[TheForge] Stuart Hill Joint / Claydon Clamp

[Paul Boulay]

A few days ago I was asked for information for an on-line location of photos of the Claydon Clamp joint. 
I fount the drafts of the articles that appeared in Hammer's Blow 18.2 and 18.3 (2010 issues Summer and Fall). I can send anyone who cares a pdf of these drafts via e-mail. Just ask...
 
This link has the photos that I submitted to the Hammer's Blow for the article reporting on my experiments.
http://s739.photobucket.com/albums/xx32/prboulay/Stuart-Hill/
Same thing but comes up as a slide show:
http://s739.photobucket.com/albums/xx32/prboulay/Stuart-Hill/?a

Here are the captions that go with the photos in the links above. You can use the number in the square brackets to cross reference to the right image.

Figure 1 – Tooling. Bottom tool fabricated from 5-
3/8" long 2x2x1/4 angle iron for the sides and 1-1/2 x ½
CR flat bar for the center. An entirely functional
version of this can be made with hand tools, a drill
press and a welder. It is mounted on the anvil with the
hardy bolt scheme from a prior HB. [7445a]

Figure 2 - Top tool. Initial version. Note the center
ridge that supports the bar while allowing the collar to
wrap from the sides. We found that this ridge is
essential to keep the bars from bending. The final
version has an alignment plate welded on. [7339b]

Figure 3 - The hot collar is placed then the top bar and
the top tool is positioned on top. [7475]

Figure 4 -- Then hit it! The tooling could be used with a
power hammer, a treadle hammer, a fly press or a
hydraulic press as well. [7478]

Figure 5 - Sample 1 -- Our first and an enduring
favorite. We liked the way the collar seems to hug the
bars. The nicks on the collar are due to getting the
work out of alignment with the tool – this was made
before I added the alignment features. [7400]

Figure 6 - Sample 3 -- In this one we made the collar
diameter 1.25”. This is larger than the ratio that
Stuart put in the patent but for round collars we found
the alignment tricky. This shows the not so nice side
and the variation between top and bottom caused by
misalignment. [7402b]

Figure 7 -- Sample 5 uses 1.5" square tubing and 5/8
bars. The proportions seem to work out about right.
Compare the convex beak-like aspect of this with
Sample 1. [7408b]

Figure 8 - Sample 5 front view. In many respects this
gives the same look as the Round collar that we liked
from Sample 1. [7428b]

Figure 9 - Sample 6. This is 1" square collar stock 1"
long on 1/2 bar. These are the proportions given in the
patent -- but we found that the collar was too small or
too long to allow the bars to touch. However the effect
is attractive. [7406b]

Figure 10 - Grille "Claydon 2" by Bob Patrick. (Photo
by George Lattermoser.) [abana-181]
Photo of a grille by Bob Patrick exhibited at the ABANA
2010 Conference using these joints. Bob uses round
tubing for his collars and claims to be the first to use 2 bars
in parallel with this joint.


>>To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
>>Subject: Re: [TheForge] Stuart Hill Joint / Claydon Clamp

>>Paul, is there anywhere that we can see pictures of this connection on-line?
>>dave




Paul Boulay
408-483-1986