Author Topic: Kant-Twist style clamp with 16 gauge sheet  (Read 3799 times)

Offline Mike K

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Kant-Twist style clamp with 16 gauge sheet
« on: October 13, 2021, 05:52:53 PM »
Or maybe Kan-Twist.  We'll see.

I marked out some sheet yesterday and cut blanks today.  For two clamps.  Going to drill, pin together, and shape to final size as a stack for each leg.  Probably tomorrow.  Just waiting for the super glue to dry.  At some point this stuff got really good (used to be terrible), but now takes 24 hours to fully cure.  I never noticed the 24 hours part until I searched today...it didn't even say it on the package.

Anyway, I'm making small size clamps.  The PDF I have contains an example spec'd drawing that's about 5" across the fully opened height.  And I went with 2/3rds of that size.

I have no blocks of copper ($$) so I guess it'll be steel or element number 13 for the jaw pads.  And the screw will probably be zinc plated if i can find it easily enough.

Offline Mike K

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Re: Kant-Twist style clamp with 16 gauge sheet
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2021, 11:09:50 PM »
Irony: I had to buy more clamps so I could make these other clamps.  I rough cut the leg stacks this evening.  Have to sand to the scratched lines, if I can still find them.  And drill the holes.

 

Offline Mike K

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Re: Kant-Twist style clamp with 16 gauge sheet
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2021, 05:15:34 PM »
Drilled and reamed the holes.  Brought them to final shape on my 1x30 belt sander.  Separated them and deburred all edges and THEN I realized that I forgot to drill one of the holes in the large arm.  Fortunately I didn't remove the bluing and can still see the location (not really visible in the photo; lower left corner).

 

Offline Mike K

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Re: Kant-Twist style clamp with 16 gauge sheet
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2021, 02:03:38 PM »
Made the pads and bushings for the small arms.  And peened together.  (Yeah, I'm slow going at this.)  Glad I had the foresight to use packing between the plates while peening...it prevented the bushing from being stuck, even though I made them a few thou under the width of the pins.  Packing was difficult to remove.

I haven't peened the bushings in place.  Not sure if I will or not...that pin is close enough.  And as someone pointed out in another thread of mine, some manufactured units only peen the pins and not the bushings.

If I had to do this again I would have made four instead of two, as it wouldn't have been twice the work.  Even with this 16 gauge steel the arms seem plenty strong.  Perhaps I should have blued the plates before assembling.  And I still need an anvil...my setup is too bouncy.

 

Offline jiihoo

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Re: Kant-Twist style clamp with 16 gauge sheet
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2022, 05:30:32 PM »
Following with interest. Keep it coming - at your own pace.

Offline vtsteam

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Re: Kant-Twist style clamp with 16 gauge sheet
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2022, 08:14:44 AM »
Looking forward to seeing the finished clamps and how they work for you :coffee:
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg