You skipped the fun part--spreading the glue and getting those boards into the clamps in a timely fashion and without making a huge mess. That's the part I'd really like to see.
More joints have failed from excess glue than have ever failed from too little. "Huge mess" sounds like you might be using too much glue. As I mentioned to Doug, sliding the boards in from the end seems easier to me than opening the clamps up.
I like mine a lot, I only wish the bars were coated with something that made it easier to get dried glue off. I've tried waxed paper, painters, tape, etc. All work but are cumbersome.
'I only have a 6" inch jointer', pulls 4 clamps ($600) off of a wall worth thousands. Huge fan/customer of the Woodpeckers, just caught me as funny :) If I had the budget, my workshop would be very red.
Can’t imagine having 649.99 (2022 website price) in these clamps and still using a mallet to flush up the seams of my panel when these clamps are supposed to to that on their own. Hmmm I like some of these “red” tools, mainly squares and I have a couple, but the prices on some of your products are outrageous. I don’t mean to rant, I like where you guys are at in terms of bringing interesting ideas into woodworking and fixing problems and whatnot. Sometimes I just have to scratch my head.
Something people are not noticing about 4-way clamps. The boards do not need to be the exact same thickness. The underside is all pushed flush. Make that the good side. Slight thickness variations allows access for shims or thin wedges under the top bar across the panel field and put downward pressure for any fine alignment adjustments in the field of the panel. Flatten the 'bad' side with a belt sander to the 'best' as needed.
I use the tablesaw rather than jointer for the final edging. But I do that same alternation of edges in case in saw blade is not exactly 90 degree. Same idea, different method.
As a mechanical engineer, these clamps never seem to make sense. If you use extreme cases, there are problems with this concept. Case 1, is where the boards are paper thin. All the load would be horizontal into the edge of the paper thin board and the vertical clamping forces would be 0 pounds. Case 2, is where the boards are at the maximum throat thickness of the clamps and the links are almost vertical. In this case, the force would be almost completely vertical, but it would end up crushing the outside edges of the glue up. This is because the cross section of the bar isn't strong enough to prevent the bowing action from this edge point load. This is effectively trying create a frown in the bar and trying to lift the bar off the center board of the glue up. I say that a regular set of bar type clamps and pushing / hammering the center, as you start clamping is sufficient. If the clamps were to adequately apply forces vertically on the center board, why does he have to hammer the center joint? Because the clamps aren't doing anything for you vertically as explained in Case 1 above. A good joint takes very little pressure to hold the joints in alignment. That's because there is enough friction from the glue. Once you have the center of the joints aligned, you can always add clamps on the ends of each board's joint if necessary and then tighten the bar clamps at the ends. So I challenge Woodpecker to show us a FBD (free-body diagram) of the forces applied with this clamp in different cases. Or shows us the actual forces applied in the center with Kodak / Fuji pressure film. Until then, I'll save my money for some other Woodpecker product that will actually be worth it.
"The glue has been already spread". If it were me doing the panel, you would NOT HAVE HAD to tell the audience THAT. They would have seen glue every place- my face, arms, pants, floor, oozing and dripping everywhere.
The website images are confusing - it looks like some of them are from the earlier version - look at the 50 inch parts - in some of the images, the bar is larger.
In a class I teach I have a need to make up a glue up blank about 18 x 12 x 1 1/2 Inches. Will these pull this quantity of 6 pcs completely square and hold for glue to hold?
The video showed a lot of simplistic detail on edge jointing and then it cut to tightening the Clampzillas. It skipped the secret problem of the product! Clampzillas are very clunky and difficult to set up. Adjusting the clamping width and managing the alignment of the clamping pads is unnecessarily complicated and difficult. The set up must be done before applying the glue to the boards as you might not get it done if the glue is already on. Once set up, they work fine. I have sets of both the short ones and the long ones, but they are not a nice tool to use.
you ;needed to show us how these bar clamps got around those pieces of wood with all the glue on them. Why did you skip that? You took the time to show us how you did everything else, but did not include the best part of the deal, or deal breaker??????
