How To Make A Snap Clamp (In 7 Easy Steps)

Every homeowner who has a penchant for DIY projects needs to be able to have the right tools at hand. Some of them, like a good saw, a hammer, or nails, can only be bought in a hardware store. Others, like snap claps, can be made at home if you’re crafty enough. A DIY tool is an affordable tool. If your project requires the use of snap clamps on piping, you can save some money by making your own.

Creating your own snap clamps is actually a relatively simple process. You will need a PVC pipe, and then you are going to have to cut a portion of the pipe’s exterior to make a “C” shape. Then, just add some fabric to the edges of the new clamp and snap it over the pipe that it’s affixing the fabric to.

Knowing how to make a snap clamp is an excellent move if you want to make your own greenhouse or if you want to do your own plumbing. This guide will give you the details on everything that you need to know about these simple but useful tools.

Whether making your own snap clamp is cheaper really depends on several different factors. If you are currently building something out from scratch and have extra PVC piping laying around, then making your own snap clamps is going to be the cheaper route by default. On the other hand, if you’re just adding a net onto a long-existing piece of piping and you don’t have extra pipe nearby, then going to the hardware store makes more sense.

Of course, if you tend to do a lot of stuff that involves snap clamps, it also could be a good idea to take time out of your week to make a large batch of them so you won’t have to worry about extra bills later on. So, it’s a good idea to look at the whole picture to figure out your best budgeting move.

If you have a saw, goggles, a marker, and grips, then this project should not cost much at all. In these cases, the only thing you will really need to buy is the PVC pipe that you’re going to turn into a set of snap clamps. This is why making your own clamps is considered to be a “basically free” type of project. However, if you are brand new to DIY projects, then you might have to incur some additional costs to boost your garage.

There may be some materials or tools that you need that you don’t have on hand. But just know that these costs will pay for themselves in the long run as you’ll need these tools for other projects. The investment will be worth your while.

Though rare, there are moments where you may need metal snap clamps for a specific purpose or project. If this is the case, then you will need to buy your own at a store. Though you could risk using PVC plastic, we don’t suggest it simply because it may backfire and cause the project to fail.

This is most commonly associated with projects that work with high-temperature piping, such as clamps that may need to be affixed to a hot water tank. Though PVC does have a somewhat high melting point, it still has its limits. Using PVC piping when you need metal on a high-heat project can cause melting, which in turn will cause the project to fail.

Snap clamps are one of those tools that come in handy with a select number of projects—particularly those that have to do with plumbing or PVC furnishings. They also can be pricey at the store, which is why it’s a good idea to make your own if you can. Thankfully, it’s an easy project that can be done in under half an hour in most cases.

As long as you have a measuring tape, a vice grip, a rotary saw, and a little sanding paper, you should be able to make your own snap clamps with ease. Once you’ve made enough for your current project, we strongly suggest making a couple of extra just in case. After all, they’re remarkably useful and are reasonably easy to store.