I first heard of the Bowclamp on SawMillCreek (SMC) message board some time back.  The concept is simple … almost too simple.  A piece of wood (hard maple?) is precisely cut in a gentle curve and given a T-slot on the back side.  This piece of wood will replace countless clamps (well, you could count them … assuming you had them!) and allow two (that’s right, two) clamps to do the work of many.  The gentle curve is used face-down on the to-be-clamped surface and secured on the ends with the two clamps.  The pressure is distributed evenly across the caul (Bowclamp).  Got it?

So, why didn’t I make my own?  I guess I could be asked that about everything … and the reason rarely changes.  My time is better spent building furniture for my family, not clamps for my shop, I’d have to use my expensive lumber, it takes time, and I don’t have a way to ID mine with a cool gold marking!  Okay, seriously … all the above.

The cool gold stamp

The T-slot on the backside is to capture the clamp’s tip, making the caul a lot more stable (and less fumbling around with it while you get it in place).  There is also a leather strap attached to make hanging the cauls in the shop easy.

Crook your head.  This is a side view of the LONG caul.

Would I recommend these to a friend?  In a minute, yes.  They not only require less clamps, but they save time (less clamps to tighten) and provide for more even pressure.  Some of the best glue-ups I’ve had to date have been with these cauls in full effect.  Now … if I only had a few more of them!  Maybe my friend will buy me a set!

More information about the BowClamp here

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