Drawer-Slip Cramps
After I used drawer-slips for the first time, I went out to do a little more research. Robert Wearing, in "The Essential Woodworker, talked of drawers slips and offered up some great drawings...in the Appendix he provided a drawing of how to make clamps to apply pressure to drawer-slips. Wearing refered to them as cramps.
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I looked around and Walke Moore Tools made and sold a version of these cramps...but they were sold out and are not currently available. |
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They did, however, sell a hardware kit for these cramps...I bought a set to make my own cramps...in the larger (6 inch), traditional version. |
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The longer (4.75 inches) 5/16-18 threaded rod forms the opening jaw end...this rod gets a washer and the eared nut on the outer most, front end of the top jaw. The shorter (4.25 inches) threaded rod forms the butt jaw end...this rod gets a washer and the nut on the innermost, butt end of the upper, slider jaw. |
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Here is a comparison of the different Walke Moore models...on the left are the traditional style in both the 4 inch and the 6 inch models. They will not totally close due to the nut. On the right are the 4 and 6 inch counterbore models which will totally close. |
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My Sketchup model...I am planning to make the traditional style cramps...one in the 4 inch model and one in the 6 inch model.
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Each cramp is comprised of two jaws...the top (or sliding) jaw, a four inch model, is shown dimensioned here... |
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...the holes in the top jaw are drilled through the jaw...3/8 inch diameter. The jaw hole is 2 1/4 inch from the butt end in the 4 inch model...2 3/4 inch from the butt end in the 6 inch model.
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A bottom (or fixed) jaws is shown here...the holes are drilled at 1/4", they are stopped 1/8" before going through...then the holes are reamed with a 5/16-18 tap to accept the threaded rods. |
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Recommended: "Any dense hardwood and it should be quartersawn stock." I pulled a couple of 4/4 white oak boards from the attic...quartersawn with flakes on the surface... |
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...plus pretty good vertical end grain. |
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Made a graph paper model... |
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...then created a 1/4 inch thick MDF template. |
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Milled the oak to 3/4 inch thickness...jointed and planed...ripped to 1 1/2 inches and chopped... |
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...then arc was marked out and cut at the bandsaw... |
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Oak blanks... |
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On the lower jaws, I drilled 1/4 inch holes...stopped at 5/8 inch deep...leaving 1/8 inch thickness. |
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Then tapped the holes to 5/16-18... |
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Drilled 3/8 through holes in the top, sliding jaws. These holes are oversized and allow the upper slider jaw alot of room for the 5/16 rods. |
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Double nuts on 5/16 threaded rod...the lockout allows a wrench to screw them into the jaws. |
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Prepped to put a nut, + washer + lower jaw onto the shorter threaded rod at the back. |
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Placed washers and nuts in appropriate locations...and it becomes a working cramp... |
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Both models completed...4 and 6 |
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Should be a great flexible, utile small cramp....you can never have too many cramps... |
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...shown clamping a drawer-slip. |
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Rubbed on a couple of coats of shop mixed wiping varnish... |
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Liked these so much that I bought a second set of hardware...this time I secured the 4" kit hardware from TFWW. |
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Switched out the hardware..putting the shorter threaded rods on the 4 inch model.
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I now have a pair of the 4" and a pair of the 6". |