Jigsaw clamp

[H F]

What kind of clamp should I be using when using a jigsaw? 
 

 

[joe90]

Depends what you are cutting, where you are cutting it?

[H F]

I’ll be cutting on a work bench. Rounded edges.

[joe90]

If the workpiece is large enough to hold, simply hand held would be ok but if your not confident then any kind of clamp that secures the piece and stops it moving about will be suffice I use these https://www.screwfix.com/p/irwin-quick-grip-6-mini-one-handed-bar-clamp/29139

[Jeremy Harris]

Another vote for the Irwin Quick Grip clamps.  Really useful if you were born with only two arms, as they can be used with one hand, leaving the other free to hold whatever it is you're clamping in place.

[Onoff]

Real important to clamp if you're cutting thin sheet metal which can bang and clatter like a bast@rd if you don't. Another vote for Irwin clamps.

[PeterW]

Got a few of these, Including  one of the big spreader ones. Wouldn’t be without them, especially when fitting stuff like kitchen cabinets. 

[Onoff]

My original type. All metal & still using them. Have like a silicone gun construction:

 

 

 

Lidls often have these in, cheap and sometimes quite long lengths. I've half a dozen for multiple clamp jobs:

 

 

Avoid this type, they just break. Squeeze too hard and the mechanism goes "bang":

 

[PeterW]

24 minutes ago, Onoff said:

Avoid this type, they just break. Squeeze too hard and the mechanism goes "bang":

don’t agree, sorry !! My Irwin ones are 15 plus years old and still going. 

[Onoff]

11 minutes ago, PeterW said:

don’t agree, sorry !! My Irwin ones are 15 plus years old and still going. 

 

 

See my post above. Irwins are great, its the cheapo copies that go bang on me. The ones I pictured were Lidl Powerfix I'm sure. Same concept as the Irwins but I guess plastic insides. I'll dig the broken ones out and post a pic. 

[PeterW]

Ahhh ok ..! 

[Onoff]

I've a selection of this type collected over the years, varying in size and quality. Can't tbh remember the last time I used them! 

 

 

 

[joe90]

Ha, I have all the above types (but not the “go bang” Lidle types) in my workshop ?

[H F]

6 hours ago, joe90 said:

If the workpiece is large enough to hold, simply hand held would be ok but if your not confident then any kind of clamp that secures the piece and stops it moving about will be suffice

As my diy skills continue to improve, I would like to retain all my digits for a few more years to come, so clamping is a good option. 
 

looks like the Irwin you suggested is a winner - thank you.

 

Also, what is the consensus in G clamps?

[Onoff]

Just a few of mine put to good use when I foam filled a upvc cill. It prevented the cill distorting at all.

 

 

 

I like the screw handle, G clamp type as you can set them to just lightly "touch" the sides of the pieces you're clamping without squeezing in any way but still preventing movement. The orange "silicone gun" type, along with the Irwin esque types I suspect apply a constant force until released.

[SteamyTea]

1 hour ago, Onoff said:

Avoid this type, they just break. Squeeze too hard and the mechanism goes "bang":

 

I got sent 4 cheap ones when I bought 2 decent C-Clamps.

I fond them useful to hold things lightly in place while I get the decent clamps, or cramps, on properly.

Not a woodworking G-Clamp, but a metal working one, I like the Record ones.  They seem indestructible, no matter how hard you screw them up.

Not like my cheap wood working ones, some have twisted, and the swivel foot has fallen off.  I use them to clamp my large ladder to the brackets I screwed onto my neighbour's fence posts.  Makes a nice 'shelf' for the pot plants.

Edited October 17, 2019 by SteamyTea

[Gone West]

11 hours ago, Home Farm said:

As my diy skills continue to improve, I would like to retain all my digits for a few more years to come, so clamping is a good option. 
 

looks like the Irwin you suggested is a winner - thank you.

