Clamp maintenance

[oldman_pottering]

I have 2 of these bessey clamps and recently I was using one to hold a plywood drilling template against a verandah post, I'd clamp the plywood jig to the post, reach down to grab my drill and the clamp had slipped, I tightened it again and it slipped again. I took the clamp off and in my hands I simulated the normal clamping procedure and I could keep sliding the clamp leg down the rail. These clamps are not overworked by any means, one clamp seems to be worse than the other.

Question is, do clamps require any sort of maintenance ? ie : cleaning etc ( obviously these are not covered in grime and glue etc)

 

[Von]

As I recall there are ridges on the edge of the bar (and presumably inside the lower jaw around the bar). If those have gotten worn down or filled with stuff, that could explain what you are seeing.

[wtnhighlander]

I have a pair of those, not my favorite clamp design. Even when new, I had difficulty keeping the ridges engaged while tightening the screw. I like a spring loaded slip clutch better.

[oldman_pottering]

On 1/7/2024 at 9:10 AM, Von said:

As I recall there are ridges on the edge of the bar (and presumably inside the lower jaw around the bar). If those have gotten worn down or filled with stuff, that could explain what you are seeing.

yes, there are. The ridges are not real big but I'll give them a go on the wire wheel and see what happens

On 1/7/2024 at 9:47 AM, wtnhighlander said:

I have a pair of those, not my favorite clamp design. Even when new, I had difficulty keeping the ridges engaged while tightening the screw. I like a spring loaded slip clutch better.

Good to know, thanks

I watched a YT vid the other day with William Ng and he used a clamp that I liked the look of and I think they are the same as what you are explaining, looked easy to operate 1 handed. I'm going to check these out

 

[gee-dub]

The Besseys have a grub screw that mates with the ridges.  It can be rotated if the threads become damaged.  These are K-Body style but the Tradesman versions of the ones you show also have them.

I about went around the bend when they stopped making the 1980s version of the K-Body.  Groz jumped into the vacuum and made some dimensionaly similar knock offs.  They also have the screw.

It is nice that makers provide clutch-plate and clutch-less style clamps.  Some folks like the spring loaded things like the Jets and the Jorgy F-Style clamps.  I have several of each.  I prefer the clutch-less style.  They just work smoother and easier for me.  Hey . . . maybe its a Ford / Chevy, Tastes Great / Less Filling sort of thing.

[oldman_pottering]

On 1/7/2024 at 3:54 PM, gee-dub said:

The Besseys have a grub screw that mates with the ridges.  It can be rotated if the threads become damaged.  These are K-Body style but the Tradesman versions of the ones you show also have them.

I about went around the bend when they stopped making the 1980s version of the K-Body.  Groz jumped into the vacuum and made some dimensionaly similar knock offs.  They also have the screw.

It is nice that makers provide clutch-plate and clutch-less style clamps.  Some folks like the spring loaded things like the Jets and the Jorgy F-Style clamps.  I have several of each.  I prefer the clutch-less style.  They just work smoother and easier for me.  Hey . . . maybe its a Ford / Chevy, Tastes Great / Less Filling sort of thing.

Do people really like Fords ? 

I've checked and double checked but cannot find any sort of adjustment screw

I think I'm going to bite the bullet and get these

 https://www.timbecon.com.au/torquata-quick-action-clutched-clamp

[JohnG]

On 1/7/2024 at 1:20 AM, oldman_pottering said:

Do people really like Fords ? 

I've checked and double checked but cannot find any sort of adjustment screw

I think I'm going to bite the bullet and get these

 https://www.timbecon.com.au/torquata-quick-action-clutched-clamp

I like mine! 

 

I have found with the Bessey F clamps I have that every once in a while one gets in a sweet spot (or maybe unsweet spot) where twisting the handle moves the whole lower jaw along the bar instead of it locking in place. However, when that happens it is clear that it is happening because there isn’t resistance when turning the handle. Sounds like you are getting positive feedback of it tightening, but then it slips?

[gee-dub]

@oldman_pottering - My apologies.  I should have looked more closely at what series clamp that was in your pic.  My post did not apply; sorry about that.  The ones in your link should serve you well for small clamping tasks.

I have a lot of the Bessey "Mighty Mini" clamps in the 4" size and a few longer ones. 

A hardware chain in our area was changing from Bessey to Jorgensen as their clamp of choice and had these on clearance for about $3 each.  They turned out to be my most used clamp.  Not for assembly so much as odd jobs around the shop, jig clamps, holding things to machines, etc.

[Mark J]

I have had some low cost, light duty "F" clamps wear out as you describe.  Yours are Besseys, but maybe not their most heavy duty model?

[oldman_pottering]

On 1/8/2024 at 12:25 AM, JohnG said:

I like mine! 

