Used to clamp everything with cheap squeeze clamps now I just use pipe clamps for my desktop builds

I was all about those little plastic squeeze clamps from Harbor Freight for years. They were cheap and I thought they worked fine. Then I tried to glue up a butcher block desk top about 6 months ago and the pieces shifted because the clamps didn't hold evenly. Switched to a couple of 3/4 inch pipe clamps from Home Depot for like $15 each plus the pipe. Night and day difference. No more shifting, no more uneven joints. Has anyone else made the switch and wish they did it sooner?

2 comments

2 Comments

mason.margaret1mo agoMost Upvoted

Oof that butcher block shifting sounds like a nightmare, totally feel your pain. Had almost the same thing happen with a small cabinet door, cheap clamps just let everything creep on you. Pipe clamps really are a game changer for keeping stuff flat and square, glad you made the switch.

ryan_flores1mo ago

Pipe clamps get all the hype but I still use my cheap squeeze clamps every day for smaller stuff. My workbench has like 20 of those harbor freight orange ones. They work fine for holding trim pieces or edging while glue dries. I built a whole set of shelves last month using nothing but squeeze clamps and they came out perfectly square. Its all about how you set them up. If you crank them too tight sure theyll slip but if you just snug them down they hold fine. Not everyone needs to spend $60 on pipe clamps for a basic desk build.