Too bad they never have any in stock.... give us your money first then when we decide we have enough interest we will make some to deliver to you some time in the future. I never deal with business like this
Maybe because I bought them early in the Plandemic but I was able to get the Clampzilla and Clampzilla Jrs in pretty short order. That said, I ordered a Nova Voyager DVR drill press Feb 2021 and was told at the time that I wouldn't be able to receive it before Dec. 2021...no worries...still working on my shop and the drill press would make a nice Christmas present, plus, I locked in on a lower price and free shipping. I got an email right before Christmas saying that I was 509 on the waitlist and should receive my drill press April 2022...14 months after ordering it.
We never charge your card until your order is ready to ship. PayPal charges you at the time of order, but with a normal credit card transaction, you're never charged until your order is on the shipping dock.
I would like to see how "flat" that panel is once it comes out of the CLAMPZILLA.
Thanks Jeff. Very educational, especially the part about running the boards through the jointer while alternating the faces against the fence.
Should show the glue application
Great tip about the jointer! That is a first for me!
being a deep dive it would be nice to see the actual setup of the clamps
Thinking exactly the same do they open up like on a clamp carousel or slide on. Slide on would be an issue for me
Place a 1/2" or 1" sacrificial board under the clamp arms to use up that needed thickness... ?
thanks for the video. if you ever do a follow up could you add a section on how to use them with thinner
stock. Thanks in advance.
Excellent Video - Just received my clamps today. Can't wait to use them.
Thanks Jeff
Great info: thanks for Sharing love your show.
You skipped the fun part--spreading the glue and getting those boards into the clamps in a timely fashion and without making a huge mess. That's the part I'd really like to see.
More joints have failed from excess glue than have ever failed from too little. "Huge mess" sounds like you might be using too much glue. As I mentioned to Doug, sliding the boards in from the end seems easier to me than opening the clamps up.
@@WoodpeckersLLC Good point. Thanks for the reply.
I like mine a lot, I only wish the bars were coated with something that made it easier to get dried glue off. I've tried waxed paper, painters, tape, etc. All work but are cumbersome.
I had some similar clamps at one and I didn’t have enough hands or time to ever put together an acceptable joint. Those clamps are in a landfill.
@@n8wrl i apply a past wax to mine and they clean up great
'I only have a 6" inch jointer', pulls 4 clamps ($600) off of a wall worth thousands. Huge fan/customer of the Woodpeckers, just caught me as funny :) If I had the budget, my workshop would be very red.
Yeah, but if I had an 8" jointer, I'd want a 12" and if I had a 12", I'd want a 16...so I just live with my 70 year old Craftsman 6".
@@WoodpeckersLLC I just wish I knew why a 15" jointer costs 2x what a 15" planer costs!!
aircraft carrier's worth of cast iron.
Can’t imagine having 649.99 (2022 website price) in these clamps and still using a mallet to flush up the seams of my panel when these clamps are supposed to to that on their own.
Hmmm
I like some of these “red” tools, mainly squares and I have a couple, but the prices on some of your products are outrageous.
I don’t mean to rant, I like where you guys are at in terms of bringing interesting ideas into woodworking and fixing problems and whatnot. Sometimes I just have to scratch my head.
Something people are not noticing about 4-way clamps. The boards do not need to be the exact same thickness. The underside is all pushed flush. Make that the good side. Slight thickness variations allows access for shims or thin wedges under the top bar across the panel field and put downward pressure for any fine alignment adjustments in the field of the panel. Flatten the 'bad' side with a belt sander to the 'best' as needed.
I use the tablesaw rather than jointer for the final edging. But I do that same alternation of edges in case in saw blade is not exactly 90 degree. Same idea, different method.
You almost have me tho' I agree with several commenters below. I would like to see the glue up and placing the clamps before I press the buy button.
what is the thickest stock you can comfortably & successfully clamp with these clampzilla?
4"
As a mechanical engineer, these clamps never seem to make sense. If you use extreme cases, there are problems with this concept.
Case 1, is where the boards are paper thin. All the load would be horizontal into the edge of the paper thin board and the vertical clamping forces would be 0 pounds.
