Band clamps in the wood shop?

Hey gang, do we have band clamps in the shop?

I’m preparing for a project and just wondering if this is a tool I can expect to find. I don’t recall seeing one yet, but I’ve only been in the shop a couple days so far.

Asking because I want to build a few mitered plywood boxes for nightstands, and gluing them up with a band clamp seems like a good way to go about it. Any other suggestions for other methods are welcome.

If you mean one of these things, yes!

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There are none. If you decide to get some, Ikea happens to be the best ones in my experience (Frakta793.066.96 They sell them as cargo straps and are located against the wall by the cash registers (2/$14 or so) otherwise Bessey has an integrated one (corner protectors housed in a bracket with a handle) these are a bit more pricey but along with the Walmart and Harborfreight the band tends to stretch without putting a lot of pressure at the mitered joint. They are designed for frames which do not require much tensile strength. But your boxes require more and unless youre planning in reinforcing the joint in the inside or with mechanical fasteners you should use straps that don’t stretch. Tape the edges so you can clean the glue and remove it before the glue dries.

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FRAKTA Loading strap with buckle, black, 5 m - IKEA here us the link fir the straps

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One of you says there are, with photos, the other says not, I’m unsure what to think…?

I had not noticed that there was one maybe two. In this venue we try to help you out to the best of knowledge and abilities. It does not make any of us right or wrong. The shop is ever changing six months ago half of the clamps on the clamp rack were not there. So if one or two band straps is/are good enough for your projects, you have a winner. My suggestion: if your project is that small, if you can, invest in your own clamps and take it with you when you leave. Now if youre not planning on ever using band/straps clamps ever again, use whats available at the shop. Also, projects below 6" square or so, you cand use strong tape or rubber bands. You can even use an inner tube of a tire cut into 1" strips stretched
& secured around your project.

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I 100% saw one in the tool rack the other day, i just didn’t see the little plastic corner gizmos

How well it works I have no idea, however

That being said it’s pretty much the same as any ratchet strap you can get at HD, which I have used to clamp a mitered box more than once successfully

To add to Michael and Jose’s points. While the shop is very well equipped, I find that when I need something quite specific - particularly drill bits - I typically will bring my own.

The clamps in the shop have been refreshed in recent months. But at any given time, it’s also entirely possible that the specific few you need might be in use.

Working in a shared space often requires thinking of a few back-up strategies for each project. I find our members who are very experienced are usually happy to help me strategize to find alternative methods for my work in the case where I have to re-direct for whatever reason.

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Cool, thanks for the input all, that’s helpful!

They are the same as far as use but different in that most straps at HD have hooks at the ends to tie to the bed or frame of eqipment to strap or secure cargo. The ones I mentioned above are called infinite ratchet straps. They do not have hooks, the strap feeds into a spool of the ratchet making it to lie flat against the material. Otherwise mechanically they work the same. Pressure wise tangentially probably you get three inches in each side so if possible you should space them 6" appart but I would not go more than 12." The straps are great for medium to large boxes but not limited to rectangle shapes. They work exceptionally well clamping flag cases (triangle), hexagons, octagons or any trapezoidal shape. They can be daisy chained together if needed. The crucial element though is plenty of glue at the joint that you’re going to have to cleanup so tape the edges and remove tape before the glue dries. If you follow this steps you will have a nice clean strong joint. I have done hundreds of boxes and flag cases using the straps, they last a long time. I own about twenty sets.

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Do you use the corner gizmos or do just the straps work well?

@rrs - recently this post by @DirtHurt had some interesting corner clamp tools they made on the cnc

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Well, personally I don’t. There are two main kinds a metal 90 degree one and a “C” plastic kind that was designed to pivot and leave room in the center for glue to squeeze out. The metal ones you need to wax them otherwise you will have a hard time removing them if enough glue gets at the pressure point. They come included in the Walmart, Harbor freight (Pitsburgh brand), and Bessey (if you can find them). I dont use them because usually the boxes i make are in the rough stage so i have to sand them anyway and that process takes care of any marks the straps leave. When I’m gluing plywood, by now I can tell how much pressure is enough before the straps dig into the material. But my biggest problem is with the plastic “C” kind, they do not transfer all the pressure onto the joint. Both are a PITA to align if you’re working by yourself. One more thing use a small piece of 1/8" plywood or other material under the ratchet mechanism. The ratchet handke will gauge your material a little.

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For small boxes, usually blue tape wrapped over the corners is sufficient if the miter angles are perfect. If it needs a little finessing but not a lot of clamping pressure, band clamps work ok but can be a PITA as described by Jose. For larger items or when lots of clamping pressure is needed, I’ll temporarily attach angled clamping blocks so that the clamp will pull together at an angle perpendicular to the joint angle.

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