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EZ - CLAMP

HFS

Well Known Member
Here’s a little “tool” I made to help with the installation of Adel clamps in those hard to reach places inside the motor mount (and elsewhere)

HFS
 

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I’ve been using mine a lot - very handy when you need that third set of fingers!

Paul
 
Yep, great tool. Makes installing these devil spawned clamps a piece of cake.

Wish I had thought of that.
 
Not sure what I'm looking at--what's it made of?

I have been using the crude "squeeze everything together with vice grip pliers and then align the holes with a punch" method, which barely works and scratches the adel clamps up a bunch. As a fun bonus, that method often results in random hardware shooting across the garage at high speed when the vice grip slips off.
 
Ryan, there are a couple parts.

The bolt with the ground off taper end, also is what the wing nut is attached to. It is used to align the holes in the clamps.

Then, the part with the screw/tube assembly is installed over the Adel clamp tabs, the jaws are slotted to fit over the alignment pin. Then tighten down the "Vise" and remove the alignment pin.

The bolt can now be inserted to finish up the assembly.
 

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Not sure what I'm looking at--what's it made of?

I have been using the crude "squeeze everything together with vice grip pliers and then align the holes with a punch" method, which barely works and scratches the adel clamps up a bunch. As a fun bonus, that method often results in random hardware shooting across the garage at high speed when the vice grip slips off.

This is why we call them "nut launchers"
 
I find that inevitably some clamps go in places where even with a tool like this, there isn't room to get it on there. So I just adopted a standard process for every Adel clamp I do.

I make a lasso of light safety wire around the tabs of the clamp(s) and use a safety wire pliers to twist the wire until it is tight and holds everything together tight. Then I put the bolt in, washer(s) and start the nut. Finally, clip the safety wire with some diagonal cutters and pull it out. Finish by tightening the bolt.
 
I find that inevitably some clamps go in places where even with a tool like this, there isn't room to get it on there. So I just adopted a standard process for every Adel clamp I do.

I make a lasso of light safety wire around the tabs of the clamp(s) and use a safety wire pliers to twist the wire until it is tight and holds everything together tight. Then I put the bolt in, washer(s) and start the nut. Finally, clip the safety wire with some diagonal cutters and pull it out. Finish by tightening the bolt.

I modify this process by clipping the end of the twisted safety wire off at a reasonable length, bending it back on itself so one won't snag a finger on it and leave the little loop of safety wire wrapped around the Adel clamp. This means one can remove the clamp from its mounting fastener without fear that it's going to spring open and require more wrestling to get back into place. For all the clamps forward of the firewall the total weight of all these little pieces of safety wire can't be more than a half ounce and they are worth their weight in gold when it comes to the frustration they save, both at the time of installation and further down the road.
 
I find that inevitably some clamps go in places where even with a tool like this, there isn't room to get it on there. So I just adopted a standard process for every Adel clamp I do.

I make a lasso of light safety wire around the tabs of the clamp(s) and use a safety wire pliers to twist the wire until it is tight and holds everything together tight. Then I put the bolt in, washer(s) and start the nut. Finally, clip the safety wire with some diagonal cutters and pull it out. Finish by tightening the bolt.

I use this method except I use a 4" zip tie instead. Sometimes one doesn't need to clip the zip tie, as it doesn't always interfere, and can be left on (for future disassembly when another is stacked on it).
 
The important part is that our community has people like David. He has a skill, oh wait, more than just one. He makes some of the most amazing candies, is an expert small part welder, and is ever present in his community that the rest of us happen to be a part of.

Many among us will wonder what we're talking about. To me, the EZ-Clamp is about a friend that goes to great lengths to reach out and touch so many of us each and every year in some way. David, you enrich our lives more than you may know.

When I was younger, I half heartedly believed the common "he who dies with the most tools wins". As we get older, I think we learn that the real value is to fill the chest, box, drawer, whatever it is to you, with those tools that are labeled and identified for those that follow to not melt down to scrap on ebay as they have more meaning.

I love tools that touch my soul. I have a new one!
 
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Many among us will wonder what we're talking about. To me, the EZ-Clamp is about a friend that goes to great lengths to reach out and touch so many of us each and every year in some way. David, you enrich our lives more than you may know.

Scott---- well said.

Very well.
 
Can these be purhased?

Great tool but I have no access to welding equipment much less the skill to fabricate the small parts.


Would buy one in a heartbeat if they're for sale.
 
Ryan, there are a couple parts.

The bolt with the ground off taper end, also is what the wing nut is attached to. It is used to align the holes in the clamps.

Then, the part with the screw/tube assembly is installed over the Adel clamp tabs, the jaws are slotted to fit over the alignment pin. Then tighten down the "Vise" and remove the alignment pin.

The bolt can now be inserted to finish up the assembly.

That is some beautiful TIG welding there. I have some left over 4130 tubing and .063" flat stock that will be perfect to make a couple of these for my next project.

Thanks!!!
 
The tool supply houses sell one known as the Handee Clamp.

Has anybody tried that one?

Yes. Except for the shop built tool in the original post, I have tried nearly every method mentioned including the Handee clamp, special Vice Grip pliers, forceps, safety wire, tie wraps, etc. All of them will work in some cases, but I usually end up going back to the safety wire method in conjunction with using an awl to line up the holes while I twist the wire. Simple, cheap, and it works in tight places that you'd think it wouldn't.

In my experience the Handee clamp doesn't have enough grip surface and keeps sliding off.

Joe
 
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