My idea was to remove the sliding end of the clamp instead of the fixed end, then the bar just slips through the hole in the work bench with the fixed end of the clamp underneath. When you put the sliding part back on the bar (on the top side of the bench) you'll have the same effect as yours but without all the work and you still have a perfectly usable clamp afterwards. (Sorry, I didn't mean to burst your bubble!)
@@davidpiemme2276and some minds don't understand english humour :) - Sure you can do that David, but then you've got to keep faffing under the bench, that'll soon get old fast.
Rafe Zetter Heck, he started by complaining about paying 12 quid for a clamp vice 6; I would have thought that he would have been glad to reach under the bench top to gain a bench clamp for free while not destroying one of his Irwins. Oh well, perhaps after living in East Anglia once upon a time I don’t understand English humor any more than another yank, after all, I’ve been married for 35 years and still don’t understand women. Still, clever shop work, mate!
My Festool collection consists of a track saw and a jigsaw. They are really good but I don't know if they are better than other doing the same function. I will say that the track saw leaves an edge that needs no further finishing. It is smooth without tear out. The jigsaw, same. They both utilize guides that greatly reduce or eliminate tear out.
I like your idea very much. I made a clamp vise on the side of my workbench, and now I will be modifying a few for mid table clamps as you have show. Thanks for the great idea.
I bought some of these types of clamps from harbor freight. The ends always break. They're very cheap. But now I can modify them like you did. I've been holding on to them cuz I knew eventually I would find somebody who had a solution to make use of these broken clamps. Thank you
Top man Badger I have just made 4 workbench clamps and they great. For anyone following the video it is spot on but would make the following comments: - you need a sturdy vice - I used a Marksman multi blow torch and struggled to heat the bar to bend it or maybe it just takes longer to heat up than I would have expected.
To make sure the bar doesn’t get hot enough to melt the plastic handle, put a metal clamp or two, to act as a heat sink, in between the handle and the place you’re heating with the torch.
Good Idea ! Everybody has these cheap Irwin clamps lying around. I switched to Jorgenson on this style "kwik clamps" a long while back, because of their removable ends and ability to link 2 clamps together. Now I can use these old cheap Irwin's for something besides hanging on the wall!
I tried this with some wooden ones but they are now on fire, have I done something wrong or can I use it clamp things still. Pls reply fast the fire is spre...
Those “ split pins” you mentioned are called roll pins, you could re-use them, just drive them in and centre punch each side to widen them a little! But, as you discovered the heat transfer is not a problem with 300 mm clamps!
Good idea Those Irwin clamps are great. Although they are light duty, they have many uses. Bought some Dakota heavy duty 24" from Rutlands, and the bar rusts. The release trigger is plastic and one is broken already
I have combination clamp / spreaders and just release / remove the ‘fixed’ end, insert the rod through the dog hole and refit the fixed end of the clamp. Fortunately the fixed pin on the rod slides through the dog hole. Whammo! 😎
That's a lot simpler than I thought it would be! I was too cheap to buy some track saw clamps so I 3d printed an attachment for some of my mini clamps and it works a treat, especially since the clamps are only £1 each!
The clamps sold by Lidl (£7 for two 300mm clamps)have both of the ends are removable (one with a wee peg as the Irwin; and one with a bolt and wing-nut). These clamps exert good force, and are robust in use. Irwin clamps survive better when dropped.
Use the existing hole at the head of the clamp, use machine screw, washers, and lock nut with a metal cross piece to create a toggle clamp-like end. Doesn't work any better than what is described but much less effort.
That's a cool hack for quick-grip clamps. I use these clamps all the time and love them because they're padded and easy to use. I'm conflicted now if I want to sacrifice one for a bench dog!?! Nice video and I've subscribed and clicked on the bell icon. Well done!
Nice little vidio. I am always debating with myself the vast difference in price for similar products such as clamps does not always reflect the difference in quality. If I do take a chance on whatever really cheap woodworking tool and it's not up to scratch I'm sure I can always find another use for it, as you have done. Thanks for sharing.
This is brilliant and well timed. I've been looking at various clamps like the Axeminster ones you use or some of the dovetail clamps. And I happen to have a few small Irwin clamp like that. Guess I know what I am doing next weekend. Thanks for making such great content.
Did this with Lidl/ Powerfix clamps 2 x clamps for £4.99 worth a punt I thought - they don't take well to being heated or bent more than once 😩. Anyway binned the first one, and now have a good clamp that works well for the money.
After the practice run with the first clamp (and only managing to salvage about 150 mm of the original metal which I'll keep for now), I set the open end of the clamp in my vice for 50mm then put a tight twist in the next
The vise acts as a heat sink between the heated work area and the plastic clamp body. A wet rag hanging on the bar would work too or add extra insurance.
We have a store in the US known as Harbor Freight aka Horror Freight. They are known for their crappy tools but sometimes one or two slip through the cracks and are actually good. They sell some clamps cheaper than the Irwins that are modified to work like yours and there are vids on YT showing that. You did and do have a good idea if the HF clamps are not available.
Great idea. Thanks for sharing. Tomorrow we have a special offer at LIDL for cheap power fix clamps. I already wanted to buy some again because I don't have enough of them and the quality is OK for me. But seeing this, I need to buy some extra. Your video came just in time!
@@Badgerworkshop 2 pcs 30 cm clamps for 8€, or 2 pcs 10 cm + 2 pcs 15 cm also for 8 €. In 15 minutes I'll be on my way there. btw i could not find your blow torch among the tools+ you use. In which chapter can I find it. I also have a blow torch, never used it till now, and I'd like to compare the specifications.
@@Badgerworkshop Thanks. I just found it there. I miss the specifications about the heat it can produces but then i found out it depends on the gas being used. I'm curious if my burner/gas will work. It's much cheaper. I initially bought it for burning wood.
Another modification I want to do with these (or actually the smaller clamps) is to copy the festool ones that come in the clamping elements set, I think a secondary cover with a peg - screwed to the side of the original cover will do the trick.
Research "holdfasts", they perform the same function and might be obtained cheaper. They are far stronger than his mod. Don't know where you are but I got my holdfasts here: www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/MS-HOLDFAST.XX/Holdfasts_by_Gramercy_ToolsThey are excellent build and work in 3/4 holes", perhaps slightly larger but only slightly as they are 3/4 inch.
Nice one Matt - mind you if I had some IRWIN clamps I would save them as they are not cheap - whereas LIDL ones are 'good enough' and cheap as chips. Great idea.
and with the lidl or cheaper ones you can take the end of with a thumb screw and turn the into pushers so you take the end off push the main spar through the bench and refit the end no wreaking of the clamp and can be removed and used normally win win been doing it for years
"So now, I'm just going to give up woodworking and become a blacksmith" 😂😂bwahahahahaha😂😂 that cracked me up.👌 Bloody good idea, mate. 👍 You running 20mm holes?
Actually I’ve been thinking about this and I’m now wondering if the lower bar needs to be twisted at all because if it’s simply bent then, surely, it will still clamp underneath anyway as it doesn’t really need to be directly ‘below’ the upper portion to clamp anything down onto the table?
Before Irwin bought them out, Quick Grip was a small, struggling company. I got a pack of 2 35" clamps, and 2 12" clamps at Sam's Club for $15.00 in the 1970's. Still have them and use them weekly.
Well, it gets annoying because I have to tighten the boogers back on and I think it is because the Irwin clamps with these nuts and bolts allow you to turn it around and make it a spreader too.
Not to brag or anything but I can remove the bottom of my clamps then click them back on. Maybe I should make one of those fancy tables with all the holes In like yours.
