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Very Cheap but very useful clamps


PeteJ

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I am not sure where I got this, but it was off the internet a long time ago and have been using it ever since. A common wooden clothes pin can be a great long jawed clamp with a little modification. Here are some photos on how to do it.

 

Start with a wooden clothes pin and take it apart. Use good quality hard wood pins. They are a bit more expensive but worth it.

 

Closepin%201_zps84ko23vc.jpg

 

Turn the spring around and insert one of the jaws inverted and reversed.

 

Closepin%202_zpsw7tcqvm0.jpg

 

Do the same with the other jaw.

 

Closepin%203_zpsabz0y0gz.jpg

 

This does a couple of things. Because of the change of leverage it reduced the pressure exerted by the jaws (much friendlier with plastic) and give you a really long reach to get to the middle of a piece.

 

You can now trim the jaws so they line up or you can shape them to suit other purposes. These are really handy for holding parts when painting (clip a couple of them together to make a stand). Being wood they are softer than metal and some plastic clamps, and they are really cheap (as little as a penny apiece)

Edited by PeteJ
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I have also come across some deals at Home Depot. DeWalt makes some clamps in 4 1/2 sizes as well. While they are about $5 a piece, Very useful so far!

 

http://www.factoryauthorizedoutlet.com/dewalt-dwht83191-4-35lb-clamping-force-small-trigger-clamp

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  • 1 year later...

Hey Pete J.

GREAT Clamp Trixie.

Recently I bought 2 packs of clothes clamps; large & small thinking I'd use them the regular way to clamp my airplane parts together. Not anymore,I'm

REVERSING THE SPRING.Just the way you posted showing those pics.

THANKS AGAIN PETE.

Your Student schooner

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If you want to make it even better, before you put the spring in, clamp the two "jaws" together back to back and drill a hole the size of the diameter of the coil mid-way between the two. Then put the spring in place and the "jaws" will sit parallel when closed instead of at the angle they do now

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If you want to make it even better, before you put the spring in, clamp the two "jaws" together back to back and drill a hole the size of the diameter of the coil mid-way between the two. Then put the spring in place and the "jaws" will sit parallel when closed instead of at the angle they do now

Great addition Ron! I never thought of that, but the next couple i make will definitely have that addition.

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https://www.snapfish.com/library/share?w=snapfish_us&c=snapfish&l=en_US#c9SPhri7ravCv1JKOdCKlg/AUS/27941075850070/SNAPFISH

 

Hopefully this link will show a pic of another adjustment for the clothes pin. As you can tell by the color of the clothes pin it has seen its share of time in the spray booth, holding parts requiring airbrushing.

Edited by Dick Montgomery
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If you want to make it even better, before you put the spring in, clamp the two "jaws" together back to back and drill a hole the size of the diameter of the coil mid-way between the two. Then put the spring in place and the "jaws" will sit parallel when closed instead of at the angle they do now

Hi Guy

I read what you said and just can't get it pictured in my 76yr. old head.

Is it possible for you to post a picture of your great idea ?

Thank You

Schooner IPMS # 50394

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Look at the picture of the clamp above. You see where the spring 'use" to be in the semi-circles in the halves? Well, take out the spring and the two halves will lay flat together. Then drill the hole centered between the two halves, right where the spring should be. On ehalf of the hole will be in one side of the clamp and the other half will be in the other side. The sping will fit between the two.

That help?

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If you want to make it even better, before you put the spring in, clamp the two "jaws" together back to back and drill a hole the size of the diameter of the coil mid-way between the two. Then put the spring in place and the "jaws" will sit parallel when closed instead of at the angle they do now

I've used reversed clamps like this for several years, and have found that having the sides converge when the clamp is empty is advantageous, as the jaws are more close to parallel when in use. This makes it less likely that jaws will slide off the part being clamped. Plus, if the jaws of the reversed clamp are parallel when closed, there isn't any movement available to open the jaws.

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This tip pre-dates the internet by decades. I have some I made based on probably Testors modeling material from my high school days (78-82). I've placed tape on the inner surfaces to prevent damaging the model itself.

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Check out the hardware stores. Clothespins now come with their tips dipped in a soft vinyl material. This reduces their chance of sliding off plus it protects the surface of the model. One down side is that if you use them to hold items being painted, the tips tend to become sticky after a while.

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