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Tell Me About Clamps, Please


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I know I will need clamps, but I'm trying to figure out how many of each kind/size I should have on hand as I get started with my Orchid.  At Hobby Lobby I was unable to find any of the plastic bar clamps like those blue ones for dollhouse building I see in photos, so I presume I will need to get them online.  I want to make sure I purchase enough, and truly appreciate your input. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Plastic-Clamp-small-tools-model-miniatures-hobby-2pcs-12333-/161729392960?hash=item25a7d2b140

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Plastic-Clamp-7-1-2-tools-model-miniatures-2pcs-/160503334789?hash=item255ebe8785

What other sorts of clamps would you recommend having in my toolkit as I begin?

Thanks!

faye

 

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Bar clamps like the ones in Jackie's photo are much nicer than the plastic ones. A couple of plastic ones are nice for right angles on furniture, but they don't clamp as well as bar clamps for most things.

The cheapest place I have found bar clamps, is the dreaded Walmart. I got some decent ones for less than $2 for the small ones, whereas the ones I got at Home Depot were around $7 each for the same size.

Spring type clothes pins are great as well, and some smaller clamps that work the same way as the clothespins, but have jaws that open wider are nice to have as well.

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Ooh, I love clamps! I have some of the blue ones, they do okay for the thinner wood. I have some like Jackie has too, in different sizes. I probably use those bar clamps the most. I just got mine at home depot or somewhere local. I also use a lot of the pinch-type clamps in different sizes. And binder clips... Tape works great as well for wrapping around large areas.

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You cannot have too many clamps.  I get mine at Harbor Freight.  I have no use for the weensy blue plastic clamps.  I have a magnetic gluing jig I use for furniture making:

gallery_8_149_72499.jpg

and the clamps I use the most are the plastic ones I buy by the tube from Harbor Freight:

gallery_8_2728_40398.jpg

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I have the magnetic gluing jig too which I like using - although I put baking paper on the bottom to stop stickage.  The only thing I don't like about it is that the sides aren't completely square and I have made the mistake before of butting things up against them.  Otherwise I have a couple of little clamps - still need a couple of small bar clamps.  I'm in New Zealand and get a lot of my tools direct from Micro Mark who specialise in tools for minis!   www.micromark.com

 

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Those blue clamps are rather useless. The only thing I find myself using them for, is taking them apart and using them as small right angles.

This is what I use:

Different sizes of binder clips. Cheap and useful for a million things but definitely helps out when putting windows and furniture kits together. Enough pressure to hold the piece together but not enough to dent the wood.
561339_sk_lg?$OD-Large$

Jorgensen 4½" Micro Clamp (what I use in place of the blue clamps) About $5 a piece

71-mB5t1J5L._SX425_.jpg

You probably won't need these but I have a lot of 2" and 3" pony clamps that I use at times when something really needs to be tight or encouraged to stay in place. They are a couple bucks a piece.

35124-1001-2ww-m.jpg

Blue painter's tape. You need this for renovation painting but take enough of it and you can hold things together pretty tight when gluing.

blue-painters-tape-big.jpg

Lastly, I use these to weigh things down or into place. Warped floor boards, for example. I also use them to create 90 degree angles when gluing things together. They are great at forcing thin warped pieces to dry flat. 1-2-3 Machinist Blocks, about $15 for 2. They are 1" x 2" x 3", hence the name. Each weighs 1lb 11oz

6740291-23.jpg

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I just finished the Orchid. I used blue painters tape for almost all of it. Buy two rolls. I also used binder clips and clothespins. You really don't need anything else, so save your money. I found using Legos to get a good square edge when gluing together small bits (porch stairs, stair landing, etc.) worked really well.

 

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