Top Page > Clamps as Products > Makers of Wooden Clamps (WC) > Grand Rapids Hand Screw Co


In general, measurements are taken from examples in the collection of the editor, or from dated catalogs. If you can supply data for missing models, please help me out. Thank you.

Maker: Grand Rapids Hand Screw Co

Hand Screws, Prices and Models

In 1891, the models were identified by 1, 1 1/2, 2, 3, and so on to 14, with jaws ranging from 9 inches to 26 inches. The price, per dozen, ranged from $2.25 to $10.50, with a single jaw or spindle at one-fourth the price of a complete Hand Screw. Discounts were available.  

Note that Grand Rapids No series assigns big numbers to long jaws, contrary to the usual practice. Perhaps, I should count this as a proprietary numbering scheme.

In 1914, the models were identified as 800, 801, and so on to 816, with jaws ranging from 28 inches to 4 inches. The price, per dozen, ranged from $40 to $7, with a single jaw or spindle now at one-third the price of a complete Hand Screw. (A dozen 800s weighed 195 pounds, packed for shipment!)

I do not know when the switch over took place between theses dates.

The tables have been merged to compare the two series. The correspondence is not exact. Grand Rapids Handscrew did not just assign new numbers to old models, but rather redesigned the series. What was the basis for the changes?

8xx and No Dimensions

(*) marks confirmed by personal measurements.
Grand Rapids 8xx and No Dimensions
8xx Jaw
Length
WxD
Size
Spindle
Diameter
Spindle
Length
No Jaw
Length
WxD
Size
Spindle
Diameter
Spindle
Length
N/A 14 24 2 3/4 x 3 1 1/4 26
800 24 3 x 3 1 1/4 28 13 24 2 3/4 x 3 1 1/4 24
801 22 2 3/4 x 2 3/4 1 1/4 26
802 20 2 5/8 x 2 5/8 1 1/4 24
802 20 2 5/8 x 2 5/8 1 1/4 24 12 20 2 1/2 x 2 3/4 1 1/4 24
803 20 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 1 1/4 22 11 20 2 1/2 x 2 3/4 1 1/4 22
804 18 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 1 1/8 22 10 18 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 1 1/8 22
805 (*) 18 2 3/8 x 2 3/8 1 1/8 20 9 18 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 1 1/8 20
806 16 2 3/8 x 2 3/8 1 20 8 16 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 1 1/8 20
807 (*) 16 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 1 18 7 16 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 1 1/8 18
808 14 2 1/8 x 2 1/8 7/8 18 6 14 2 x 2 7/8 18
809 14 2 x 2 7/8 16 5 14 2 x 2 7/8 16
810 12 1 7/8 x 1 7/8 7/8 16 4 12 1 7/8 x 1 7/8 7/8 16
811 12 1 3/4 x 1 3/4 3/4 14 3 12 1 7/8 x 1 7/8 7/8 14
812 10 1 5/8 x 1 5/8 3/4 12 2 10 1 5/8 x 1 5/8 3/4 13
813 8 1 3/8 x 1 3/8 3/4 10 1 1/2
814 7 1 1/8 x 1 1/8 5/8 8 1 7 1 1/8 x 1 1/4 1/2 9
815 5 1 x 1 1/2 6 N/A
816 4 7/8 x 7/8 3/8 5 N/A

Dimensions of Incher Series

I have some Grand Rapids which bear no model numbers! 'Tis a puzzle! There is more to life than is listed in the catalogs. Measurements taken from the collection, except as noted.

Spindle
Diameter
Spindle
Length
Jaw Length Jaw Size
25 24 2 1/2 x 3 1/4
3/4 15 1/8 14
Note 1
2 x 1 15/16
14 12 1 7/8 x 1 7/8

Notes
1 Steve Piekarczyk (fspic@earthlink.net) was kind enough to share the dimensions of the 14 incher.


composite Clamps

The catalog of 1914 has 6 composite clamps of the Reno design. These are designated 904 through 913. I'm still trying to decipher the image to get all the dimensions

Model Spindle
Diameter
Spindle
Length
Jaw Length Jaw Size
904 22 18
906 20 16
910 16 12
912 12 10
913 10 08

last revised and validated

Copyright © 1996- Wooden Clamp Journal