Thread: Strange G clamps

Can't say I have seen any like that either. As you say it looks like it's to lock them. Have you tried to see if something lines up with the slot for quick release. Just a hunch.
Regards
John

Originally Posted by orraloon

Can't say I have seen any like that either. As you say it looks like it's to lock them. Have you tried to see if something lines up with the slot for quick release. Just a hunch.
Regards
John

I'm not able to inspect them John. I watched them sell on UK ebay this morning. I considered them but the postage put me off.
I thought about quick release too but that would mean it wouldn't be threaded through the head at all and that wheel has a tooth maybe ? I still don't see how that could work. Quick release it possibly is though??
Rob

Record Tools : Catalogue No. 17 : Pocket Edition : 1967 : C. & J. Hampton, Ltd. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

They're called spingrip clamps, intended for one-handed use.


spingrip.JPG

Brilliant, Jim - mystery solved. There are certainly times I've wished for something like that, 3 or 4 arms would be even more useful but we haven't perfected genetic engineering to that level yet...

I just spent several minutes trying various terms in Google searches but drew a blank except that "quick release C-clamp (G-clamp)" brought up this. It could be a useful device, but looks rather plasticky to me!

So I tried "spingrip clamps", after discovering their name, hoping for some more info, but the only relevant hit I got on the first few pages is a mention in Ernest Joyce's "Encyclopedia of Furniture Making".

So all we know is that you can tighten the clamp by spinning the wheel with your finger. That implies there is thread only in the thumb-wheel, which seems a little flimsy to me, so there may be more than meets the eye. I'm intrigued as to what that groove down the screw thread is for?

Must be someone out there with one of these gadgets who can enlighten us on their use???
Cheers,

My theory is that the knurled wheel engages with the slot and does not have a thread, allowing it to transfer rotary motion to the thread. The thread would be in the casting each side of the wheel.

Originally Posted by Picko

My theory is that the knurled wheel engages with the slot and does not have a thread, allowing it to transfer rotary motion to the thread. The thread would be in the casting each side of the wheel.

Makes perfect sense now you point it out!

There are so many people, so much smarter than I, in this world. (At least I was on the money that the groove is significant....)

Originally Posted by jimhanna

They're called spingrip clamps, intended for one-handed use.


spingrip.JPG

Thanks Jim .
Problem solved . And I look forward to looking closely through that Record catalog tonight.
Id love one of there 6" wide vices with the quick release .

Rob

Originally Posted by Picko

My theory is that the knurled wheel engages with the slot and does not have a thread, allowing it to transfer rotary motion to the thread. The thread would be in the casting each side of the wheel.

Tha'ts it Picko . It had me head scratching but then I realized the wheel is thicker than the thread opening . So the thread would still turn but slide along the slot . When you get it on what your clamping and it holds you could give it a bit more with the T rod up the end . That's handy . Id be reaching for those if I had them .

Yeah, it sounds good in theory but I wonder how good it works in practice. I can see it binding up and being a pain.

Originally Posted by Picko

Yeah, it sounds good in theory but I wonder how good it works in practice. I can see it binding up and being a pain.

Same thought occurred to me. There isn't much of a gap, so you'd need to close it to the point where it only needed a half-turn or so to tighten it on the work. I think they'd be more applicable to metal work (actually, metal C-clamps are all really only suited to metalwork imo), there's no 'give' like wood, so you don't need to turn the screw much to tighten it.

It does have potential, I can think of a few situations where it could be downright handy around my shed. You would need to keep the threads clean & well lubricated, methinks, or you'd not find it so easy to close with that little thumbwheel. So next time one of these comes up on ebay or whatever, there's going to be a bidding war, right?....

Cheers,

Originally Posted by IanW

(actually, metal C-clamps are all really only suited to metalwork imo), there's no 'give' like wood, so you don't need to turn the screw much to tighten it.

Yes, they are not used as much for clamping wood to wood glue ups in my workshop now. I did my apprenticeship with G clamps, Quick action clamps and sash clamps. I went without G clamps for years when I changed workshop a long time ago. Ive just decided to go back to them for what they are good for . Clamping and not falling off the job when your belting away at things . Wood work and metal work. What set me off on getting some again was some work I'm doing on my spindle moulder . Clamping feather boards on . They are good around wood working machinery for holding fences and jigs. Much safer . Also because when your changing fences around all the time the G or C clamp stays set at its opening when you take it off so changing fence positions is faster and easier and works one handed while your holding the fence in a position.

Originally Posted by IanW

It does have potential, I can think of a few situations where it could be downright handy around my shed. You would need to keep the threads clean & well lubricated, methinks, or you'd not find it so easy to close with that little thumbwheel.

A bit of oil now and then for sure would fix it. I find myself doing one handed clamping a bit . I have a well practiced technique of sliding a quick action along its bar with my thumb with one hand while holding the woodwork with the other , letting go and twisting the handle. It works most times and fails the rest .


Hers a Dawn picture .
Quick Action G and C Clamps .

Dawm Clamps.jpg

I like that EM attachment of the quick action bottom right. A few of them would come in handy . Never noticed them before either .

Originally Posted by auscab

...... I find myself doing one handed clamping a bit . I have a well practiced technique of sliding a quick action along its bar with my thumb with one hand while holding the woodwork with the other , letting go and twisting the handle. It works most times and fails the rest .....

Yep, it's not that uncommon for me to wish I had an extra hand! I've got a couple of Irwin "quick-grips", which are pretty useless at applying real pressure on anything, but great for grabbing something & holding it while I get my "real" clamps on.
I can sort-of manage these one-handed if I set them up beforehand so they just slide over the work, but they are much easier to apply using both hands: Clamps various sizes.jpg

Cheers,

Originally Posted by Picko

My theory is that the knurled wheel engages with the slot and does not have a thread, allowing it to transfer rotary motion to the thread. The thread would be in the casting each side of the wheel.

Explains the slot in the threaded rod. Just after I posted my guess at it yesterday I realized that cant work so was waiting on the answer.
Regards
John

I found one of these on the local ebay.

I think operation is exactly as deduced by Picko, just a lug on the wheel engaging in the slot.

I’m impressed, it seems as easy and convenient to use as other one handed clamps. It’s smaller and could be nipped up much tighter than the other more modern clamps.
comparison.jpg


The tolerances seem generous, I can’t see it gumming up easily.
tolerance.jpg

I found one-handed operation awkward at first because I was trying to use it with thumb and forefinger on both sides of the wheel.
(I've seen them described on ebay as thumb wheel clamps)
thumbwheel.jpg

Then I read the Record catalogue entry again and it said operation with the forefinger.
Changed my grip and it’s so easy to spin it up with one finger.
No need to have it set very close to the size required before moving to one handed mode.
I found I could close it as quickly one handed using one finger on the wheel as I could two handed holding the body and twirling the T-bar with the other.
forefinger.jpg
URL to show speed of single handed operations
Record spingrip 127 clamp - YouTube

Not speeded-up, it would be easy enough to hold the work in one hand and close the clamp up quickly.