WELDING Sheetmetal...CLAMPS..???

[ESnacky6]

Has anybody used the Intergrip Panel Clamps..??

Eastwood sells them for $29.99 for 4 of them..!! Ouch..!!
anybody know of a cheaper source..??
Are they worth purchasing to begin with..??

Any info, input would be great..!!! Thanks..!!

[McGrath]

I am a Union Sheetmetal Welder by trade. I know a couple of guys that have those things, but they generally don't use them much.

Most of us set the Gap at one end with Visegrips for the first tack. After that, its a combination of Screwdriver for the gap and Hammer/Dollybar to keep everything flat.

[2tall2beahotrodder]

THOSE ARE THE BEST INVENTIONS WHEN CHOPPING A CAR!!!!!! BUY THEM AND DONT THINK TWICE!!!!! i should of bought 10thousands more of those....best invention ever made!

[CharlieLed]

I bought some on ebay some time ago for $2.99 each...THEN I saw them at Harbor Freight for almost nothing, can't remember the exact price but they were REAL cheap. DON'T PAY THE EASTWOOD PRICE!!!!

[choprods]

I wouldnt have the patience to "install" them------Id have it welded by then. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[2tall2beahotrodder]

OH my mistake

When chopping a "41" ford , make sure to buy these clamps... its like breaking a egg into peices and slowly putting it back together...

[Tackett]

I bought a bag of them at Harbor Freight for $10 (?).
I just checked the online catalog, and didn't see any; I guess you have to go in.

Tackett

[C9]

Those clamps don't look too hard to make from what I can see.
Although if you can buy a bag of em at HF for $10., probably a good way to go.

Lessee - 1" x .060 wall square tubing.
Some headless bolts.
Short piece of "T" metal, you don't need the straight piece hanging down, a simple "T" welded to the bottom of the headless bolt would do it.
Some wingnuts and a couple cans of beer would do it.

You can probably figure out how it all goes together.

I don't think you'll have too many problems figuring out what to do with the beer either.

[Blownolds]

That is cheap for metalworking equipment.


I actually bought some similar, but nicer clamps from a place in AZ that was making them and selling them in Hemmings. Those were a bit more.

But for doing butt-welding of sheetmetal such as on a chop top and doing the hammerwelding, these types of clamps are the way to go-- at least if you cut the sheetmetal nicely.

[fordiac]

I saw some at a local swap meet.

you can use a large flat-headed machine screw for the bolt part, thread a nut onto the screw, weld the holding tab on the end of the threaded part, then weld weld the nut to the tubing. then for a handle to turn the screw, a flat tab of metal gets welded in the screwdriver slot.

[Flat Ernie]

Never used those, but have used magnets. Eventually, the heat will kill them, but pick 'em up cheap on eGay - the ones out of hard drives are amazingly strong - watch your fingertips!

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[John_Kelly]

I don't use a gap when welding sheetmetal. It is not necessary if you are getting proper penetration.

John www.ghiaspecialties.com (http://www.ghiaspecialties.com)

[McGrath]

The gap in butt welded sheetmetal is not for penetration. A bead draws the two pieces of metal together as it cools. The gap is to allow that movement. Without it, the Bead tries to pull the two pieces together, but can't. The sheetmetal then takes the path of least Resistance, Warpage. This isn't such a big deal on a Car because a skim coat of Bondo is all it takes to cover it.

A combination of proper Gap and light Dollying for stress relief, usually gives the best results as far as controlling Warpage. I weld Stainless countertops for a living. You can't hide Warpage with bondo and paint when the subject is a brushed Stainless Bar-Top...

[chopolds]

I don't like the gap so wide, when I weld. But when I am working alone (most times), or when I have a long panel to put together, or cannot access with vise grips, those things are invaluable. But it is VERY easy to make your own, after you have seen one! ALso helps keep really 'floppy' arrangements together long enough to tack weld them into a usable unit.

[John_Kelly]

[ QUOTE ]
The gap in butt welded sheetmetal is not for penetration. A bead draws the two pieces of metal together as it cools. The gap is to allow that movement. Without it, the Bead tries to pull the two pieces together, but can't. The sheetmetal then takes the path of least Resistance, Warpage. This isn't such a big deal on a Car because a skim coat of Bondo is all it takes to cover it.

A combination of proper Gap and light Dollying for stress relief, usually gives the best results as far as controlling Warpage. I weld Stainless countertops for a living. You can't hide Warpage with bondo and paint when the subject is a brushed Stainless Bar-Top...

[/ QUOTE ]

I respectfully disagree...leaving a gap is asking for the metal to pull a little more than if there were no gap. That does not mean that you cannot get good results that way. Nothing wrong with it, but it will also require stretching. Metal that is a perfect fit is preferable to me, but it also needs stretching. Welding always shrinks. The trick (for me anyway)is to accept the shrinking/warpage, and deal with it when it happens. I think a major stumbling block for those trying to learn "hammer welding" is the idea that you should do whatever appears to lead to less warpage, instead of whatever makes the best final product. If it shrinks, stretch it, if it is over-stretched shrink it, and all the while control the surface contours with a a hammer and dolly.

This is not to say that your method is not better for your work. I've never welded stainless countertops. I have done welding and metal-finishing on cars that required no filler, and this is what works for me.

I think Eastwood is full of fancy tools that are not needed to do quality work. They do make pople think that they can't do good work wihtout them though. That picture in their catalog has always bugged me (insert smily emoticon)

John www.ghiaspecialties.com (http://www.ghiaspecialties.com)

[30roadster]

welding patch panels on the lower back of the cab on a 51 chevy truck....because of the curve it was a two man job till i got those... expensive but handy....

[McGrath]

This is not to say that your method is not better for your work. I've never welded stainless countertops. I have done welding and metal-finishing on cars that required no filler, and this is what works for me.

Even within the Union everybody still has different methods. Usually they all lead towards the same end result, the difference generally ends up being the amount of time involved. I was trained by a Journeyman that was good, but slow. My method varys from his in a way that lets me get it done faster.

His method was to butt them tight, weld them straight across with no regard fro Warpage, then spend the rest of the day getting the Warpage out. He could do it, no doubt about it, but I figured the more warpage I could keep out at the time of Welding, the less massaging I would have to do later.

Like I said, my way turned out quicker than his, and immediately after getting out of my apprenticeship, I ended up with his Job.(I wasn't trying to)

There are many ways to keep from getting warpage, and at least a few different ways to get it out if it does. I have developed my technique for Stainless. Stainless does react differently than mild steel, so your way may very well work better than mine on Car bodys.

[2tall2beahotrodder]

Can you do the work with out these clamps ? Yes of course.
But personaly if your chopping a car by your self these clamps make it "easyer...." its worth the cash, its worth every penny....

rat-

[Anthony]

I bought a couple bags of 8 for like $6ea at the Harbor Freight. Don't buy'em from Eastwood.