Shopsmith Woodworking Tips #115 Cam Clamps
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 11:52 am
Shopsmith Woodworking Tips #115 https://www.shopsmith.com/woodshoptips/ ... /index.htm
While on my garage sale rounds I run across a dumpster in front of a home remodel and found what appears to be solid maple countertop cutoffs (P1). The first step was to drill holes or the inside curve of the clamp body and rip at the glue seam. Thru blind luck the off cut were the exact size of the cam levers.(P2) I varied from the plans a little bit I made the clamp dementions fit the wood not the wood fit the plans if that makes any sense.
The next step was to make the mortises for the clamp beams. I used a kerf jig to position and pre drill the mortises.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNZWlLPw0HI (P3 & 4). Next was a trip to the hardware store to buy either roll pins or brass stock for the pins. Talk about sticker shock they wanted over $15 for 5/32 rods and the roll pins weren't far behind. So plan B nails work just fine just a little more fiddley (P5). I redesigned the cam lever to go over center and lock down. After I tried the finished clamp I am not sure that was necessary. The other thing I noticed is that with the cam in clamp position only the leading edge applies pressure. A fix would be to run the face thru the saw while the cam lever in in clamp position. But I may be over thinking the problem.
While on my garage sale rounds I run across a dumpster in front of a home remodel and found what appears to be solid maple countertop cutoffs (P1). The first step was to drill holes or the inside curve of the clamp body and rip at the glue seam. Thru blind luck the off cut were the exact size of the cam levers.(P2) I varied from the plans a little bit I made the clamp dementions fit the wood not the wood fit the plans if that makes any sense.
The next step was to make the mortises for the clamp beams. I used a kerf jig to position and pre drill the mortises.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNZWlLPw0HI (P3 & 4). Next was a trip to the hardware store to buy either roll pins or brass stock for the pins. Talk about sticker shock they wanted over $15 for 5/32 rods and the roll pins weren't far behind. So plan B nails work just fine just a little more fiddley (P5). I redesigned the cam lever to go over center and lock down. After I tried the finished clamp I am not sure that was necessary. The other thing I noticed is that with the cam in clamp position only the leading edge applies pressure. A fix would be to run the face thru the saw while the cam lever in in clamp position. But I may be over thinking the problem.
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- P2.jpg (294.28 KiB) Viewed 8762 times
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- P5.jpg (298.61 KiB) Viewed 8762 times
- P6.jpg (307.37 KiB) Viewed 8762 times