Case 2, is where the boards are at the maximum throat thickness of the clamps and the links are almost vertical. In this case, the force would be almost completely vertical, but it would end up crushing the outside edges of the glue up. This is because the cross section of the bar isn't strong enough to prevent the bowing action from this edge point load. This is effectively trying create a frown in the bar and trying to lift the bar off the center board of the glue up.
I say that a regular set of bar type clamps and pushing / hammering the center, as you start clamping is sufficient. If the clamps were to adequately apply forces vertically on the center board, why does he have to hammer the center joint? Because the clamps aren't doing anything for you vertically as explained in Case 1 above.
A good joint takes very little pressure to hold the joints in alignment. That's because there is enough friction from the glue. Once you have the center of the joints aligned, you can always add clamps on the ends of each board's joint if necessary and then tighten the bar clamps at the ends.
So I challenge Woodpecker to show us a FBD (free-body diagram) of the forces applied with this clamp in different cases. Or shows us the actual forces applied in the center with Kodak / Fuji pressure film. Until then, I'll save my money for some other Woodpecker product that will actually be worth it.
Is there an instruction video on how to use the ClampZILLA ie: opening up the clamp to install your work
I've found the easiest approach is to slide the sections in from the end, rather that opening the clamp.
@@WoodpeckersLLC I was opening up the clamp completely , putting my work in , then trying to clamp it down , it wasn't working too well Thanks
Cool
Why didn’t u show how the glue was applied????
"The glue has been already spread". If it were me doing the panel, you would NOT HAVE HAD to tell the audience THAT.
They would have seen glue every place- my face, arms, pants, floor, oozing and dripping everywhere.
The website images are confusing - it looks like some of them are from the earlier version - look at the 50 inch parts - in some of the images, the bar is larger.
The 52" long bars are larger. 1 x 2 instead of 1 x 1.
Good catch. You're right the ID shot on the 50 inch bars is actually the 38" bars. Being fixed right now.
@@WoodpeckersLLC yes - the number of holes gives it away . . .
hello from Mexico City
Hola!
In a class I teach I have a need to make up a glue up blank about 18 x 12 x 1 1/2 Inches. Will these pull this quantity of 6 pcs completely square and hold for glue to hold?
If the stock is reasonably straight and flat, yes. They're good clamps, but they are not a substitute for proper stock preparation.
The video showed a lot of simplistic detail on edge jointing and then it cut to tightening the Clampzillas. It skipped the secret problem of the product! Clampzillas are very clunky and difficult to set up. Adjusting the clamping width and managing the alignment of the clamping pads is unnecessarily complicated and difficult. The set up must be done before applying the glue to the boards as you might not get it done if the glue is already on. Once set up, they work fine. I have sets of both the short ones and the long ones, but they are not a nice tool to use.
This one didn't really feel like a deep dive. How they get used, setup, care (getting / keeping glue off), would be great.
Are these clamps coated with something to let the glue peel off easily?
They're powder-coated. Most glues peel off easily.
@@WoodpeckersLLC Great thanks.
i also used paste wax on mine and it works great
$750 for 4 clamps, no, no, no, that is a lot of beer money. Forget it!
you ;needed to show us how these bar clamps got around those pieces of wood with all the glue on them. Why did you skip that? You took the time to show us how you did everything else, but did not include the best part of the deal, or deal breaker??????
As mentioned in several replies, spread the glue, slide in between the bars from the end.
They're not red? :-)
You never showed how to use it 👎🏻 how do they go on
$700 is absurd
Too bad they never have any in stock.... give us your money first then when we decide we have enough interest we will make some to deliver to you some time in the future. I never deal with business like this
Maybe because I bought them early in the Plandemic but I was able to get the Clampzilla and Clampzilla Jrs in pretty short order. That said, I ordered a Nova Voyager DVR drill press Feb 2021 and was told at the time that I wouldn't be able to receive it before Dec. 2021...no worries...still working on my shop and the drill press would make a nice Christmas present, plus, I locked in on a lower price and free shipping. I got an email right before Christmas saying that I was 509 on the waitlist and should receive my drill press April 2022...14 months after ordering it.
We never charge your card until your order is ready to ship. PayPal charges you at the time of order, but with a normal credit card transaction, you're never charged until your order is on the shipping dock.
From my dealings with Woodpecker, they only charge when item is shipped!