# Toolmaker clamps



## 2volts (Jan 16, 2017)

I got it into my head that I wanted to make some toolmaker clamps. I found a drawing on Harold Hall's site, worked out what size I was going to make them and started cutting up stock.


I figured I may as well make a few sets. Only limited by the length of 16mm square bar that I had.


Crude centring device before clamping to the table to start tapping.


Milling the backs of the clamp ends.




Turning 20mm round down to 8mm 


I pushed past the limit and broke a few on the way. I learnt more about the variables and forces when turning. Rotation speed, depth of cut, feed rate, diameter. What different chips get produced and what they look like. I learnt about the limits of the clamping force of the chuck.


I also learnt to spend more time to read drawings. There were two versions of clamps on the same drawing but I didn't realise until I'd marked everything up and drilled holes in every piece that I wanted to build the "other" version. So I did some patching up and made two pairs of both types. The "handles" have 6 x grooves each done with a round end end-mill. That was seriously tedious work.


The nearly finished product. Still some finishing to be done.


There was no rational reason to make 4 pairs of these. I'm glad I did because I learnt more by making multiple of the "same" parts than if it was a "one-off" project. I could and did experiment.

Learning by doing. You can't beat it.

pete


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## Firestopper (Jan 16, 2017)

Those clamps look great Pete, its always about learning something new.  Reading and understanding a shop drawing, blue print or sketch that someone else  drew up is always important. You be surprised the errors one can find during  reviewing process. Machining (for me) takes longer than regular fabrication work, So I really take my time when using a drawing provided to me. The best and most gratification I get is doing exactly what you did, making your own tools.

Nice job on the machinist clamps!


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## wrat (Jan 16, 2017)

2volts said:


> There was no rational reason to make 4 pairs of these. I'm glad I did because I learnt more by making multiple of the "same" parts than if it was a "one-off" project. I could and did experiment.



On the practical side, clamps are something you never have enough of.  Oh, yes, day-to-day, you'll be fine.  Then there will be that ONE job where you'll wish you had a few more.

Where did the retainers come from?  Stamped?

Wrat


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## 2volts (Jan 17, 2017)

I made the retainer clips. Pressed between two pieces of square stock with 1mm steps in them.

pete


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## intjonmiller (Jan 19, 2017)

Beautiful work. I have Harold's books (a couple anyway) and have this on my list of projects to make (on my own round column mill). I appreciate you detailing your lessons learned, especially the heads-up about the drawing.


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## 2volts (Feb 26, 2017)

A 6" vise is overkill for a RF45 style mill. A 4" is more appropiate for that size mill & IMO 5" max. I have a 5" GMT vise on my PM45 & it's slightly too big. Not enough Y axis travel to make use of the 5" full capacity. Better to save your money rather than getting something too big & most importantly the weight. I take my vise of the table quite often, a 6" is still light enough for me to be carried by hand but I'm glad I have a 5". I also have a 4" vise as well. I prefer the 5" though.

But those GMT 6" Premium vises are pretty nice. I'd love to have one but don't need one on my current mill. But if you plan on upgrading to a full size knee mill in the future than the 6" will be perfect.


Here's what the 5" looks like on my mill.




I couldn't even complete this cut without my bellows & DRO scale getting in the way. Not enough Y travel & the 5" vise is not even maxed out.




Here's what a 6" vise looks like on another PM45 (gt40's)
View attachment 253544


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## 2volts (Feb 26, 2017)

A 6" vise is overkill for a RF45 style mill. A 4" is more appropiate for that size mill & IMO 5" max. I have a 5" GMT vise on my PM45 & it's slightly too big. Not enough Y axis travel to make use of the 5" full capacity. Better to save your money rather than getting something too big & most importantly the weight. I take my vise of the table quite often, a 6" is still light enough for me to be carried by hand but I'm glad I have a 5". I also have a 4" vise as well. I prefer the 5" though.

But those GMT 6" Premium vises are pretty nice. I'd love to have one but don't need one on my current mill. But if you plan on upgrading to a full size knee mill in the future than the 6" will be perfect.


Here's what the 5" looks like on my mill.




I couldn't even complete this cut without my bellows & DRO scale getting in the way. Not enough Y travel & the 5" vise is not even maxed out.




Here's what a 6" vise looks like on another PM45 (gt40's)
View attachment 253544


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## RandyM (Feb 27, 2017)

You are doing a great job on the clamps. I have a set that I made in shop class and over the years were not treated very well. They had become heavily rusted, so I cleaned them up and powder coated them. They now reside proudly in my toolbox with the rest of my tools.


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## brino (Feb 27, 2017)

2volts said:


> The good news is that the first set of clamps have produced offspring.



When the next litter arrives, I'd be interested in adopting a set. 

-brino


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## cathead (Feb 28, 2017)

I made a pair of clamps and found they were somewhat slow to operate.  As an experiment, I made one more with one thread being left
handed and the other thread right handed.    Interestingly, you could hold both knob parts and crank away in or out,  much better.  They are a slightly more difficult build but if I make more, they will have LH and RH threads.  It requires a left handed tap and then single pointing the LH thread on the lathe.


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## intjonmiller (Feb 28, 2017)

That's how woodworking clamps of the same shape operate. Very fast to open and close. I have always assumed that the extra challenge of the LH threads is why that design is not used for these.


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