Retrofitting Aluminium Clamps | Paul Sellers

[@andrewpinson1268]

After seeing your video years ago on this, I bought about thirty of different sizes and inserted the wood into etc. Now I use them most of the time. They are just lighter and work for a good variety of jobs. I tell everyone on KZbin about it when they discuss clamps.

[@johnbart3746]

Absolutely. Turned my $9 harbor freight clamps into a tool I happily use every day. Paul is the best.

[@rjsenn4142]

i remember that video as well. Seems like yesterday!

[@MrMikeEdie]

I did this a while back. It is surprisingly satisfying to hear those clicks even now.

[@FearsomeWarrior]

There is an older video of Paul covering this but glad to see it come back. People rarely dig into the archives.

[@markchambers9415]

im going straight in my workshop to do mine now.brilliant idea.

[@daniel_bohrer]

I've been doing this on all of my cheap clamps since I've been watching your videos, and they work so much better, sometimes even better than the more expensive clamps with thicker aluminum! Also I use paraffin (candle wax) on the threads, I find that it stays on longer than oil. Thanks for the tip regarding the adhesive on the pads too, I'll have to try that, as the carpet tape gets old over time.

[@pitsnipe5559]

Folliwed his advice and bought four from Harbor Freight and retrofitted them. Wok great!

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

Outstanding. It's worth pointing out that when driving the wooden stiffener into the U channel, hold the clamp in the air rather than rest the far end on the floor. You can break the aluminum crank casting if you go pounding on it.

[@joshuaguenin9507]

He isnt putting it on the floor, its the axe handle method

[@FearsomeWarrior]

@@joshuaguenin9507Right. But the comment is saying to resist the temptation when doing it yourself.

[@l.scales7516]

thank you, that was my question.

[@maddiethomas5892]

Huh. I just looked at papa's clamps. Their are all different kinds. Some are box-like, some are solid bars. Some are round, others square. Most of them have been modified a bit like you've shown here (he has 32 clamps of different sizes!) but some were left unmodified. I will ask him why when he gets home. Thank you, Mr. Sellers.

[@rudyg528]

I have several of those clamps. I'm going to go for it

[@krenwregget7667]

excellent video and great advice.

[@Erik_The_Viking]

This is a simple and relatively cheap way to make those clamps even better. I use pipe clamps which are already thick enough. However, I have other clamps that could use some replacing and I've been looking at similar clamps like those as a replacement.

[@johnrumbles3068]

Perfect timing for me, thanks paul

[@emilevoyer123]

THANKS FOR A GREAT VIDEO

[@tatehogan5685]

That wood fit like a glove good sir

[@ianpearse4480]

Next job sorted. Thank you.

[@kennethnielsen3864]

Thanks for sharing.

[@l.scales7516]

as he pounds with the plastic headed mallet is the far end of the clamp braced?

[@JohnTBlock]

So, is that a type of contact cement you're using on the wood pads, that needs to "tack up" on both surfaces, first?

[@JohnColgan.]

Souxie Quattro singing Can the Can is exactly same beat as your hammering the wood insert ... You old rocker 😉😅

[@3henry214]

In the states, this works well on clamps from Harbor Freight. Also, when you size the wood, you want it to be a tight friction fit, but not so much that as you drive it in, you do not want it to flatten the back side of the punched in notches, which will reduce their depth. The locking arm on the sliding clamp jaw that engages them will not stay locked in place if they are too shallow.

[@mikesalmo]

Was just thinking about doing this to my bar clamps from there. Once I started hitting estate sales for tools, I stopped buying new clamps for the most part. You can find nice old clamps without plastic parts for 1/10th the price and it doesn’t have to be a woodworker, just a handy person. But sometimes you can’t wait and need something specific. I find most of the HF clamps to be the same as big box store ones and have a couple of their longer bar clamps. I’m about to have to glue a tray table top back together in a week, so this is perfect timing.

[@debluetailfly]

I routed out a semicircle to clear the notches. I still got some of the inserts too tight, and thought I was going to damage the aluminum bar having to drive the wood in so hard, but they all survived and work great!

[@3henry214]

@@debluetailfly That's what I did on mine, except I used a dado on a table saw.

[@brucewelty7684]

Would adding a half-degree toe on each pad help with the overall grip?/\

[@joeleonetti8976]

Thanks Paul. Only other thing I can think of doing would be to wipe some paste wax on the aluminum bar while you are fettling.

[@jasondbaker]

I think this is a good option for people looking to upgrade cheap clamps. I like buying high quality lifetime tools and for those of us in the USA there is a manufacturer, Dubuque, that makes exceptional aluminum clamps. Yes they may cost twice as much as the cheap imported clamps which need modifications, but they are so nice to use I never think about that. Again, I don’t mean to disrespect the effort to improve inexpensive tools. I just wanted to share an option for those who don’t want to.

