Replacement/replacing g clamp head

[ColeyS1]

A recent visit to the local tip saw me leave with a record 6 inch clamp for a quid. The annoying thing was it was missing the swivel head that goes on the end of the threaded bit.
It took a bit of head scratching tbh on how to make it a good usable clamp- the easiest way would have just been to weld a bit on, but then I'd have lost the swivelisity.
Here's what I came up with

I found a 25mm bit of steel bar and cut off a bit about 10mm thick. Then drilled a hole ever so slightly bigger then the ball on the end of thread. Finally drill a couple smaller holes to enable a nail punch to bow the metal in so it doesn't fall off.

It's got as much movement as an unbroken one, just doesn't look quite as pretty.

Hope it might come in handy if you also see some with missing twiddley bits

Coley

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[ED65]

That's a great technique. I saw three or four old C-clamps of this exact type for sale at the local car boot on Sunday that could do with having this fix applied!

 

[Bm101]

Swivelisity. Love it.

 

[lurker]

Looks pretty enough to me. =D>

For anyone who finds g cramps like this but lacks your skills
Just drill a hole a bit smaller than the "bulb" in a suitable scrap of wood and cramp it in
There is usually enough give in the wood and the wood should be retained
I have several I did this to as a short term fix that have become a long term fix

 

[BRYAN]

What I think is this- I might be wrong though.
The makers probably sweat the shoes on,ie heat them to expand.
Most G cramps for sale without the shoe were most likely used by people for welding.
Welding heats the shoe,welder removes cramp-drops shoe in the crap on the floor never to be seen again.

 

[ColeyS1]

What I think is this- I might be wrong though.
The makers probably sweat the shoes on,ie heat them to expand.
Most G cramps for sale without the shoe were most likely used by people for welding.
Welding heats the shoe,welder removes cramp-drops shoe in the rubbish on the floor never to be seen again.

That's a really good theory of why they might be missing I just thought they must have had a really hard life.

Coley

 

[Eric The Viking]

Swivelisity. Love it.

+1

And that's a great repair too. I bought a job lot of clamps via Gumtree a couple of years ago, of which several have been sitting around waiting for "help" of just that sort.

Now to find some bar stock...

 

[curtisrider]

Superb, now I can fix a load of G cramps I was given!