Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm getting ready to buy a bunch of clamps. That includes probably a plethora of bar clamps(the ones shaped like an 'F'). I'm debating if I should also buy the clamp pads because I'm already going to be using a lot of cauls. Has anyone tried the pads? Are they useless? Overkill if using cauls?
-John

Pads only work for square work. Cauls adjust the clamp to the shape of that being clamped. So in other words a pad will apply even pressure to flat surfaces only. You'll need the cauls most of the time and the pads will then only be protecting the cauls. My 2 cents.