Back To The Family Handyman
Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
TwitThis
Bar Clamps Are Quick and Versatile
Click image to enlarge.
Click image to enlarge.
Bar clamps work great for all kinds of temporary holding tasks. The clamps shown here are ideal for working alone because they tighten with one hand, leaving the other hand free to hold up the board. They’re available at home centers and hardware stores and cost about $15 to $25, depending on the length. When you’re soldering pipes, tighten a clamp across two floor joists for temporary support (above photo).Use the same trick to support drainpipes, ducting or framing members while you work on them. These clamps come in handy for all sorts of framing tasks too. For example, you can clamp a board to the bottom of deck joists to support the front joist while you nail it on. Keep a set of clamps handy when you work and you may not even miss having a helper. Use Cleats for Accurate Positioning
Click image to enlarge.
Click image to enlarge.
An old carpenter’s trick is to level
and screw a temporary 2x2 cleat to the wall to support wall cabinets while you
attach them (top
photo). Prestart screws in the cabinet to hit the wall framing and
make sure the drill is within easy reach. Then hold the cabinet against the
wall with one hand while you screw it to the studs with the other (middle
photo).
Click image to enlarge.
A small plywood cleat screwed to the
top of a joist will hold it up while you nail the opposite end (bottom photo).
Plus, it will hold the tops flush while you nail on the joist hanger. Use
scraps of 3/4-in. plywood rather than boards for small cleats. Plywood won’t
split when you drive screws into it.
Advertisement 
