nuts to the box clamps? From the video I couldn't determine how you fastened the track nuts to the box clamps or how you tightened the one box clamp to a fixed position for the starting corner. Thanks.
Cecil, the Box Clamps have three holes in them, originally designed to screw them down. A 3/4" long 1/4"-20 Socket head cap screw is just the right length to go through the clamp and into the T-track. I used oval nuts that we sell, but 1/4"-20 hex nuts will work, too. The one in the corner is a little tricky, because you can only slide two of the bolts through the track. The third you have to fiddle with a little to get the nut under the bolt. Steal a chop stick from your wife's pantry. For one-off's leave the two outer ones loose, but if you have multiple identical boxes to assemble, after you do the first one carefully remove the box and lock down the clamps.
@@WoodpeckersLLC I, too, was wondering about the glue. You certainly can't apply the glue while setting up the clamps unless your glue has an extremely long open time. Your idea about getting things all arranged, then disassembling the box, adding the glue and reassembling makes sense. The real benefit to these clamps then is when you are building multiple drawers (or boxes) that are the same size - like for a tool chest. Once it's all set up, you can glue up matching drawers about one per hour (the time it takes for the glue to set).
Great ideas for great products, but.... I can't find any 1/4 bolts that will fit the holes in the clamps. They are all just a hair too wide. Is it necessary to drill out the holes?
Phenomenal. Jeeze though, every time I think I'm ready to build my mft/outfeed/router lift table/cabinet some new fangled must-have idea like these make me pause and do some redesign.
Be really careful trying to build too much into your outfeed table. If you're limited on space, creating multiple uses for the table may be a necessity, but my previous outfeed table was just that...a flat, featureless table that I kept clear all the time. Now, I'll be in the middle of doing something with an assembly clamped up on my table and I'll need to make a table saw cut... It's a Homer Simpson headslap moment...Doh!
@@WoodpeckersLLC this is sage advice, hard-won. Yeah the outfeed I'm building is quite a bit wider than the tablesaw so it makes a fat "L" shape. It will still block the table saw path with large glue-ups or alternatively breaking down large sheets. I could see this happening way more often than anticipated, soyeah, when I get good at precisely laying out and drilling the holes, I probably ought to Swiss-cheese up one or both of the smaller benches. Thank you for sharing your wisdom!
Where can I get one of the hex wrenches you were using in this video. This is a big problem for me when using these clamps. I don't see it on the Woodpeckers website. Thanks.
I would like to see and example of this with a miter joint. Does anyone have experience with this? I was thinking of doing this in combination to the tape method and a band clamp (for clamp force) or 2 to avoid using clamping wedges/cauls.
Thorex 712R. I learned about it from watching Paul Sellers. I think I bought it from a UK company that had reasonable shipping, but you can get it from Amazon, too. UK Company Site: www.thorhammer.com/product/31-712r/ Amazon: www.amazon.com/Thor-712R-Faced-Hammer-Handle/dp/B0001P0YF0/ref=sr_1_1?crid=24RD6JEL41Q1Q&dchild=1&keywords=31-712r+thorex+nylon+hammer&qid=1619141276&sprefix=thorex+31-%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-1
Maybe if you're lucky, they'll bring back the 1281SE One-Time Tool with the hard anodized coating. It's the next best thing to a stainless steel version. Maybe even better. They sometimes re-introduce their retired One-Time Tools. Watch for it.
John, I had the tracks very carefully aligned on installation. I clamped a known square joint into the three box clamps in the tracks then carefully removed it and tightened the corner box clamp. There's a good eighth of an inch play between the box clamps and the track, so the two floating clamps have plenty of room to move into plane with the central locked one.
There's a link in the description that will take you to the web page where we will be happy to talk about price. Videos stay on RU-vid forever. Prices, unfortunately, change over time.
I am so disappointed in this company. They do not honor the dates. I got told three different times I was to have my item shipped out on certain dates to just get told (after calling) that it will be delayed again. I accept the high cost for quality, but to keep getting moved around is ridiculous.
Samuel, I am sorry for you experience and want to help you. Could you email directly with your order number if you have it along with your email. I will check with customer service to see where we are at on your order. Thank you. Judy. JudyS@woodpeck.com
Lol, I guess your response is a standard response to appear as if your business cares about customer service, because I responded (immediately), and not even an acknowledgment. I will never purchase another product from your company, and I’m sure if this continues you will lose plenty of others.
@@You2datube I have been waiting for your email and have been checking back several times. I still do not have an email from you and I have checked spam too. No this is not a standard response it is a sincere response and I want to help you. So please try your email again or send your order number through here if you want. JudyS@woodpeck.com
With out reading any of the other posted comments. I feel that this is way too time-consuming. I could’ve had two boxes built in the time it took you to adjust the one and I haven’t seen any glue up or nailing or screws definitely no dovetails... Much more Trouble than it’s worth in my opinion...
I have apparently made it look far more complicated than it really is, because yours is not the only comment about time. I was trying to point out some of the finer details of the tool and address some issues we hear about from customers. Scroll down and read Maine Woods comment. He's an unbiased professional cabinetmaker who uses the clamps.
Think about it though...the vast majority of things you make in a woodworking shop are some variation of a box. Squaring up a box is one of the most basic things you need to be able to do. If you don't want to see the details, I can make this tool look like magic, but my goal in Deep Dive videos is to show how stuff really works and get down to the fine points you need to know to get the most out of a tool.
@@WoodpeckersLLC It is exactly “the details” which I am commenting about. In my opinion, the process using those clamps, seems more tedious and time consuming than more traditional methods using k-body or pipe clamps. And that, is a very reasonable criticism.
@@WoodpeckersLLC And yet are still easier and faster to produce square box. While woodworkers will disagree on a lot of things, this one, IMO, is a swing and a miss.
And you're entitled to your opinion, but I am confident that if I were working and not demonstrating I could have that box put together faster and to a better tolerance for square with 8 box clamps than I could with 4 pipe clamps.
When you install the T-track as shown in the video the corner has one through track but the cross track doesn't allow sliding t-nuts etc. through from one side to the other without further modification of the cross track; or, you could buy a t-track intersection kit from Rockler www.rockler.com/t-track-intersection-kit. The only problem then is you will have blue corners at the junction. Of course, you could dimply follow the link to Rockler's intersection kit, then cut your own intersection like we did using woodpeckers t-track or t-track from some other supplier like: orangealuminum.com/t-track-1/
You can do the same thing with a miter saw...standard carbide tipped saw blades cut aluminum just fine. I decided to see how much of an issue it is for me before I make a through intersection. So far, it hasn't been an issue.