[@Paul.Sellers]

Well, here's the thing. I own Dubuque clamps of the same type too and perhaps I have tested out a dozen others and used a dozen others . They stand alongside one another and when you run clamps alongside one another for decades you can come to a conclusion by the ones you reach for the most. I won't go on a scale of 1 to 10 but I always reach for the inexpensive ones first and that means others are taking up space for no good reason. I did the same retro to the Dubuque, by the way and they do feel better but the action on the wing-turn never equalled what I got with the the tommy bar and neither did they equal the pressure i could apply.

[@Gothmog222]

@@Paul.SellersI always value a craftsman who doesn’t automatically subscribe to the “more money = more quality” philosophy.

[@nickmagma7745]

Does a wooden insert also help stiffen up long pipe clamps?

[@Solid_Jackson]

There’s a few websites that might help…

[@daniel_bohrer]

I don't think it would make much of a difference on pipe clamps, since the pipes used for those are usually made from much thicker material. They're also round and resist twisting forces much better than a rectangular box section that is open on one side.

[@soylentgreen326]

Great idea Peter glad you are looking well ❤ Ha ha the pad juggling trick was amusing 🎉🤣🤣🤣

[@jrkorman]

Who's Peter? 😊

[@soylentgreen326]

@@jrkorman 🤔 Paul I’m dispexic 🤣

[@johnpeckham3585]

I wish they would ship to the USA, Paul - maybe you can nudge them????

[@nevinmurtha1670]

Does this make it an infill clamp 😅

[@mm9773]

I never thought UHU would be a good glue for that purpose. Not that I don’t believe it, but as kids we only ever used it for paper and cardboard, even though it clearly states that it’s the “everything glue”. By the way, it’s not an acronym, the glue and the company are named after the Uhu, German for Eagle Owl.

[@jraglob5924]

What about 3/4 inch plywood? I did see this, by you, several years ago in Canada at a woodworking show.

[@Paul.Sellers]

Yes, I have used 3/4" plywood too and it worked very well.

[@gallowaylights]

I remember a day when you would buy quality tools ready to use😂

[@MortimerSugarloaf]

The problem isn't so much that you can't go buy high quality (or even finished) tools anymore. The problem is that now they're too expensive for most normal folk to even consider. I'm looking at you, Lie-Nielsen and Bridge City. Hand tool woodworking does have an ace up its sleeve though. The vintage tool market provides yesterday's high quality tools at prices lower than today's crappy tools. So at least we're lucky to have that.

[@davidhull2060]

Are they the Rutlands brand of aluminium clamp? I have tried several types of these and most have failed quite quickly.

[@allphornunn]

Do you think his wood insert idea would've prevented them from failing so soon?

[@joshuaguenin9507]

They literally say Rutlands on them

[@daniel_bohrer]

Mine are from the Silverline brand, but the casting looks exactly similar, only the color is different. They seem to be made in the same factory. I've only ever used mine without the wood once, and instantly regretted it, but with the wood they are much stronger. Also remember that you don't need as much clamping pressure when the glue joints are well planed so the gap is tight 🙂

[@Paul.Sellers]

@@daniel_bohrer Silverline are not as good or well made as the Rutland ones. Thinner alluminium and so I would definately go with the Rutland if you can. Oh, and no kickback or freebies for me. Just a good clamp so I give it out for the benefit of all.

[@Paul.Sellers]

Yes, these and another Rutland version are just excellent quality.

[@cliffcarlo180]

Is it just me, I couldn't really hear any difference.

[@soylentgreen326]

🤔 I’m a bit deaf and l could hear the difference 🎉

[@markcarlson1696]

Very noticeable difference.

[@daniel_bohrer]

The unmodified clamp had much more rattling and echoing when sliding the loose part.

[@mm9773]

Not really - but the modified clamp sounds more solid. It’s not proof that it’s better, but a clear indication.

[@garyspence8383]

Just buy record clamps......simple Cry once instead of wasting your money on garbage clamps !

[@Michael-mr3rv]

Have followed you from inception. What a shame that, with so much to offer, you chose to rehash something you have already demonstrated years ago.

[@3henry214]

His original video was done 8 years ago, and it is now buried in his channel video collection. This is great that he's doing this again for people that haven't been watching his channel for as long as the rest of us have, and do not know about the previous video. This tip is so good, it bears repeating.

[@daniel_bohrer]

I agree what @@3henry214 says. Good ideas never get old!

[@Paul.Sellers]

Sounds a little selfish. I just wanted everyone to know and have the benefit rather than miss it and then too not have them digging into archives of videos.

[@ksojoel]

it definitely benefits people like me who are relative new to his channel

[@Paul.Sellers]

@@ksojoel And you are the ones I write for. Thank you for your helpful comment.