Idea for a panel clamp

[johnyrotten]

After reading another member's post with a tip for lining up hard to clamp panel(they had an awesome idea), this idea hit me. This is QUICK AND DIRTY to see if it works. It really needs to be made from brass or aluminum. .040 for the top/bottom, .020 for the "spine" to keep the gap to a minimum. Paper clip and a pen spring, so everyone has the materials. It's holding together some cardboard in the picture 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Supercool. I'll be making a few of those, fer shure.  

[rattle can man]

I don't get the concept and construction of it from the photos

[Ace-Garageguy]

35 minutes ago, rattle can man said:

I don't get the concept and construction of it from the photos

See the video on full-scale sheetmetal panel alignment (welding) clamps on the thread below.

It's essentially the same idea, scaled down, with a spring instead of a screw.

 

[johnyrotten]

6 hours ago, rattle can man said:

I don't get the concept and construction of it from the photos

It allows two panels to be held on the same plane(spelling)with a small gap for filler, glue, ect. It's two squares of thicker styrene with a slot in the center,  and a thin one for the spine. The spring provides the clamping force, pin holds it all together. With styrene I put the "spine" through the bottom square and bent it over and attached it with c.a. glue. The other squares floats up and down the spine, and is locked by the spring/pin.These would be better made from brass or aluminum,  the thin styrene doesn't have much tensile strength and is fragile. Could be useful with chops, sectioning a body or anywhere two large sections of thin flat material are being joined. Hope this helps and thanks for looking. 

Edited December 10, 2024 by johnyrotten

[NOBLNG]

2 hours ago, johnyrotten said:

It allows two panels to be held on the same plane(spelling)with a small gap for filler, glue, ect. It's two squares of thicker styrene with a slot in the center,  and a thin one for the spine. The spring provides the clamping force, pin holds it all together. With styrene I put the "spine" through the bottom square and bent it over and attached it with c.a. glue. The other squares floats up and down the spine, and is locked by the spring/pin.These would be better made from brass or aluminum,  the thin styrene doesn't have much tensile strength and is fragile. Could be useful with chops, sectioning a body or anywhere two large sections of thin flat material are being joined. Hope this helps and thanks for looking. 

That is a neat idea! Being styrene it could be glued right into the joint and the excess filed off after the glue has set. The brass or aluminum one has merit too…you could put a short slit in the end of the strip and bend one tab 90 degrees in each direction to avoid having to solder anything.

[johnyrotten]

1 hour ago, NOBLNG said:

That is a neat idea! Being styrene it could be glued right into the joint and the excess filed off after the glue has set. The brass or aluminum one has merit too…you could put a short slit in the end of the strip and bend one tab 90 degrees in each direction to avoid having to solder anything.

I had brainstormed something similar, funny how the mind works. Looking at it last night,  if you place the pin lower,say half way, you could adjust the pressure on the clamping force. Just turn the the spring for more/less clamping. 

[rattle can man]

I've got it now. That blurry second picture was causing me a bit of confusion.

[TarheelRick]

That is an excellent solution to a problem I experienced several months ago and will probably experience again in the future.  Only issue I see is how do you keep from losing the pin, the spring, or for that matter the whole assembly. Anyway, thanks for the idea I will probably try to assemble a couple of them using brass.

[johnyrotten]

1 hour ago, TarheelRick said:

That is an excellent solution to a problem I experienced several months ago and will probably experience again in the future.  Only issue I see is how do you keep from losing the pin, the spring, or for that matter the whole assembly. Anyway, thanks for the idea I will probably try to assemble a couple of them using brass.

I put it together quick and dirty, didn't think far into it. I'd be interested in knowing how the brass one's work out. Thanks for looking