 

Also, what is the consensus in G clamps?

I have a range of one handed clamps from 50mm up to 300mm which are very useful but I still use G clamps for some jobs.

 

[joe90]

@Home Farm g cramps (in my opinion) are more useful for metal work, down side is they can take ages to screw up whereas quick clamps are far quicker and one handed.

[Barney12]

11 hours ago, Home Farm said:

As my diy skills continue to improve, I would like to retain all my digits for a few more years to come, so clamping is a good option. 

Very wise. My most recent “weekend warrior*” injury was to sink a jig saw blade right into the top of the front of my finger THROUGH the nail and nail bed. It seriously fecking hurt!
 

On the plus side because I cut through the nail bed the nail has grown back with a rather funky permanent valley in the middle of the nail. ?

Yes, I know never have your hand in front of a blade or saw. I know all the rules, I just ignore them too often ?

 

*weekend warrior is the nickname given by the nurses at my local minor injury unit for tw*ts like me. ?

[Onoff]

Of a pair of these, one went bang pretty soon after purchase. The other, seen here, continues to function:

 

 

I've been using it to hold formwork together doing the brick pillars.

 

I've kept the broken ones under the illusion (delusion?) I'll take them apart one day in case it's a simple fix! ?

 

Tbf most have screws to disassemble rather than being riveted. 

 

This one, the front, then part of the handle/pistol grip broke off in use:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SteamyTea]

3 hours ago, Barney12 said:

*weekend warrior is the nickname given by the nurses at my local minor injury unit for tw*ts like me.

Had to get my 85 year old Aunt off to the hospital last saturday.  She was enjoying a football match too much.  Broke her leg.

No need for a jigsaw or clamp, more a hammer and wire to get the old hip replacement out and fix a new one in.

Made for an odd weekend in Stoke Mandeville hospital (again, again, again).  On a positive note, no trace of Jimmy Savile anymore.

Edited October 18, 2019 by SteamyTea

[H F]

Jesus Barney, that sounds awful. Definitely want to avoid any damage like that.

[joe90]

If we are playing top trumps on wounds I have photo,s of when I nearly lost my thumb using an angle grinder with wood carving blade, all mended but after cutting two tendons I have limited use of it now.

[Construction Channel]

8 hours ago, Barney12 said:

Very wise. My most recent “weekend warrior*” injury was to sink a jig saw blade right into the top of the front of my finger THROUGH the nail and nail bed. It seriously fecking hurt!
 

On the plus side because I cut through the nail bed the nail has grown back with a rather funky permanent valley in the middle of the nail. ?

Yes, I know never have your hand in front of a blade or saw. I know all the rules, I just ignore them too often ?

 

*weekend warrior is the nickname given by the nurses at my local minor injury unit for tw*ts like me. ?

Just before it happened. Did you think

"I bet that's going to slip and go through my finger" but carried on regardless... 

[ProDave]

8 hours ago, Barney12 said:

Very wise. My most recent “weekend warrior*” injury was to sink a jig saw blade right into the top of the front of my finger THROUGH the nail and nail bed. It seriously fecking hurt!
 

On the plus side because I cut through the nail bed the nail has grown back with a rather funky permanent valley in the middle of the nail. ?

Yes, I know never have your hand in front of a blade or saw. I know all the rules, I just ignore them too often ?

 

*weekend warrior is the nickname given by the nurses at my local minor injury unit for tw*ts like me. ?

This forum does like photo's you know.  

 

My worst "nail" injury was years ago on a Sunday when I hit my thumb with a hammer.  It throbbed all night and by Monday morning it had a nice blood blister under the nail.

 

First thing Monday off to the medical centre at work.  The nice nurse used a paper clip heated over a flame to puncture the nail and let the blood out.  Short term pain while she did what she had to followed by relief as it instantly stopped throbbing.

 

The benefits of working somewhere with a decent medical facility. Beats queuing at A&E