How to Make Cam Clamps in the Klemmsia Style

There's a saying in boat building and in woodworking in general you can never have too many clamps. The truth is it's not the amount of clamps you have but the variety of clamps. Recently I was looking through a Wooden Boat series book on planking and in there there was a chapter on "Clamps in the Boat Shop" and a section about cam clamps. So, in this tool making episode of the Art of Boat Building I will build 8 cam clamps in the Klemmsia style.
cam clamps.
“If you’re going to make it, make it beautiful.”
Bob Emser
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[@zwingenfabrikant8609]

To be copied is the best kompliment and makes our product more familar. Good video. Best regards from Matthias (CEO of KLEMMSIA)

[@kennethkustren9381]

KLEMMSIA .... YOU ARE AWESOME MEEKNESS. GOD BLESSES THE MEEK !!

[@chriswills9530]

Well, if its any Konsolation(!), I have just bought a dozen of these from Axminster Tools, based on what I have seen on this video. So, you're right; good exposure of your product.

[@lanesteele240]

Im glad you took this approach. Most companies thrive on greed. Thank you for not being that way

[@MCsCreations]

👏👏👏👏👏

[@richardmason902]

A great response. Respect.

[@williambransford6418]

I bought my first Klemmsia clamp when I was stationed with the U.S. Army in Germany in 1975 and have used it for countless projects. It still has the Deutschmark price sticker from the local MassaMarkt Bau und Hobby Shop on it. I bought a few more when I was in Germany on vacation in 1998, and my only regret has been not buying more. This video is superb, and I am going to try making a few of my own.

[@zwingenfabrikant8609]

Hi William, thank you for your nice words 🤗😎. It makes us happy to here when customers are happy with our clamps. If you are interested... Our clamps are available in different U.S. shops. Pecktool, leevalley, highland woodworking,.. Best regards Matthias from Klemmsia

[@davidc6510]

Well done on the clamp build. It was an interesting difference between the original and your rendition was to see the anti split feature added to the flat stock next to the steel shaft as opposed to the stable in the rebate area. A special shout to Klemmsia for recognizing the craftsmanship by Bob his promotion of the style of clamp. Thanks for sharing!

[@tomtruesdale6901]

Those clamps are fantastic, I have never seen anything like them before. Thank you for the introduction to Klemmsia style clamps

[@robertgroves6186]

I learn so many different techniques watching your videos. I'm really looking forward to retiring from work & putting the information to work. Thanks

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Thank you!

[@daviddickmeyer5231]

Nicely done. As a boat builder and a luthier, I find those clamps invaluable!

[@geraldbuhagiar2751]

I really must admire how you do this in such a perfection manner even people like me who don't u der stand the art of wood craft but you are grate very smoothly going with no skips or artificial moves keep it up friends the wo D needs pepol7 I've you not some artificial blaffers who tent to know it all Very nice, ❤injoyed looking at these

[@michaelfiller3452]

Really great "How to...", clear instructions, easy to follow, and I especially liked the 'why' you made certain decisions, like drilling the stop hole and adding a screw so splits don't propagate. Outstanding video! Thanks!!

[@kennethelwell8574]

Bob, the slotted spring pins are available from McMasterr-Carr in quantity... costing less than $0.10 each. They are available in zinc plated and stainless steel, so rusting is not a problem. Whenever I need special fasteners (especially when I'd cleanout the hardware store bins and my wallet) I go to McMaster-Carr. They are also a reasonable source for metals in small quantities, a great one-stop-shop for projects such as these. Great videos! I enjoy making my own tools too, whether it is the fit to your hands, or the function that you need, or the satisfaction that the making and using of your own tools brings.

[@illyakuryakin5024]

A beautiful functional design, and engineering in it's purest form. Thank you!

[@yl9154]

The attention to details is impressive and so is the foresight (like chamfering the cork). I really enjoyed looking at this video.

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mattevans-koch9353]

Thank you Bob for another wonderful "tool to make" video. Very nice clamps. They go well with the boat. By the time I get done making the tools you have shown on your video I may not have time to build a boat but I will have some very nice tools (lol). take care and have a good weekend.

[@NCTraveller]

Amazing!! I've never seen that type of clamp before.

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Thanks for watching!

[@nickhelm2420]

This is excellent. All carpenters apprentices should make a set of these

[@mapo5976]

I agree. Make 8. 4 for the shop and 4 to keep

[@user-do1nq3ws2p]

Very Nice WISH THERE WAS A CLOSE UP OF THE CLAMP AT THE END OF TJE VIDEO JUST TO SEE EXACTLY HOW THE FINISHED PRODUCT LOOKED CLOSEUP FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NEW TO THIS ..GOOD ⚒

[@lanesteele240]

I sometimes get so involved by what he is doing that i forget to hit like. Even though ill never make a boat or a clamp or most anything he does.

