I bought these same clamps from Harbor Freight here in the States, retrofitted them the way you have shown here, and let me tell you, they work so great! Thank you for sharing these awesome tips!
I've looked at buying at these from Harbor Freight in the past, but didn't pick any up because the felt so cheap. Well after watching this, I went and bought 4 of the 36" clamps (~$12) like seen in the video, and 3 of the 60" parallel clamps ~$17) and retrofit them with the filler. I only did wood pads on the shorter clamps, since the parallel clamps already have a rubber cover but I may end up doing those at a later time. All I can say is WOW. This was an amazing transformation. I've got 7 new clamps that I spent about $100 total, and would have had to spend at least $500 for a similar setup otherwise. These will work PERFECTLY for my hobby shop. I think I'll be adding a few more to my collection in the near future.
Made my first rag tin today using 3in 1 and its great! Now I'm going to retrofit my clamps and move my vice! Thanks Paul, I've been watching your videos for a year or two. You have helped me improve the way I work and therefore the end result.
You are so fortunate that I don't live next door to you, as if that was the case I would be constantly sitting in the corner of your shop just watching and learning, eyes and ears open and my mouth shut!~ RESPECT Mr Sellers
Once again, Thank you Paul. You take an obvious problem that we all have and solve it. Then you share your genius with all of your followers. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Peter Sellers, I can not Thank You enough for ALL your videos. They have helped me in so many ways. I wish you had started putting them out 25 years ago. SO many mistakes I could have skipped !!
Peter Sellers... Stunning actor, especially as Inspector Clouseau. Paul Sellers... Stunning woodworker, master craftsman and with a wit as keen as his chisel egde. ;-)
Paul Thank You. I am a hobbyist and therefore don't spend a lot of our household budget on my tools. Part of the fun of woodworking is learning how to modify cheaper tools. Thanks for the tutorial. I am now a subscriber and will spend hours watching all of your videos. Thanks again Paul. A fan for life.
I've done this to some inexpensive harbor freight clamps based on Paul's recommendations in the past.... made a huge difference in the clamps - they work great!
Just bought 8 of these clamps on vacation, I don’t have a Harbor Freight where I live. The lady at the check out was like ‘You’re on vacation? And your buying clamps?’ I was like, heck yah, can’t wait to get these home. Remembered this video, and seeing Paul use these in all his videos. Now, off to build my joiners bench when I get back, thanks for everything Paul.
Thank you Sir for sharing this. Had purchased a set of Harbor Freight clamps and really was disappointed with them. But never thought of doing this. Will go to my shop and get started on this right away. Will have another set of clamps to use. Thank you again.
Thank you Paul! I was inspired especially by all the very informative and good videos you have made and just finished building my slightly adapted version of your workbench (just one 32 cm top, with a narrower well behind it, 1,60 long) from spruce, 60 by 80 mm (slightly thicker than 2 by 3 in). Of course it took me a lot longer than the time you built it in the excellent video series - but it came out quite good for a first project. A lot of time went into the initial setup and sharpening the tools and, being unexperienced in using a plane, I took off way too much, got uneven and then had to take off even more to correct it. Nice workout and learning experience though ;) Now that it is finished I got around to the retrofitting the clamps as you describe. Mine are the Silverline brand (blue). What I noticed was that it was not the finish of the threads which was preventing them from being turned easily. Rather, it was that little screw in the top of the moving shoe of that little vise - I took it out, expecting to separate the two components. They would not separate still, but now they turn easily. I wonder why that screw is even there. It was the cause that prevented smooth turning since it is a self cutting screw which was crammed too tight and also left the metal shavings inside the mechanism, created by screwing it in without threading the hole first. These clamps really are good - after putting this work into them. Thanks again - I will continue to learn from what you offer so easily accessible to all.
Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge. You’ve inspired me to take up woodworking with hand tools. Your books are so informative as well. Thank you!
This is fantastic, thanks Paul. I’ve just bought some of these and will make the adjustments you recommend. The new ones actually have threaded nuts on the ends of the threaded pad, as opposed to the plastic or rubber covers, which is a worthwhile improvement. Anyway, I really appreciate great help videos like this. Also, I do have a little tool envy, looking at the sheer amount of them on the back wall. Thanks so much and have a great day!
Thank you so much for sharing all of the little things that make such a big difference. I have and will continue to learn a lot from your channel. Thanks again
i have the same type clamps which i bought from harbor freight tools here in America...considering the small price i paid i actually got more than i paid for...i had seen a similar upgrade with the wood stiffener..when i upgraded mine they performed like much more costly clamps... i also fave some 4 foot clamps that i upgraded with scrap red oak pieces i had. wow!! what a difference!! i will have to go back and use the file!!! thank you
I've known a few clamp snobs in my time. The same folks who call these "cramps" and get very upset about alternative nomenclature. Cabinet makers can be a finicky bunch.
Thank you, this is helpful and reminds me I don't have to have the latest and greatest and the newest and shiniest "stuff". I can make do with what I have.
For the double-sided tape at the end of the video, leaving them cinched up for an hour or more, even overnight, will improve the bond strength immensely. The bond strength of that type of adhesive develops as the minutes go by as long as constant clamping pressure is applied. For some grades of tape adhesive extra time can give double or triple adhesion, especially on shiny surfaces. There is no drying of the adhesive involved in this and I admit I'm not really sure what's going on (possibly down towards molecular level?). All I know is we were advised to do this by a tape manufacturer a decade or two ago and we were very impressed by the improved results. It costs nothing if left overnight.
