Clamps are extremely versatile tools that secure or hold two or more components firmly and prevent them from separating by applying pressure. Several types of clamps are used in an endless list of applications, from construction to woodworking, metalworking, and automotive repairs. Each clamp type is designed to perform a specific function and suit different applications.
This article will list different types of clamps and their uses. But before that, let’s have an in-depth look at clamps and their general purposes.
What are Clamps and their Purpose?
A clamp is a device that secures or holds two or more components by binding, constricting, applying pressure, or pressing them together. Although all clamps bind, constrict, or press components together by applying pressure, they serve different purposes depending on the type and where they are used.
For instance, a clamp in an automobile repair is used to hold two components together to prevent leaks and foreign objects from entering that component. A good example is the clamp used to tighten the radiator rubber hose and other rubber hoses and boots in a car.
In woodworking, a clamp is used to hold wood to a workbench while cutting out the size you need. In metalworking, a clamp is used to secure a component firmly while you carry out grinding, welding, or manufacturing work. It is the perfect tool for holding aluminum, steel, iron, copper, and other materials in metalworking.
Before we look at different types of clamps, here’s what you need to know: if you are into automobiles, you will think that clamps are limited to four or five types. The same applies to woodworking and construction. But there are numerous types of clamps—much more than you may think of.
Different types of clamps and Descriptions
Rigid grip, bar clamps, C-clamps, bench vice clamps, toggle clamps, clutch clamps, parallel clamps, pipe clamps, hose clamps, F-clamps, and spring clamps are some of the most common clamps across automobile, woodworking, construction, and metalworking industries.
Let’s see all the types of clamps for woodworking, metalworking, construction, and automobile repairs.
Cabinetry clamp
Suitable For: Cabinetry work
The cabinetry clamp uses two perpendicular threadable screws to hold cabinetry work together during installation. The primary purpose of the clamp is to hold the woodwork together using a sliding jaw and a non-marring head while you screw them together.
Corner clamp
Suitable for: Frame building, box building, and wood joinery
Corner clamps, also known as angle clamps, are used when building boxes and frames or joining two workpieces together at a right angle to each other. It has pivoting heads and threaded screws that allow you to apply pressure to them.
Toggle Clamp
Suitable for: Holding work material in place
A toggle clamp is a tool mounted to securely hold a workpiece in place during production or repair. The toggle clamps lock in the desired position securely and can be quickly turned on or off by the operator.
Fence Clamp
Suitable for: Hold work materials to a fence
A fence clamp is a tool used in woodwork or carpentry to secure a workpiece on a fence or guide it to a work surface. Instead of mounting it on a workbench, you have to mount it on another tool with a fence, such as a mitre clamp saw or table saw. They come in different styles and sizes and are used for several applications.
C-Clamp
Suitable for: Woodworking
A C-clamp is a type of clamp tool used to hold a metal or wood workpiece, and mostly used in, but is not limited to, welding and carpentry. These clamps are called “C” clamps because of their C frame shape, or also mostly called G-clamps because with the screw part, they are shaped like an uppercase letter G. However, in fact, they were initially called a Carriage Clamp, or carriage maker’s clamp.
Extended Throat C-Clamp
Suitable for: Woodworking
The extended throat C-clamp is a type of C-clamp with a longer throat depth. It allows you to reach further into a workpiece, especially where the normal C-clamp couldn’t reach.
Strap clamps
Suitable for: Wood joinery
Strap clamps, also called band clamps, are similar to the ratchet straps used to tie loads down — such as on a vehicle’s truck bed or roof rack. The webbing strap is placed around an assembly and tightened, applying pressure to joints.
Hose clamps
Suitable for: Automotive repair
A hose clamp is designed to tighten a hose over a pipe or fitting, by clamping the hose down, it prevents the fluid in the hose from leaking at the connection. Popular attachments include anything from car hose and rubber boots to construction pipe fittings. However, hose clamps can be used in a variety of different industries in order to secure the transportation of products, liquids, gases and chemicals. It is one of the common types of clamps for pipes.
C-clamp edge clamp
Suitable for: woodwork
A C-clamp edge clamp looks like a dual spindle edge clamp. It holds a plank of wood or a piece of metal in place when working. They are often used in woodworking and metalworking.
They are named C-clamps because of their letter “C” shape and are sometimes called G-clamps because the screw handle makes them look like an uppercase letter G.
Dual-Spindle Edge Clamps
Suitable for: Woodworking
Dual-spindle edge clamps are used together with an F-clamp to press down the edge of a workpiece. They allow even distribution of force over a wide area.
Spring hand Clamp
Suitable for: Holding working material
Spring hand clamps look like regular pliers. They apply pressure with a spring mounted at the hinge. They come in several sizes and shapes and are designed with different materials.
Ratcheting Hand Clamp
Suitable for: Holding work items
Ratcheting hand clamps resemble the spring clamp but apply pressure on a workpiece with a ratcheting mechanism instead of using springs.
Pipe Clamp
Suitable for: Woodworking and Piping
Pipe clamps are the type of clamps commonly used in piping, woodworking, or cabinet shops. They consist of a threaded pipe and clamp jaws. One end of the jaws screws into the threaded pipe, while the other end holds the object as you lock it. The capacity of the pipe relies on the length of the threaded pipe.
