Models of Wooden Clamps

There are three series widely used by wooden clamp makers, to distinguish models.

Early clamps are distinguished by size , or length of the jaws.
Later clamps are numbered No 0 to No 16 ; the significance of each number varied from maker to maker.
Those marked 800 through 816 tend to be the most recently made; these seem to be (nearly) standardized, with a uniform significance, regardless of maker.
There were also proprietary (often quirky) series, such as that used by Sandusky, which ran from 216 1/4 to 224 1/2.

I can offer no explanation for this diversity of practice.

Models of Known Makers, Dealers, and Users, in alphabetical order (roughly)
Inchers	No	8xx	Proprietary
Aldrich
R. Bliss R. Bliss & Co.	R. Bliss & Co. Bliss Mfg Co.	Bliss Mfg Co. ONeil
Craftsman
Denney
Dodge
Gothauer
Grand Rapids	Grand Rapids	Grand Rapids
			Greenfield Tool Co.
	Hood, Hood and Rice
Limbert
		Narragansett
		Oliver
Rayles
Sandusky		Sandusky	Sandusky
Sargent
Stanley
Webster & Butterfield

Inch Models

One common series is 7, 8 1/2, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 inch long jaws. Bliss used this (personal measurements), and Stanley used 7, 8 1/2, 10, 14, 16, 18, 20 (Antique and Collectible Stanley Tools, written by John Walter, and published by The Tool Merchant of Akron Ohio, 1990).

Note that in 1993, Stanley made a commemorative 12 inch clamp

reminiscent of clamps offered by Stanley between 1864 and the mid-1880s.

In fact, it has a different shape to the jaws and spindles, and the jaws are laminated of contrasting woods - nothing like the originals.

Another common series is 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 inch long jaws.

I have no explanation, so far, about the irregularities in the first series.

Other collectors have reported 21 inch long clamps. It seems odd to have a 21 incher, when the usual spacing is 2 inches. The larger sizes are not common. I have not seen anything longer than 24 inches. (If any one has such large clamps, please send me the dimensions, the maker's marks, and any other identification. Thanks.)

No Models

Usually, the smaller the number, the longer the jaw. However, each company felt free to assign numbers without regard to the practices of other companies. There are apparently no standards for the size that goes with a particular number.

Tables of dimensions:

Grand Rapids Hand Screw Co, jaws and screws , comparison of 800 and proprietary number models

8xx Models

The smaller the number, the longer the jaw. There is some agreement for the size that goes with a particular number, but it is not universal.

Occasionally, the number 8xx is preceded by a No, but this is uncommon. It could be an error in the factory.

Models of Composite Clamps

There are no series commonly used by composite clamp makers, to distinguish models. A maker, such as Adjustable Clamp, may use two distinct series of numbers for two varieties of one brand, such as Jorgensen.

Some makers seem to have no model marks on their composite clamps; the numbers exist solely in catalogs for ordering purposes.

Under these circumstances, I can only order the links by brand names.

Other Pages

This major section provides further information about makers, dealers, and users. The subsections are

History, discussing company and personal histories;
Models, providing details about the known models of clamps;
Patents, describing patents used, especially for composite clamps;
Graphics, presenting graphics such as illustrations of factories, ads, labels, and the like;
States, grouping makers, dealers, and users by state.
Foreign, grouping makers, dealers, and user outside the USA.

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