Popular Woodworking 2003-06 № 134, страница 28
Endurance Test Two Unsung Heroes While these "tools" are within arm's reach of almost every woodworker, we don't often talk about the value of good glue and stout bar clamps. In the old days, "glue" meant white glue. Most woodworkers now use aliphatic resin glue (yellow glue) because it cures fast. Years ago we switched to cross-linking polyaliphat-ic glue - Titebond II. It's a little stronger than regular yellow glue and water-resistant. In fact, we use Titebond II more than any other glue. It gets tacky fast to speed assembly, and it's stronger than the wood itself. Most modern glues are stronger than the wood, but Titebond II offers a higher bond strength quicker than other glues (more than 200 pounds of strength in three minutes). The five-minute assembly (open) time isn't always a benefit. When assembling a large case piece we use Titebond II Extend, offering 15 minutes of assembly time or more. We also prefer yellow glues for their visibility. While a clear-drying glue hides better, we'd rather see the glue so we can clean it or sand it off before it spoils a stain. And then there's the benefit of the glue's water resistance. While that's not usually a concern for furniture construction, it's easier not to have to worry about switching glues if you're building something that may spend some time outside. Titebond II is a great woodworking glue, and it continues to stand the test of time in the Popular Woodworking shop. SPECIFICATIONS Titebond II Street price: 8 oz., $4 16 oz., $6 Gallon, $20 Nice features: "Just right" open time; not too thin, not too thick; excellent strength and a really nice no-clog spout design. Recommended modifications: Self-closing lid, in case I forget! For more information: Contact Franklin Adhesives at 800-669-4583 or titebond.com. We've had Bessey Tradesmen bar clamps hanging on the ends of our benches for more than eight years. We don't think about them much because they're always handy and always do exactly what we ask. These aren't the least expensive bar clamps out there, but you get what you pay for in this category (and many others). Tradesmen medium-duty clamps come in two throat depths, (21/2n and 4") and are built around galvanized profiled rails (either 5/l6" x 1" or 74" x 1" rails, depending on throat depth). The rails themselves are serrated on either side. The serrations lock into the cast-iron arms in a cam-style grip. These clamps give a strong, solid hold without slippage. You might think that these serrations biting into the cast iron would wear the clamp, but they still hold as well as day one. Large wood handles and oversized threads on the screws make it fast and easy to tight- ABOUT OUR ENDURANCE TESTS Every tool featured in this column has survived at least two years of heavy use in our shop here at Popular Woodworking. en and release the clamps. The large jaw faces are protected by non-marring plastic caps that stay on when necessary and snap on and off easily as required. Amazingly we haven't lost more than a couple of pads in eight years. We prefer the extra reach offered by the 4" throats, but there's a place for the 21/2" clamps as well. Overall, these clamps apply more than enough pressure (up to 600 or 880 pounds of pressure, again depending on the throat depth) for any woodworking task. There's never a concern of the bars flexing during a glue-up and they're virtually maintenance-free. You can save a few bucks and buy a similar bar clamp; but honestly, we've found these Bessey clamps to be worth every penny. Stout and reliable, you might not think about them often, but when you need a clamp, they're always ready. PW — David Thiel, senior editor SPECIFICATIONS Bessey Tradesmen Bar Clamps Street price: 2V2" x 12", $12 4" x 12", $21 Nice features: Strong, no-slip design. Reliable and easy to care for. Recommended modifications: Round handles can slip in your grip. A faceted handle would offer more grip strength. For more information: Contact American Clamping at 585-344-1160 or jamesmorton.com 26 Popular Woodworking June 2003 |