 

I have found with the Bessey F clamps I have that every once in a while one gets in a sweet spot (or maybe unsweet spot) where twisting the handle moves the whole lower jaw along the bar instead of it locking in place. However, when that happens it is clear that it is happening because there isn’t resistance when turning the handle. Sounds like you are getting positive feedback of it tightening, but then it slips?

Good looking truck ! 

Yes, the clamp feels as if it's tightening but then just lets go, it kind of gradually slips away

On 1/8/2024 at 12:41 AM, gee-dub said:

@oldman_pottering - My apologies.  I should have looked more closely at what series clamp that was in your pic.  My post did not apply; sorry about that.  The ones in your link should serve you well for small clamping tasks.

I have a lot of the Bessey "Mighty Mini" clamps in the 4" size and a few longer ones. 

A hardware chain in our area was changing from Bessey to Jorgensen as their clamp of choice and had these on clearance for about $3 each.  They turned out to be my most used clamp.  Not for assembly so much as odd jobs around the shop, jig clamps, holding things to machines, etc.

thanks, would you mind explaining about how you wrap the handles ( have seen this before on YT) and the addition of the wider plywood piece on the fixed part of the clamp

On 1/8/2024 at 2:47 AM, Mark J said:

I have had some low cost, light duty "F" clamps wear out as you describe.  Yours are Besseys, but maybe not their most heavy duty model?

Probably not unfortunately, I bought them because of the Bessey name but as you say not their best model

[Chestnut]

I have a lot of clamps that style not sure what the issue is. I like test style as they should be pretty durable and not have this happen. Maybe reach out to bessy I'm sure they are out of warranty but they may have a fix idea.

[wtnhighlander]

Mine will back off while tightening,just as @oldman_pottering described above. Only way to prevent it is to maintain pressure on the handle, toward the bar. Not always easy while twisting one's wrist.

[Chestnut]

Can you make the grooves deeper with a hacksaw or something?

[gee-dub]

On 1/7/2024 at 11:04 AM, oldman_pottering said:

would you mind explaining about how you wrap the handles ( have seen this before on YT) and the addition of the wider plywood piece on the fixed part of the clamp

Use proper hockey tape.  I tried "sports tape" and it failed rather quickly.  A canuck on one of the forums sent me a pack of the tape he uses when he plays.  There is a method although I only follow it loosely.  Let me see . . . at about 1:00 in this video is what I do.

The stay-on cauls are the result of me noticing that I use little scraps of wood as cauls with F-style clamps more often than not so I . . .

Cut some 1/8" to 3/16" thick parts from scrap that match the size of the fixed clamp head plus a little extra in each direction.

Drill holes that loosely match the width and thickness of the clamp's bar.

Then connect these holes with a slot (pair of parallel cuts) at the bandsaw.  They are connected from the edge of the pad that is to the left in the pic above.  The slot should be a snug fit to the bar's thickness . . . the holes are a bit over size.

This lets the pads snap onto the bar.  They should slide up and down but not be sloppy.  I occasionally have one fall off or misalign but in general they are a big improvement in trying to hold a couple of pieces of scrap in position while tightening a clamp.

I do something similar for pipe clamps but that is another story.  There is probably a thread on this somewhere on this forum maybe 5 years ago or so(?)  The fingers mean nothing.  It was just a piece of scrap in the bin ;-)

[oldman_pottering]

On 1/8/2024 at 11:30 AM, gee-dub said:

Use proper hockey tape.  I tried "sports tape" and it failed rather quickly.  A canuck on one of the forums sent me a pack of the tape he uses when he plays.  There is a method although I only follow it loosely.  Let me see . . . at about 1:00 in this video is what I do.

The stay-on cauls are the result of me noticing that I use little scraps of wood as cauls with F-style clamps more often than not so I . . .

Cut some 1/8" to 3/16" thick parts from scrap that match the size of the fixed clamp head plus a little extra in each direction.

Drill holes that loosely match the width and thickness of the clamp's bar.

Then connect these holes with a slot (pair of parallel cuts) at the bandsaw.  They are connected from the edge of the pad that is to the left in the pic above.  The slot should be a snug fit to the bar's thickness . . . the holes are a bit over size.

This lets the pads snap onto the bar.  They should slide up and down but not be sloppy.  I occasionally have one fall off or misalign but in general they are a big improvement in trying to hold a couple of pieces of scrap in position while tightening a clamp.

I do something similar for pipe clamps but that is another story.  There is probably a thread on this somewhere on this forum maybe 5 years ago or so(?)  The fingers mean nothing.  It was just a piece of scrap in the bin ;-)

thanks very much mate

I appreciate the time and detail you have shown, I liked the quick little taper jig too, nice and easy

I'm not sure what a canuck is though

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

On 1/8/2024 at 3:02 AM, oldman_pottering said:

 

I'm not sure what a canuck is though

"Canuck" is a Canadian person