[@markmelville6670]

Great video. I have built some of these in the past, but slightly different design. I will use your method on my next build. Thanks!

[@gentlemandude1]

Bob, you're such a good draftsman. I love seeing your wonderful drawings. Would you consider doing a video about drawing and drafting? It would be great to see your process and drawing tools.

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Thanks, That's a great suggestion. I'll put that in my queue!

[@JenkinsBoatWorks]

great idea and your level of craftsmanship is extraordinary. thanks Bob

[@horatiohornblower868]

Much better than the (way too expensive!) original.

[@mapo5976]

Excellent tutorial. Thanks for sharing and making the effort to produce and upload this.

[@davidroe4121]

These look great! I’ve seen a few versions of these in the past and your method is simple and effective, and creates a truly beautiful piece!

[@Shnick]

Well done! I love making my own tools.

[@francesmay393]

Great project and explanation, thanks. Could you make your drawing available

[@richardmason902]

Great video. Thankyou.

[@cbbelanger1099]

Great build. Really like the logo. Looking forward to the next video.

[@derekpeterson8005]

Great build thank you for sharing your time and talent

[@hawazz1]

They are beautiful!

[@GUCR44]

You do fine work.. Peace

[@cristrigotti9933]

Very nice work. Thanks for sharing.

[@karlbenedict1281]

Very nice. The cost seems very reasonable, I would have probably made more than eight clamps.

[@daleskidmore1685]

Stewmac in the US has the luthiers' clamps for $22 each, if you don't want to make them. or use one as a pattern. They are a very handy clamp. We all know you need one more clamp than you have...

[@gersinhw15]

Very good video!

[@leslie8240]

Thanks!! ❤️

[@gabrielbenzur5736]

I made 12 of these clamps. First, using a jig to cut the slots in one pass is not the best method when cutting a hard wood like rock maple. I tried to use the single blade approach as shown but gave up. I could not get consistent 3/16" slots. My Amana dado set outer blades were exactly 3/16" when put together. I needed no shims.They were perfect so I switched to them. Don't try to make the full cut in one pass. My 3 hp Unisaw didn't like that. Instead, make multiple passes of not more than 1/2". Then set the blade height for the final cut. I used a thin kerf blade on my bandsaw to cut the long slots instead of a fancy Japanese saw. It worked great.Also, when buying the steel , be sure to specify cold rolled steel. It is more finished than hot rolled steel- no scale and no cleaning up. Since I am using these clamps to build guitars, I opted for aluminum bars. Regarding the use of brass brazing rods, I spent half a day just trying to find them. Go to the hardware store and buy the spring tension pins.

[@cesarbertella5126]

Esas trabas son geniales felicitaciones, un gran trabajo!!!

[@mrklyles]

Another great video Bob. Thanks for the thorough instructions.. Made some of those thirty years ago and still use them. Can you give us the place where you had your “Art of Boat Building” stamp made?

[@budgenatorP]

If you use a screw instead of a peened pin on the bar, you can flip the slider over and use the clamp as a spreader.

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Paul Jackson very true. If that’s the intent it might be a good idea to make the fix head have a double head with cork on the outside as well as the inside.

[@desertpoj]

Bob, how on earth did you manage to make a beautiful object d’art and then make it function as an humble, yet effective, clamp? Your videos are wonderful!

[@martyclack8782]

I wonder if they can be used in regular wood work. Nice job and instructions.

[@GarrethandPipa]

I am really surprised you didnt go with some old school Bessey clamps as well. Those 2 handle clamps that permeate HS woodshops across America 40 years ago. Modernize it with some neoprene on the clamping edges. But I don't care for friction clamps in the first place they are just to fiddley.

[@asarijunaedi3870]

indonesia present,,good job

[@DominicGiles]

Great job as usual...

[@casterman2]

Great vid!

[@jfhojem]

Really nice an well explained work Bob! I also think the clamps look nicer with brass than with spring roller pins. The question is how do the brass on the sliding part hold up over time? I guess i will have to make my own now to find out:)

[@jtolken]

amazing

[@hell_lion]

beautiful clamps, I was wondering if you could tell what program you used to make the drawings of the clamps? Because I'm looking into getting a drawing program my self.

[@deezynar]

I have admired that style clamp for years, and thought about making a few. One thing I don't understand is why the cam levers apply pressure while being pulled up, rather than being pushed down.

