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Toolmaker’s Clamp

I

’VE SEEN SEVERAL WOODENclamp designs presented in “Methods of
Work” in Fine Woodworking but none similar to what machinists
know as a toolmaker’s clamp. It is constructed like a standard wooden
clamp but uses fixed bearing surfaces in place of the left-handed
threaded rods and barrel-nuts. Because the toolmaker’s clamp uses
standard hardware-store threaded rod, it is much easier to build. Only
a right-hand tap and drill bits are needed to complete the metal work.
Although the barrel-nuts can be made from either brass or steel,
make the bearings out of brass (steel would soon gall the thrust sur-
faces). File a flat on each of the two bearings and turn the flat toward

CHAPTER NINE

Nuts

Elastic

lock nut

Bearing

(slip fit)

Nut (tapped)

Bearings

Flat

Bearings