drawer

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Comment by Rick on February 25, 2012 at 10:47am

Thanks for all the ideas.

 Comment by Ken Darga

I've made some pads, for clamp faces, by using ''silicon'' sheet material---

Comment by Rick on February 25, 2012 at 10:36am

Rockler ran a special on Baltic birch 3/4 x 30 x 60 inch for $35, which is comparable to $90 for a normal 4 x 8 ft sheet.  I could not believe how nice it is to work with decent material.  You get what you pay for!  The surface veneers of the Lowe's Chinese Birch plywood are as thick as a piece of paper, while the Baltic birch surface veneer was ~ thick as high pressure laminate.  How nice it is to no longer get splinters every time I touched the stuff!  And the good stuff is flat.  Imagine that!  And I store all my plywood vertically, at a constant temp, and covered to keep both sides drying evenly. 

Comment by Ken Darga on February 25, 2012 at 7:14am

Rick,

I've purchased lots of birch plywood from Lowes, as well as from other lumber suppliers.

Birch is not cheap---it's nearly the same price as ''oak''.

Wood should be stored ''flat''---

either horizontal or vertical.

Plywood sheet goods, when stored in a ''slanted'' position, will develop a bow more rapidly---

caused by the weight of the wood, unsupported on the underside.

When storing flat, in a horizontal position, I lay the plywood on a sub-base, such as 2x stock.

Position the 2x stock at a close enough spacing, to support the plywood, to prevent sagging/bowing.

Akin to flooring or deck---joists to be at a close enough spacing to resist bowing, and to support the upper layers.

==============

Comment by Rick 8 hours ago

I have to confess that the plywood I was using was that cheap Birch from Lowe's.  It was flat in the store, but really took a curve before I used it.  I was clamping extra tight in the attempt to straighten it out.  That worked OK when pocket screwing plywood to plywood, but when I tried to use the face frame to straighten out the plywood ... well you can guess how that went.

Comment by Rick on February 24, 2012 at 10:53pm

And stop buying cheap plywood?

Comment by James Bross on February 24, 2012 at 10:31pm

Or just use a bench dog or bench cookie between the piece and the clamp.

Comment by Ken Darga on February 24, 2012 at 10:30pm

For a permanent fix---

a metal slug can be spot-welded to the face of a swivel face clamp,

to achieve a larger surface clamping area.

Comment by Ken Darga on February 24, 2012 at 10:28pm

Rick,

a larger clamping surface area, will reduce the risk of clamping rings/indentations.

1. Slugs/knockouts from electrical boxes.

2. Check with your local metal fabrication shops---

they produce lots of slugs---made from punching holes in sheet metal.

Comment by Ken Darga on February 24, 2012 at 10:23pm

I've made some pads, for clamp faces, by using ''silicon'' sheet material---

cut to size from silicon mouse pads.

Secure the pads to the face clamp pads with double-stick tape.

  In some instances, I've made face clamp pads, cut to applicable size, from 150 grid sandpaper, and hold the pads in place with double-stick tape.

I only use the silicon rubber face pads, when it is desirable to prevent slippage.

  For some applications, a larger size swivel face, is more effective---

secure a metal slug/disc, or the like to the existing face.

Kregs swivel face clamp pads have a larger dia disc.

Some brands employ a small face, such as welding clamps.

  A 3x5 file card, folded, can also be used for temporary uses. 

  Hope these tips can help some ''wood clampers''.

Comment by Rick on February 24, 2012 at 10:19pm

I have to confess that the plywood I was using was that cheap Birch from Lowe's.  It was flat in the store, but really took a curve before I used it.  I was clamping extra tight in the attempt to straighten it out.  That worked OK when pocket screwing plywood to plywood, but when I tried to use the face frame to straighten out the plywood ... well you can guess how that went.

Comment by Ken Darga on February 24, 2012 at 10:06pm

I've experienced some slight depression marks, on soft wood, when I've had to much clamping pressure, and then hand to sand slightly to make it smooth.

I adjust the clamping pressure, on the joint to keep the parts flush and tight.

I generally don't over-tighten---

I don't think over-tightening is necessary.

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