Replies

1. 
   nikkiwood | Oct 22, 2004 05:20am | #1

   I have never heard of it. From the link you included, it does look like an interesting tool. But at nearly $900 for the 36" version, I think you would have to be in the business of making nothing but table tops to justify its cost -- particularly with the availability of K-body clamps.

   
   

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   Edited 10/21/2004 10:21 pm ET by nikkiwood

2. 
   RickL | Oct 22, 2004 03:09pm | #2

   I saw Larry and his clamp at a professional woodshow. I was totally surprised when I saw the product was picked for marketing by a long established dealer. I thought of itas a one time flash in the pan novelty that will soon disappear like the sandblade. Personally I use the curved caul method for glueing and get perfect registration of my boards. Just scrape off the glue and a little sanding and I'm done. There's just too many unneeded tools and gimmicks being marketed with the big popularity of woodworking these days.

1. 
   Mackwood | Oct 23, 2004 01:09am | #3

   "too many --- gimmicks"

   Right on!  I can't believe the array of expensive gadgets being churned out and sold to guys/gals that aren't even doing WW to make a living.  All of the gizmos and whizz bangs now available for "tuning" shop machines are a classic case!

   My belief is that most of this stuff is bought by folks that do more buying than building and that most "pros" know what they need, have it and only replace/upgrade as absolutely necessary and then only after research and trial by others!

   I guess it's better than buying drugs (but probably just as habit forming) and it keeps the factories humming.

   Regards,

   Mack"WISH IN ONE HAND, #### IN THE OTHER AND SEE WHICH FILLS UP FIRST"

3. 
   CharlieP | Oct 23, 2004 05:23pm | #4

   I saw it at IWF in Atlanta.  It looked like it might be ok for a shop that had someone making glue-ups full time, and occasionally had a board that had bowed after prep, but with proper prep it seemed totally unnecessary.  I can get boards aligned for clamping without a pneumatic caul. 

   ________________________
   Charlie Plesums  Austin, Texas
   http://www.plesums.com/wood

1. 
   chills1994 | Oct 26, 2004 01:38am | #5

   Yep, I too saw it at a wwer's show.  At that time, I was working in a stair shop.  I had glued up plenty of treads using pipe clamps and cauls.  The cauls were held in place with either C-clamps or small bar clamps. 

   I thought that would be the perfect tool for all those treads.  Not to mention when I would glue up 16 ft oak 1 X's edge to edge to make finish skirt boards.

   No doubt about it, at that price you would have to do it professionally.

   Some houses would have two staircases (maple or cherry).  That would be a total of 30 plus treads to glue up.  36" long, 1" plus thick....mmmmmn... 4 pipe clamps minimum, plus cauls and their clamps......mmmmnn....OK

   THEY GOT HEAVY AFTER A WHILE.  So did the skirt boards which just got turned into a 1 X 18 X 16 ft with a pipe clamp every ft to 18".

   And yes, I'd have to agree with you all.  There is plenty of "gadgetry" in wwing catalogs.  But it is less expensive and more productive than hanging out in the strip bars.

   They used to say that "necessity is the mother of invention."  Well, coming up with something nobody really needs and having it sell like hotcakes is the kicker.

1. 
   RickL | Oct 26, 2004 04:28pm | #6

   "necessity is the mother of invention."     "Practicality is the father."  I don't think Larrys clamp is going to sell like hotcakes but I'm usually wrong about popular culture and what the new trend is.

4. 
   chills1994 | Oct 27, 2004 03:49am | #7

   Yep, there seems to be a continous dumbing down of everything.  I could just rant....

   I don't think Larry's clamp will be a hot seller either.

   So what other woodworking gadgets have you seen that you think wwers should stay away from?