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

deezynar I assume it’s so when not in use the lever would be out of the way. Can’t see any reason why you couldn’t just flip the lever over so you have a pull action.

[@deezynar]

@@TheArtofBoatBuilding It has always seemed to me that it would be easier to apply pressure to the clamp by pushing on the lever, rather than pulling. The only possible negative about that I can see is a person may possibly set the clamp with so much force that they can't release it by pulling on it. The lever being out when the clamp is stored doesn't appear to be a problem to me. But I may be mistaken about that. I suppose the only way to know is to make one clamp in the traditional pull style, and another with a push lever. Have you read James Krenov's books? He used to make, a style of clamp that is similar to these, but they have a wood shaft, and don't have a cam. You set them by squeezing the heads together at the shaft. They stay in place by friction. I believe that they are released with a tap from a light mallet to the back end of the sliding head. He used them for light work.

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

deezynar if you make some push and pull clamps let me know your thoughts. I haven’t read about James Krenov’s clamp. I have read a lot about his hand planes. Very inspiring man.

[@s_producer]

Hey thanks for sharing your videos. Could you please explain how to calculate eccentric cam for good clenching?

[@markkoons7488]

I've been considering grinding the faces of some brass bar or rod stock so I can indent the surface of wood like your little dragonfly maker's mark. My instinct is to use a Dremel or little air grinder to do the work. Can you give us any tips or point us in the right direction as to best tools and techniques? Oh, yeah, nice video... not at all half fast the way some woodworking videos are.

[@MOHANMSHARMA]

Can we use Teak wood instead of Beech wood, becoz teak is easily available here

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Absolutely, Teak is a perfect substitute. Thanks for watching! Cheers, Bob

[@xinwentang8664]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@malmotumotu5218]

Correct me if I am wrong!With using brass as pins on the clamp,don’t you think it’s gonna eat away by the steel?

[@geraldbuhagiar2751]

We're can I get these measurements from thanks for your info Gerald

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

The plans are available on my Patreon account.

[@embwee]

Great video - about how think are those brass brazing rods...anyone?

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

I assume you meant thick. They are 1/8”

[@bruinflight1]

I wonder how much clamping force these can provide; perhaps drilling a longitudinal hole in each jaw and driving in a steel rod (interference fit) would add rigidity?

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Cam clamps are not a substitute for a C-clamp or a bar clamp which have a greater clamping force. Cam Clamps don’t apply huge pressure, but it’s enough that you don’t want to clamp your fingers in them. They can easily be clamped quickly with one hand. I don't think drilling a hole as you suggested would improve this centuries old design. Thanks for your question and watching! Cheers, Bob

[@zwingenfabrikant8609]

The original Klemmsia Cam Clamp from my Company can generate clamping force up to 40kg (88lb). That is sufficient for most wood working projects. Best regards Matthias from Klemmsia

[@sleim754]

Do you have prints available?

[@green_building]

Nice video sir.. But you do need lighting on your video 🙏😎

[@musgrovebarry]

Did you build your router station?

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Yes, very handy at the end of my bench. Thanks for watching! Cheers

[@robertengl9152]

is it possible to get a copy of the plans you made with material list?

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Robert Engl, I’ll see what the most efficient way to do that. Keep you posted.

[@robertengl9152]

@@TheArtofBoatBuilding thank you very much

[@robertengl9152]

Any news on plans for the clamps?

[@nouhjanati922]

@@TheArtofBoatBuilding can you give me copy of the plans please. Thanks

[@stevecooney9573]

@@nouhjanati922 FYI, I paused the video as needed and took screenshots of the drawings Bob showed and then printed them. I replayed the video a few times and entered all appropriate dimensions and now have a set of plans to use for my own clamps.

[@banjopete]

We call them roll pins.

[@johnmazei2135]

Do you have plans available?

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

yes

[@thomasarussellsr]

Nicely done. If anyone would do better with a printable design, Jonathon Katz-Moses just put out free printable plans and inexpensive hardy templates. See his video for links to his store.

[@robinhodgkinson]

All it takes is a humid day for those tension pins to start rusting - horrible things. And you wouldn’t want to be oiling or spraying wooden clamps!

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Robin Hodgkinson thanks. Another great reason for using brass pins!

[@robinhodgkinson]

And by the way... Nice job on those clamps! I'll be making a few of those. Thanks

[@kennethkustren9381]

ROLLED PINS. Very Common. Very weak too... UPGRADE !

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

That’s one of the reasons I used brazing rod. Stronger, rust resistance, cost less. Thanks for watching!