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Thread: Vintage clamps.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
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    Default Vintage clamps.

    Can never have enough clamps... I also like putting them back into action.
    Picked up these two a while back..the F-clamp is an Aussie made Gyrex... has been a bit abused in its time, and looks like the screw and nut have been replaced..done a good job,although the handle is a bit puny.
    The other is a fabricated type.. the frame is made from two pressed sides that that have been welded around the perimeter...it too has been subjected to stress beyond its capabilities and is twisted.
    Hoping that someone has either of these clamps ..as i would like to copy the pad dimensions.
    Ken.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    Mackay North Qld
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    Good on you Ken for refurbing the old tools.

    So many these days would look at them and say they are old and rusty.
    Neither, are suitable reasons for consigning potentially longer lasting and useful tools to the scrap heap.

    Grahame

  3. #3
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    I've also got a big old clamp missing a screw end pad. I've scratched my head about how to replace it, but just end up putting a block of wood under it when I use it. How do you go about fabricating an new pad?
    Cheers, Franklin

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
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    Hi Guys,

    Usually the pad is a turned item, no wider than the foot it bears against. When a pad has fallen off mine, I just put it back on and give the rim of the hole a clout with a flat ended punch and hammer. That usually works until it falls off again.
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    moonbi nsw Aus
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    I have a couple of old clamps that I picked doing the "traps". There was no sign of the pads so I would need to start from scratch. A nice little drawing would be nice to make new ones
    Just do it!

    Kind regards Rod

  6. #6
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    Hi Rod,

    Just get a bit of round bar with a diameter about the same as the width of the narrowest part of the foot. Drill a hole in the end using the lathe, the same diameter as the ball on the end of the threaded screw and a couple of mm deeper. The ball needs to go into the hole without being sloppy. Turn down the end until you have a wall thickness of 2 or 3 mm, roughly level with the bottom of the hole, Part off at about twice the ball diameter.

    That should give you a "T" shaped pad that will fit on the ball end. Just deform the lip of the hole to retain the pad on the ball end.

    I can do a sketch but the dimensions will depend upon what you have there.

    Its all a simple turning job and shouldn't take very long at all to do.
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  7. #7
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    I will have to give that a go. I plan to be at the lathe today making a "wobbly" shaft for a steady rest on my wood lathe.
    Just do it!

    Kind regards Rod

  8. #8
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    I have made, maybe a dozen of these to suit various clamps.

    For many of them, I used round bar 20 -25mm( whatever matches or is close to the fixed pad) diameter. As BaronJ says

    Chuck in lathe

    Drill hole a smidgen larger than your ball diameter.(Your drill set determines this-1/2mm+ for my metric set)

    With the lathe, shape the profile something like the sketch,

    Fit over the ball and screw up snug.

    Gently peen the thin wall section over to just trap the ball in the hole. The clearance hole and extra depth allow the ball foot to move around prior to clamping up.

    Please excuse my rough sketch but with arthritis, it is hard to hold a pen.

    Grahame

    Ball foot pad shetch.jpg

  9. #9
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    Now to work out how a Woodie goes about this.

    Cheers,
    Franklin
    Cheers, Franklin

  10. #10
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    hi Fuzzie
    A woody solution is even quicker and easier than the one above.

    Firstly source a couple of mudguard washers or a single thick one with the OD of your wooden pad and of the ID smaller than the OD of the ball on the clamp.

    Cut a slot in the washer/s a just a fraction wider than the necked down section of the ball. Drill 3 holes 120 degrees part for hold down screws.

    Using the hole saw drill a plug from a thick section of ply. Drill a hole in centre slightly in excess of the ball diameter and a touch deeper to allow the ball to move in the holes. Leave some "meat" under the ball, say at least 6mm +.

    Place ball in the hole in the ply, slip on washer/s and screw up with 3 wood screws.
    If you are like me it will take longer to find the components than to do the job.

    Grahame

  11. #11
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    Thanks Grahame, I'll give that a go!

    Cheers, Franklin
    Cheers, Franklin

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    melbourne
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    i love restoring old tools, lots of old clamps i have picked up have been missing the pad (easy to turn make up a new one) and the ball on the end of the threaded rod has been snapped off missing.
    even with the ball missing i have had good results using the mig welder to carefully build up a lump of metal again on the end of the threaded rod and then hand grinding the ball shape again on the bench grinder linisher .
    doing this i have saved many old clamps and when a new pad is pressed on the ball the clamps as good as new, and to look at would never know

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
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    Melbourne
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    Sort of on topic, but what is best used for replacement handles. Have a few bent ones where someone has used some leverage on. Would need to be something hard so it won't bend easily.

  14. #14
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    If you have to buy material, I would just use some mild steel or perhaps some 1045 if you can access it in a suitable size. It is hard to justify chasing something like 4140 or other more exotic alloys, but if you can scrounge some old shock absorbers you may get something of good strength for nothing. With mild steel, you can always go a thicker size for strength, and to may get user hand comfort as a bonus, with old shockers or ride struts, you get an excellent chrome job as your bonus. Just my thoughts anyway,
    Rob

  15. #15
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    Hi Guys,

    If you have to apply enough force to bend the "T" bar you need a bigger clamp !
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

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