Claw Clamps a home made clamp system

[thehomeengineer]

Hi All
I have had a lot of interest in the clamps I use with in my workshop. I made the first clamp some 36 years ago as an apprenticeship project. These clamps are very versatile and over the last 36 years I have just added to the collection and have made two different sizes, I have a total of about dozen clamps know. The clamp has a good height range but this was improved a couple of years ago with the introduction of the Bosch aluminium extrusion and a bit of modification the extrusion can be clamped together to increase the height and therefore the capacity of the clamps. These clamps are a great addition to the workshop and are used every day be it on the mill, drill etc. I have added a link to the clamps in use on one of my projects from my web site. Practical Engineering
Thank you again for viewing this post
The home engineer

[will52100]

Good looking clamps, I think I will be making some of them, they just look way to useful not to have. Thanks for sharing.

[Toolmaker51]

Dynamite; not only in design, the workmanship is evident. I'm also impressed that you constructed them instead of using up material trying to make base in one piece.
My first question is what means produced claws themselves. Not evident by tool marks.
Anyone wanting these could bandsaw, rotary table, plasma/ laser cut. Tapered radii are key to clamping strength of such hold downs.

[Jon]

Congratulations thehomeengineer - your Claw Clamps are the Homemade Tool of the Week!

It's difficult to win on a week when so many tools are posted, it's difficult to win with a clamp, and it's difficult to get that first win. You've done all three at once

Enormous week around here! Some good picks:

Y Allen Wrench by Cascao
Walnut Picking Tool by toma
Homemade Press and Accessories by Tuomas
Boring Bar Holder Sleeves by petertha
Coiled Tube Straightening Tool by thehomeengineer
Stamp Guide by jjr2001
Lathe Cutoff Switch by Cascao
Grinder Dressing Tool by petertha
Knurling Tool by Cascao
Flange Forming Tools by thehomeengineer
Hose Reel Bracket by bimmer1980
Drill Press Tapping Aids by jjr2001
Rotary Table by athomp
Epoxy Coating Tool by darkoford
Speargun Reel by darkoford
ER40 Tool Holder by darkoford
Flashlight Holder by petertha
Fly Cutter Drilling Aid by garage nut
Lathe Faceplate by rendoman
Drill Press Table Mover by tonyfoale
Scaffold Crane by bimmer1980
Hoist Trolley by bimmer1980
Scaffold Crane Pallet Lifter by bimmer1980
Pallet Breaker by thehomeengineer

thehomeengineer - we'll add your tool entry to our All Homemade Tool of the Week winners post. And, you'll now notice the wrench-on-pedestal award in the awards showcase in your postbit, visible beneath your username:



You'll be receiving a $25 online gift card, in your choice of Amazon, PayPal, or bitcoin. Please PM me your current email address and gift card choice and I'll get it sent over right away.


Congratulations and well done!

[thehomeengineer]

Hi Toolmaker 51
The claw itself was made from 1/2" (12mm) thick mild steel. The centre position of each radius was marked out and drilled using their co-ordinates on the mill, as well as the two pivot holes. This then enabled me to gang mill a couple of claws at the same time on the rotary table using 6mm pins in each hole locking them together. Using a 6mm bush in the centre of the rotary table I pushed the relevant pin into the bush and offset the machine from the rotary table centre then machined each radius and blend relative to that radius/hole centre. Gang milling just meant I could save some time. I hope this all makes sense?
The Home Engineer

[rossbotics]

I to will have to make some of those,
Nice job
and Congratulations on your win

[Toolmaker51]

Hi Toolmaker 51
The claw itself was made from 1/2" (12mm) thick mild steel. The centre position of each radius was marked out and drilled using their co-ordinates on the mill, as well as the two pivot holes. This then enabled me to gang mill a couple of claws at the same time on the rotary table using 6mm pins in each hole locking them together. Using a 6mm bush in the centre of the rotary table I pushed the relevant pin into the bush and offset the machine from the rotary table centre then machined each radius and blend relative to that radius/hole centre. Gang milling just meant I could save some time. I hope this all makes sense?
The Home Engineer

Absolutely clear. I've mentioned before having good access to machines and tooling and enjoy using them all; rotary tables are high on the list. I'd tend to bandsaw profiles oversize to ease gang-milling. Otherwise I'll scale mine accordingly to yours; my present set aren't so adaptable to extruded shapes, THAT is a brilliant addition.
Your process makes the clamp consistent, so they operate with the same 'feel', X amount of torque = Y amount of clamping. Safe, repeatable setups benefit a great deal from that. And a salute on your Tool of the Week win. As Jon said a full week of submissions, the clamps are what I zeroed in on.

[ncollar]

The Home Engineer
Your clamp reminds me of the vise clamps for drill presses. I love the design and will be making up some very soon.
There is nothing to stop fine minds
Beautiful
Nelson

[thehomeengineer]

Hi Jon
I would like to thank homemadetools.net for the $25 voucher I recieved yesterday. I have already spent this today on a aluminium machine, hand wheel for a lantern style chuck I am in the process of building. Once finished I will post on homemadetools.net
Many thanks again
The Home Engineer

[DIYer]

Thanks thehomeengineer! We've added your Claw Clamps to our Clamps category,
as well as to your builder page: thehomeengineer's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Claw Clamps by thehomeengineer

tags: clamp