8-foot clamps for $8
Pipe couplings extend the reach of both 1/2- and 3/4-in. pipe almost indefinitely.
Sep 22, 2015
The humble pipe coupling lets you extend your pipe clamps 10 feet or more.
Pipe clamps are a staple in hobbyist and pro shops around the world. That’s because they are cheap, strong, and versatile. Buy longer pipes and there is almost no limit on how far you can extend them. But no one wants to wrestle with 8-foot pipes on the typical 3-foot cabinet or tabletop glue-up.
The humble pipe coupling lets you extend your pipe clamps 10 feet or more.
The answer is the humble pipe coupling. Black iron pipe comes with two threaded ends, so just buy shorter lengths, say 4 feet, and add a pipe coupling whenever you need to double the reach. At less than $2 a pop, you can make yourself a set of four 8-foot clamps for under 10 bucks. Thread each end in at least 3/8 in., and the assembly will be as stable as a solid pipe.
Big glue-ups are no problem with this simple accessory.
You can get couplings for both 1/2- and 3/4-in. pipe but my recommendation is to avoid 1/2-in. pipe clamps. They flex too much under pressure.
Pipe couplings extend the reach of both 1/2- and 3/4-in. pipe almost indefinitely.
Just make sure both ends of the pipe are threaded, not cut off, so you can screw on the clamp fixture as well as the coupling.
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Comments
The 8 feet worth of pipe is going to be more that $10
Instead of using black iron pipe, use electrical IMC conduit. It is lighter, galvanized so it will not rust, and it is threaded. Much nicer to work with and less expensive. Once you use it, you will never go back to black iron.
8' clamps for 8 dollars? This is ridiculous and becoming typical of FW.
The $10 is for the couplings only.
$10 is deceptive advertising. Should have stated that the end pieces cost (that produce the actual clamp) was not included.
Finally discovered pipe unions? Wow.
Fine Wood Working typically publishes quality stuff. Sadly this isn't.
Hey FWW - I have a breathless deal for you:
A NEW CAR for $10!!
In my project I'll show you how you can have Home Depot cut a new key for your car for under $10. Of course, you have to supply the car separately...
Homer Simpson would have said,"Doh"!! after reading this. He already knew that Ned Flanders had been using this trick for years, and Ned learned about it from me.
I would expect this sort of hint from Woodworker's Journal, Shop Notes or Handyman. But this is right in line with the path FWW has taken since losing its independence. Despite its terrible title, Popular Woodworking is head and shoulders over FWW in terms of serious content. Chris Schwarz has done a terrific job. He is visible all over the community and his name comes up in many blogs and newsletters, here and abroad.
I am a charter subscriber, and have the right to criticize. You have many great guest editors, but they also write for other publications, so I can skip their FWW contributions and hardly miss a thing. You are trying to cater to the whole spectrum of experience, thus diluting the content. Your corporate bosses may think that the broad brush treatment is best, but the fact is,you are losing the respect of serious Woodworker's. You should be the New England Journal of Medicine not WebMD.
I agree with the previous comments. The article is underwhelming and a far below my expectations for FWW. Regarding even 3/4" pipe, I expect the 8 foot clamps will bend and distort too much for a good glue up over the 8' span.
I suggest FWW keep to quality and good practice rather than trying to venture into the cheap seats.
Just can't win can you Asa, no matter what you publish someone has something negative to say about it.
I'm with BStev. Asa shares a simple idea and gets skewered for aiding and abetting the decline of FW. The decline of which I have apparently missed over the past 40 years I've been subscribing. Thanks Asa, from those of us who are less censorious of and more appreciative of advice, even advice which is so clearly unworthy of the commenters here.
WOW! What a bunch of snobs! (JefCC, professorss,richeytgr, diligance etc.) It must be great to be so superior and to have enough money to throw at your workshop that a set of inexpensive clamps offends you so deeply or the thought of even suggesting such a thing bruises your obviously far superior technique and abilities. If you don't want to use such clearly inferior tools fine, your choice, but attacking FW for trying to help those starting out, or those of use that don't have unlimited resources for our shops to have useful tools for their small shops is borderline asinine. (apologies for the cheap rhyme which I can only assume will send you into a blind rage). Take a play from a tried and true playbook: If the information doesn't apply to you, skip it and focus on the information useful to you. And apldoc, you're buying your pipe at the wrong place unless you're buying SS. ps: 1/2" and 3/4" couplers, as we call them, (a union is a TOTALLY different animal beaverwoodcraft) are about .39 where I'm from.
Galvanized? Really? The zinc slips and smears, letting the clamp creep and loosen.
There may be some problems which can cause the clamps to rust, but maybe not cleaning the shop with a garden hose could be the next secret to be revealed with a teasing headline.
He forgot to suggest other savings available to actually bring the price under $8; watch for a building being demolished, and salvage the pipe, then go to Harbor Freight and get the clamp parts for $6 when they are on sale. However don't hope to count your time into the cost.
Re JeffCC: Agree with the first part wholeheartedly. However there is a good source of pipe that will match a good set of clamp-ends. Buy either schedule 80, or even stronger schedule 120 pipe. It isn't to be found in the box stores, but a plumbing contractor who works on steam systems can hook you up. They will be heavy! Needed some very long clamps before and did the coupling thing. Did a series of long built-ins and needed to have very long clamps, only had elevator access. Used coupled pipes and it worked. (30+ years ago - not a new idea)
Why do some of these so called purists have to think they always have expound on all their vast knowledge about every thing? Its a simple coupler and its a great idea. I have been using it for over 15 years.Black pipe, galvanized pipe, plastic pipe even wooden clamps, when you have a job to do you just find a way to do it. Figure out the limitations and use it. Keep up the great work Asa. A lot of us know some of these ideas , but there are some who don't.
figure out its limitations and work with what you have.
Lets just all use our good common discretion and create sawdust.
Old ideas, new ideas, low-cost, high-cost...they all add up to the same thing: creation.
Speaking of creation, FWW has a niche for all woodworkers, novice and experienced. I have learned much in the way of tips and tricks in the last year from combing through articles. This pipe extension idea is simple, relatively inexpensive and common (as some previous comments suggest).
FWW is a hub to spread the knowledge, and a darn efficient one at that.
Keep up the good work Fine Wood Working. I'm still leaning from you.
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