# I built some cam clamps late Sunday night.



## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

After I finally got all of my Christmas gift projects completed Sunday night I decided to whip up a pair of cam clamps. I bought the steel bar several weeks ago in anticipation of making these. I finally got around to doing so (until 4:30 in the morning).

I wish I'd have gone ahead and cut parts to make a half dozen or more. But I was still testing my method of construction so I acted more conservatively. But now that I see how easily I can build these it's a shame to not have done a bunch. It's always easier and faster to make more when you've already got the fixtures set up for each step along the way. Oh well.

My approach was simply to look up a picture of a wooden cam clamp via Google Images and make what I saw. It worked great! The wood I used was once part of an appliance shipping crate I acquired from a Sears store that discarded them.

Rather than explicitly explain each step, I'll demonstrate this via photographic progression. I'll be happy to elaborate on any steps that one might have question about. Here's goes the construction of two wooden cam clamps:


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Not shown: using a square to ensure proper alignment of jaw.

























Spacer to leave about 3/16", which was later peened over to lock in place.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Now shown: drilling and bandsawing kerf in lower jaw.


Using stop strip on table saw to limit length of cut.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

French curve was used to create smooth curves. But cams are NOT a direct tracing of the french curve. A proper cam should have a profile that increases distance from the pivot at a steady rate, much like the spiral traced by a pencil tethered to a rod with string.









Sanded flats (after testing to see where they need to go) to lock clamp cam tightly. Only the "top" flat was needed.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Still have to peen nails after cut-off.

















Not shown: Sanded hard edges of jaws to prevent denting of workpieces.

Hopefully this series of pictures shed enough light on the process for any one wanting to make their own cam clamps. If I can figure out you most likely can as well. But I'd be happy to explain or discuss any part of the build one might have a question about.

The only out-of-pocket expense on these was purchasing the flat steel bar, which was somewhere around $6 (I think). And I can easily get 2-3 more (if I stick with the same length) out of that same piece. The maple was salvaged from a crate. And the pins are just short galvanized nails, thick enough to handle the stresses without bending or denting.

ALSO, I still need to pad the jaws by gluing on a piece of sheet cork. I'll also be drilling and putting a rivet near the bottom end of each bar to prevent the lower laws from being able to come off.

It was a very easy, very useful project. Mind you, cam clamps are medium-duty tools. They aren't intended to be torqued to great pressures like, say, a standard pipe or bar clamp. But these will easily apply more clamping pressure than you might think. And they are extremely easy to use.

Thanks for looking in.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

nice pics and tutorial. you'll always enjoy using them.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

Great build thread. 

Nice and detailed.

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

That's really cool. Id like to see how they tighten up though? Maybe I missed something.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

Like an 'F' clamp

Adjust the bottom to your work
Instead of a screw thread you rotate the cam till it locks in place.

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Dominick said:


> That's really cool. Id like to see how they tighten up though? Maybe I missed something.


Tighten? They're supposed to tighten? Oh crap, maybe I'm the one who missed something. :laughing:

DaveTTC is correct. The lower jaw moves freely along the bar (unless pressure is applied to the inside face of the jaw). Once you've cinched the jaws you flip the cam lever to tighten. The cam permits for about 3/16 - 1/4" of travel.


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Hey, those are cool.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

I almost forgot to show the finished product. Well, they're done except for the fact that I still need to find some cork to pad the jaws.

I cut and peened all of the nails.









I ran rivets through the end of the bars to prevent the lower jaw from ever falling off.

















Here's one of a few occasions so far that I've gotten to use my new cam clamps.









No matter how many tools you own, nothing beats the satisfaction of using tools you built yourself.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Looks great Steve.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

They look great, have you used them yet

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Very very well done, Steve! I'm impressed!


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

DaveTTC said:


> They look great, have you used them yet
> 
> Dave The Turning Cowboy


Yes, a few times so far.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

You had a chain thread going 4 or 5 months ago, just before you had that teaching session I think. Did you do anymore with it. I have been off here a couple of times since then with all sorts going on.

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

DaveTTC said:


> You had a chain thread going 4 or 5 months ago, just before you had that teaching session I think. Did you do anymore with it. I have been off here a couple of times since then with all sorts going on.
> 
> Dave The Turning Cowboy


So... you've come to realize how lame I am, huh?! Heh, well, uhm, no. Not yet. But the next woodcarving show is in a few months. So I'll be back on all of my unfinished carving projects "soon". I've got to have them all ready in time for the show.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

Chaincarver Steve said:


> So... you've come to realize how lame I am, huh?! Heh, well, uhm, no. Not yet. But the next woodcarving show is in a few months. So I'll be back on all of my unfinished carving projects "soon". I've got to have them all ready in time for the show.


Cool. Looking forward to it. I like all your build threads etc.

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## Phaedrus (Jan 18, 2012)

Chaincarver Steve said:


> I almost forgot to show the finished product. Well, they're done except for the fact that I still need to find some cork to pad the jaws.
> 
> I cut and peened all of the nails.
> 
> ...


You seem to be a busy guy, yet you still find time to document some of this fun stuff and share. Those are some good looking clamps. Is there any benefit over regular F-clamps? The'd probably grip more squarely, but anything else?


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

Phaedrus said:


> You seem to be a busy guy, yet you still find time to document some of this fun stuff and share. Those are some good looking clamps. Is there any benefit over regular F-clamps? The'd probably grip more squarely, but anything else?


Satisfaction. Oh steve already said that. I reckon they cheaper than buying them too. And - you can decorate them if you so desire, carve or burn (I mean that fancy burn stuff not incinerate lol)

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Phaedrus said:


> You seem to be a busy guy, yet you still find time to document some of this fun stuff and share. Those are some good looking clamps. Is there any benefit over regular F-clamps? The'd probably grip more squarely, but anything else?


Busy is right.

The main benefits to cam clamps are their reach. Typically, you'd see this kind of clamp used by luthiers gluing braces under acoustic guitar tops and gluing bridges in place. And so on. 

The clamping strength isn't nearly what is possible with a decent metal F clamp. But the fact that they are easily and cheaply made potentially means lots of clamps for a small monday investment.

Also, these clamps are physically lighter in weight compared to metal clamps, which may be of benefit at times.

As far as the squareness of clamping pressure, it really depends on the width of the bar and the accuracy of pin placement.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

I may have to build some more. $15 each is killing me...


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