# How I made a Wooden Bar Clamp



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Well it has come to the time of year we, members of the NW Woodworking Assoc. are challenged to make something out of a construction grade 2X4 stud.

I decide to try and make a wooden bar clamp.

First I did a search and found some ideas on the internet, then used portions to make one of my own.
I ordered a 3'piece of acme thread and some nuts form McMaster Carr.

Here are the pictures they are pretty much self explanatory.

Herb


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

The rest of the pictures.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

The last ones.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Wow you've got some amazing skills there Herb . Those are nicely done and then some . Sure looks like a lot of work involved


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

Good job, Herb. I'm sure you got a tremendous amount of satisfaction from that.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Excellent job. That's a great way to get long clamping ability.


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Really nice, Herb...and very creative...Yu da winna...


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Herb I had no idea knobs were made by drilling the perimeter first , very interesting . Did you use a hole saw to cut it out after drilling , or a bandsaw ? They sure look cool


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

TheCableGuy said:


> Herb I had no idea knobs were made by drilling the perimeter first , very interesting . Did you use a hole saw to cut it out after drilling , or a bandsaw ? They sure look cool


Rick, I cut them on the band saw after I drilled the holes. Then used the spindle sander to finish rounding them.

Here is the jig I used on the sander.

Herb


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

most excellent Herb...


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

Herb thanks for posting your project. I can tell you put a lot of work into doing this. If there is a prize for the best 2X4 project you are sure to win.


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## patlaw (Jan 4, 2010)

Herb Stoops said:


> Here are the pictures they are pretty much self explanatory.


Herb, how did you make the cutout for this nut? A chisel? That's quite impressive!


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Herb Stoops said:


> Rick, I cut them on the band saw after I drilled the holes. Then used the spindle sander to finish rounding them.
> 
> Here is the jig I used on the sander.
> 
> Herb


Ok this is what had me wondering how they turned out so well . That jig is a great idea and something I never would have thought of . 
Tricks of the trade


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Herb my friend, You did a great job on your adjustable bar clamp! I have about 3/4 of one in my old tool collection - it's approximately 120 years old and has wooden "ACME" threads! On my old one, it is only on display - I am chicken to use it for fear of breakage!

Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

patlaw said:


> Herb, how did you make the cutout for this nut? A chisel? That's quite impressive!


If you look at the first picture,Mike, First I made the center block, then glued the 2 sides on it. after locating the center and drilling the hole for the threaded shaft, I marked the flat sides of the nut. Then I dadoed the end the width of the nut and the same depth.

After making a piece the width and depth of the dado, I bandsawed each end with a "V" to match the angle on the nut and then to the desired length. After putting the nut on the rod and inserting it into the hole, I slide the "V" end pieces tight against the nut and glued them in place.

The lpug the went into the handle I chiseled the hole for the nut.

Herb


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

hawkeye10 said:


> Herb thanks for posting your project. I can tell you put a lot of work into doing this. If there is a prize for the best 2X4 project you are sure to win.


Don, I doubt if I would win anything, in the past my Winchester rifle and wooden bucket didn't win anything. We have some real master woodworkers in the the club that win every year, and as a result participation in the event has suffered because of the intimidation.

So this year we changed the rules to a "Challenge by a 2X4" where as there are no prizes and no judging for the best, just a 2X4 show and tell. Hopefully this will increase the participation.

Here are my previous entries for those new to the forum.


Herb


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## dalboy (Jun 12, 2012)

Nice job on the clamp. As they say you can't have too many clamps, I know I could do with a lot more and after seeing your I just might have to make some for myself.

That is also one very nice staved bucket and rifle


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## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

Great work Herb.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Nice work on the bucket and rifle also Herb . I had to take a double take as I thought the gun was real.

I'm assumimg the barrel was done passing the wood over a router bit . I think I remember a thread about the rifle build in past threads . Turned out really well


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

@Herb Stoops

Great work on all of them and a number of ideas from the camps that can carry over to other projects.

Did you use a birdsmouth bit fr the bucket?


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

JFPNCM said:


> @Herb Stoops
> 
> Great work on all of them and a number of ideas from the camps that can carry over to other projects.
> 
> Did you use a birdsmouth bit fr the bucket?


Jon, I used the table saw and a jig that I cut the bevel and the taper at the same time. Two jigs as a matter of fact,RH and LH.

Herb


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

@Herb Stoops

Thanks Herb. I can see the taper as a result of the offset of the strip on the jig but I don't see how the bevel comes from the same cut. Is there a bevel on the jig?


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

JFPNCM said:


> @Herb Stoops
> 
> Thanks Herb. I can see the taper as a result of the offset of the strip on the jig but I don't see how the bevel comes from the same cut. Is there a bevel on the jig?


No I tilt the saw blade to the correct bevel for the number of pieces.
In this cases there are 32 pieces.

8 pieces is 22.5deg. and 32 is 4 times as many so divide 22.5 degrees by 4 and you get 5.625 degrees, or approximately 5.5 degrees and set the saw blades at that angle, rip the staves on one side then put them into the other jig and rip the other side the same bevel. 

If you notice I also have the bottoms of the staves already dadoed for the bottom on the correct angle to be level when assembled.
This is important as the dado is hard to do after the staves are tapered.

Does this make sense?

Herb


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

@Herb Stoops

Herb: That makes perfect sense. From the photos I couldn't tell that the blade was tilted. 

Thanks.


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