Trigger Clamp
Suitable for: Holding work material and wood joinery
Trigger clamp offers extra hands on hand. It holds your work to a bench, giving you extra grip while working on small items. It has a sliding and fixed jaw and is designed for a one-hand operation.
Bandy Clamps
Suitable for: Gluing and woodworking
Brandy clamp is a spring clamp designed with a band and two jaws. The band spans the two jaws and applies force when you keep it at the edges of the work items.
Gripping Edge Clamp
Suitable for: Gluing and woodworking
As the name suggests, gripping edge clamps are clamps used to grip the side of a workpiece to keep the top clear for machining. It comes in different sizes and styles, like every other clamp.
Straight-Edge Clamp
Suitable for: Woodworking
A straight-edge clamp is a two-in-one tool used as a fence to a drill press, bandsaw, or even an auxiliary fence on your miter saw or table saw, allowing you to easily clamp any object for woodworking or use it as an edge guide.
Flooring Clamp
Suitable for: Flooring
Flooring clamps are designed with two jaws joined together with a strap and are used in construction for holding groove-and-tongue flooring. One of the jaws is placed on the installed flooring material, while the other is placed on the one yet to be mounted.
Parallel Clamp
Suitable for: Gluing panels and wood joinery
Parallel clamps look like traditional bar clamps, but the difference is that they have a flat surface on each clamp jaw and a stronger bar that allows it to create full contact with the wood you are working on. The clamp jaws face right angles to the clamp bar, making them parallel to each other.
Clutch Clamp
Suitable for: Face gluing pieces and wood joinery
A clutch clamp is a simple mechanical clamp that is designed for holding workpieces together before joining them together with glue, screw, nail, or by any other means.
Bench vice clamp
Suitable for: Automotive and metalwork
The bench vice clamp is a type of clamp that is mounted on a worktable or workbench. The bench vice clamp has two jaws—one is fixed, while the other slides as you operate the threaded lever handle.
Table clamp
Suitable for: Soldering and Welding
The table clamp looks like a flat C-clamp and is used to secure items on a workstation. Do not confuse a bench vice clamp with a table clamp. They are two different clamps that perform different purposes. The table clamp is mainly used for mounting monitors to a desk and holding items for welding.
Drill press clamp
Suitable for: Drilling and woodwork
A drill press clamp is designed to hold down a metal or wood on a drill press for drilling. Like the bench vice clamp, the drill press clamp is mounted on a drill press and is adjusted to press down the workpiece for proper drilling work. It is one of the common types of clamps for metal.
Locking plier clamp
Suitable for: Holding work items
Locking pliers (also known as mole grips, a vice grip, or vise-grips) are pliers that can be locked into position, using a cam action on the “over-center”. Locking pliers come in different jaw styles, such as wrenches, clamps, needle-nose pliers and various shapes to fix metal parts for repair or welding.
Wooden-hand screw clamp
Suitable for: Furniture and wood joinery
Wooden-hand screw clamp is a traditional clamp that is made of two identical hardwoods joined together with a pair of left-hand and right-hand threaded screws that maintains parallel adjustment of the jaws when you turn their handles in the same direction.
F-Clamp
Suitable for: Holding workpieces, gluing, and wood joinery
F-clamp is a speed clamp or bar clamp that has two horizontal rods joined together by a vertical rod. It is named F-clamp because it resembles the uppercase letter “F”. They are similar to but distinct from pipe clamps and C-clamps. In metalworking, it is used to hold workpieces together for bolting or welding, and it is used to hold attachments together while you screw or glue a workpiece in woodworking.
FAQs:
How many types of clamps are there?
Depending on your field and where you look, there are around 35 to 45 types of clamps, and the number can be more than that. They all serve the same purpose—to hold or secure something, but some serve a specific purpose. For example, the hose clamp is designed to secure the hose and prevent leaks.
What are the types of clamping used in machine tools?
Different types of clamps are used in machining tools, and which you use depends on your specific field and the project you are working on. Toggle clamps, electrostatic chucks, magnetic chucks, vacuum chucks or tables, pneumatic clamps, hydraulic vices, hydraulic fixtures, toe clamps, step clamps, and T-slot clamps are some of the machine clamping tools.
What is the most common type of clamp?
The most common type of clamp depends on whether you are talking of woodworking, metalworking, or automotive repairs. For example, a hose clamp is the common type of clamp in automotive repairs because countless parts, such as fuel rails, radiator hoses, axle boots, vacuum hoses, and many more, use it. Parallel jaw clamps and C-clamps are the most common and versatile clamps in metal and woodworking.
What are the different types of clamps used in auto Garage?
C-clamps, hose clamps, spring clamps, vice-grip locking pliers, panel clamps, axle clamps, battery terminal clamps, quick connectors, exhaust clamps, V-band clamps, lined clamps, T-bolt clamps, worm drive hose clamps, and hose clamp pliers are some of the common types used in automotive garage.
Final Words
While there are up to 45 types of clamps and even more, each serves a unique function—to secure, hold, or support the workpiece they are holding. This article outlined the most common types in automotive repair, woodworking, metalworking, and construction. I could not cover all the types of clamps because the more you go into each field, you will see more clamps designed for those projects.
