Clamp Turnaround
Most woodworking bar clamps allow you to flip the ends to use the tool for spreading instead of clamping.
We recently installed an Ipe deck and ran into a problem with a curved board that wouldn’t lay straight. So I turned the stationary end of a deck clamp we were using around and installed it on the other end.
This turned it from a traditional pull-together clamp into one that pushes pieces apart. I screwed temporary scrap to a couple of joists, and used the clamp to push the board into place before fastening. It was pretty handy in a pinch.
— Sam Durdaller; Levittown, N.Y.
From Fine Homebuilding #284
RELATED STORIES
- Use a Pipe Clamp to Push Instead of Clamp
- Make a Quick Job-Site Clamp for Small Pieces
- Installing Kitchen Cabinets, Smooth and Solo
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