Question
A while back I ordered a Martin guitar kit as a birthday present for my son. The deal was that we would build it together. Building an acoustic guitar required gobs of cam clamps. Grizzly has them for $10 or so, but I needed about thirty of them. So using the picture in the Grizzly catalogue as a guide, I drew a plan and made my own. I actually made over thirty of them.

Most are 6", but I made four 4", and four 8". They all open about 10" or so. They worked great on the guitar, but I thought I'd never get any other use out of them. That’s not so, and I use them often. They're easy to use, very light and small, and when glued on pieces of leather they protect the work. Here is a picture of what I made.

Click here for full size image

Forum Responses
(Cabinetmaking Forum)
From contributor J:
They look good to me, did you use maple?

On the moveable head, the pins only go through the maple. They straddle the aluminum. It's important to make the inside to inside distance correct on these pins so that the head ends up square to the aluminum.

If it's under square, you can stick a metal file in the mortise and whittle the pin down until the head is square. The cam mechanism is the tear-shaped piece sticking out of the moveable head. Its pin is off-center to give the cam action.

So to use the clamp, you slide the moving head closed until it's tight on the work piece, then push the cam forward. It pushes the skinny piece of wood on the head against the work piece and wedges the head on the aluminum at the same time. Look at the position of the pins on the moving head.

Have you reviewed the related Knowledge Base areas below?

KnowledgeBase: Knowledge Base

KnowledgeBase: Cabinetmaking

KnowledgeBase: Cabinetmaking: General



Would you like to add information to this article? ... Click Here

If you have a question regarding a Knowledge Base article, your best chance at uncovering an answer is to search the entire Knowledge Base for related articles or to post your question at the appropriate WOODWEB Forum. Before posting your message, be sure to review our Forum Guidelines.

Questions entered in the Knowledge Base Article comment form will not generate responses! A list of WOODWEB Forums can be found at WOODWEB's Site Map.

When you post your question at the Forum, be sure to include references to the Knowledge Base article that inspired your question. The more information you provide with your question, the better your chances are of receiving responses.

Return to beginning of article.

Refer a Friend || Read This Important Information || Site Map || Privacy Policy || Site User Agreement Letters, questions or comments? E-Mail us and let us know what you think. Be sure to review our Frequently Asked Questions page. Contact us to discuss advertising or to report problems with this site. To report a problem, send an e-mail to our Webmaster Copyright © 1996-2009 - WOODWEB ® Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without permission of the Editor. Review WOODWEB's Copyright Policy. The editors, writers, and staff at WOODWEB try to promote safe practices. What is safe for one woodworker under certain conditions may not be safe for others in different circumstances. Readers should undertake the use of materials and methods discussed at WOODWEB after considerate evaluation, and at their own risk. WOODWEB, Inc. RR4 Box 265A Montrose, PA 18801 Contact WOODWEB