[TheForge] Clamps .. was Warped!

[Mike Linn]

I've found these bar clamps are very good for such things

http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/uniclamps.htm

I have several of their 48" clamps and find them much more solid and true 
than others.

For quickie clamps I like the Vise Grip Copper Jaw
http://www.irwin.com/irwin/consumer/jhtml/productDetail.jhtml?currentType=BM1000005&search=false&attributeId=IRWNUP000020

It looks like this one but it has copper pivot jaws. I dont know if they 
still make it but if you can get your hands on them they are fantastic.

mike



At 04:49 PM 2/18/2005, you wrote:
>Thanks for the replies on the warping problem.
>
>I will need to buy more clamps, and one with longer depths.  I know I didn't
>do enough clamping.  I was welding in sections rather than having all 4
>pieces fitted and laid out together.
>
>The rectangle I was referring to was about 10"w x 19"h, made out of 3/4x3/8"
>strap on the verticals and 1-1/4 x 3/8" strap on the horizontals, with the
>widest part of the strap laying flat.  They were reasonably straight after I
>welded the frame, but then warped after I welded in a tree trunk of 14g
>sheet steel, mostly bending right above where the tree trunk ended, about
>3-4 inches up the vertical.  The verticals were doing most of the warping,
>bulging out like a beer belly.
>
>I did two other rectangular frames with a decorative geometric motif at top
>and bottom and didn't have the big warping problem.


            Mike Linn
      Artist Blacksmith
          McCalla, AL
        AFC Webmaster
http://afc.abana-chapter.com

______________________________________________________________________

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how
   close they were to success when they gave up. "
   ~ Thomas A. Edison
______________________________________________________________________