My most frequent want when making a repair or attempting a construction project is “another hand.” While I wait for the bionic add-on, there is one simple way to make do: a clamp.
While I don’t build much furniture or attempt fine carpentry, I do find that a good hand clamp is extremely useful in a lot of situations. There are many varieties and special-task versions, but I like these little Quick-Grip Mini Bar Clamps.
They’re very easy to use, especially when you only have one hand free. You squeeze to tighten and can pull a trigger to release. They’re great to use to stabilize something that you’re cutting. They’re downright essential when gluing. I have a larger version that has saved my butt in numerous, “another hand, please,” situations.
I’d recommend putting at least one of these in your toolbox, but two or three might come in handy. I can almost guarantee that if you have fewer than three that you’ll be cursing your frugality in the middle of your next project.
Quick-Grip Mini Bar Clamp (Amazon Link).
The Stock Your Toolbox: Mini Hand Clamps by Randy Murray, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.