If you don't fancy hammering the ends of the "Tommy bar" flat, to stop if falling out: I sometimes stick a little ball of cheap epoxy putty on each end. One unit/pod of putty is more than enough to do both ends.
Thanks Paul. Great video. I wish they had these clamps in New Zealand. All I can find it the heavy Sash clamps. I'll have to order these online and I bet shipping will double the price. Oh well...
which is better having a shop full of expensive tools and not being able to afford the nice material or making something and making due and complete project . good work , good craftsmanship .
I wish they’d sell these aluminium clamps around here. Steel clamps are so clumsy. Ordering online would of course be an option, if I find a seller I trust and would actually deliver here.
The value of this video is beyond upgrading a clamp, which is not good enough for what they have charged you. It also give us consumers another message. We can nag about everything and avoid cheaper products and go for the most expensive ones. But in reality if we have a little understanding about materials, we can add a little to it and transfer it to a useful tool. The problem in today's world is you cannot even trust on expensive tools. Years a go I bought a Bahco bar clamp. Later on I needed another one but it was late and I had just the shop near me which sold it's own house brands. In the shop I saw a series called "professional" which were more expensive. I bought a couple of them which were one- forth av the price of the Bahco one. The house brand one was heavier but sold and robust. Once I wanted to clamp a piece of wood and saw it by hand saw. I used one of the cheap ones and one Bahco, after a minute of working the Bahco one had loosen up but the cheap one stood firm. That cheap bar clamp is much more useful than Bahco in a fraction of the price.
Most cheap tools are produced in the worst factories though. People working under very bad conditions and for very low wages. More like slave labor. Keep that in mind as you consume
@@graypistachio4141 That's right but do you think the expensive one are not the same? Just look at the products with a high brand tag and find out where they are produced. A few years ago, I said where is no need for China to write !Made in China" on it's products, we know hat they are produced there.
Dear Paul - Thank you for these great tips! On a related matter of retrofitting clamps, some types of clamps come with a rubber-like padded face that double-sided tape won't adhere to because of the oily plasticizers. I've been using cauls to prevent their oily residue on the workpiece, but wondered what your solution(s) might be for these type of padded clamps. Thanks so much for your inspirational videos!!!
I bought mine from Harbor Freight and the ends of the (knobs?) are threaded with an acorn nut on the ends which often fall off. I could use locktight, but just put a regular nut on them and pound the ends like you do to keep the nut from working lose..Save the acorns for something more useful I guess..
I don´t know if the blocks are aluminium or a zinc ally, but if it´s aluminium: Wood glue works fine on coarsely sanded aluminium (80grid or less). I had to put a paper decal on a backer plate once, design didn´t find my liking later, so I had to remove it. Took me a sander to get it off and clean the metal. One thing I like about your retrofit: The bar now can be clamped in a vise without squeezing it!
This is true, but they also cost 5-6 times the price. I have both types of clamps (Bessey and these lightweight aluminum ones modded as suggested in the video) and I honestly use the aluminum ones more frequently.
As usual, another very useful lesson from Mr Sellers drawing on his long experience in the craft. But in this instance there is one feature I would have to question. I really do not believe that the wood insert will make any significant improvement to the structural performance of the clamp. The forces involved in trying to bend the aluminium spar are so great that such a thin piece of wood will have little effect on minimising the bend. It might do a little better if it was glued or bolted to the aluminium, but not sitting unconnected in the hollow interior, however tight it might fit. The real design fault with these clamps is simply the profile. It is a U shape rather than a closed box profile. The sides are under compression, increasingly towards the bottom, and these are what oppose bending. If they were manufactured with absolute precision they would work fine, but under large force small assymetries result in the sides buckling, generally outwards. That’s what the box section would prevent. So in my opinion the solution would be to drive a number of countersunk screws into the timber from both sides, as near the bottom face as possible. Those who are still sceptical might like to experiment by constructing and testing cardboard models of the two profiles to demonstrate the effects I’m suggesting.
I love this channel and I'm in awe of Paul's work, but man does he make stuff look easy, and it sort of bums me out. For instance, I'm such a novice woodworker that just cutting the wood insert to the right size will take me forever. Dumb question but any suggestions for cutting it to size? I have hand saws, a jigsaw and a circular saw only.
Sorry no one has answered you in 6 months Brian. To size your wood I would use a hand saw if you are using some wood you have lying around, then plane the final 1/8th inch off with a plane if you have one. If you don't, go get one. In regards to Paul's talent, his skill gets to even experienced woodworkers. He has been doing it so long it appears effortless. He has probable been woodworking since he was sixteen. Just start doing and you muscle memory will develop and it becomes more natural. In Paul you have a great teacher.
I am in the market for some bar clamps; anyone have a thought on the make/model he started with before the modifications? I know there has to be hundreds of different bar clamps, but Paul really impresses me; I want what he uses.
I wonder if it would help to plow-plane a groove down the middle of the wood. That way, the wood would touch the top of the extrusion AND the whatchamacallits that the sliding clamp locks into.