Talk:Clamp (tool)

Mechanical Clamps

Wondering where the metal industries clamps are listed, I see medical. I understand that most of the time they are called vices, but I am pretty sure their are Hydraulic and other mechanically actuated clamps specifically taliored for metal trades. eg. Magnetic Clamps. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Erlyrisa (talk • contribs) 15:43, 20 February 2008 (UTC)

Clamp names

Is there any difference between an "F-clamp", a bar clamp and a speed clamp? I would use the three terms interchangeably, but to other people they might refer to different clamps. Luigizanasi 06:21, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

I was pondering this myself. The definition of a bar clamp is that it has a bar along which one or both jaws slide. So an 'F' clamp is technically a bar clamp. A speed clamp is just a variation of an 'F' clamp. A sash clamp is also a bar clamp but instead of the screw jaw moving along the bar, it's the fixed one that moves (does that make sense?).

Looking in an Australian woodworking catalogue I have on my desk, they call the 'F' clamp with the free sliding jaw a 'Quick Action Clamp'. There's a variation of the 'F' Clamp that has a locking clutch and they call that a 'Clutch-type Clamp'. Their 'Speed clamp' is an 'F' clamp with a pivoting bar on the handle instead of the normal inline handle which "enables you to get a better grip and leverage when tightening for extra tension".

For my part, I would rarely use the term 'bar clamp'. It's either an 'F' clamp or a sash clamp. SilentC 00:23, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

I did not know what a sash clamp was until I looked it up on google. To me, it's just a long bar clamp. "Sash clamp" seems to be a British/Australian usage. We don't seem to have a special name for it in North America. They seem to be pretty uncommon nowadays and replaced by pipe clamps. They are still available in the Canadian catalogs, but not, apparently in the US ones. The beefier version are called I-beam clamps, while there are ones with aluminium bars. On your description, yes it makes sense, I would only add that they have a shallow throat (as opposed to opening) like a pipe clamp.

On the F-clamp, Lee Valley and Garret-Wade call them fast acting bar clamps, Woodcraft and Rockler call them bar clamps, except for the Record model which is a speed clamp (Woodcraft). Luigizanasi 03:07, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

OK, well I'd propose that we have a generic term 'bar clamp' and then define some of the specific types and include the regional names as AKAs. eg. Long bar clamp (also known as Sash Clamp/Sash Cramp) has a flat, I beam, or 'T' shaped bar along which the fixed jaw slides etc.. SilentC 03:45, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

The sash clamp is used for putting together "sashes" ... it's appearance is irrelevant. Of course where the cabinet maker's inudstry is nigh, than it's called a sash clamp because that's what it's being used for. If you really want to get technical though, a real sash clamp is actually made out of timber or even rope! One such variant actually used a pulley system to pull together the edns of furniturne, much like picture framer's do with those cheap plastic ones available today. (as a tip to any one reading, if your precise withyourfurniture making you can make super sash clamp out of a modern ratchet tie down and two/four/more? blocks of wood. An F clamp I am pretty sure is modern terminology for the "whiz bang" clamps available throughout our industrial history. Personally I still call a G clamp as such, but an F clamp to me is just a clamp, today their are so many varieties it's easier to call them by their brand names (some wood workers get pedantic enough to also name, C A H J).Erlyrisa (talk) 15:34, 20 February 2008 (UTC) If anything maybe listing the other lettered appearing clamps ould be called for... like the H and J clamp are refered too, and C is usually mistaken for G.Erlyrisa (talk) 15:34, 20 February 2008 (UTC)

I think you will find that the term 'sash clamp' or 'sash cramp' is still in popular use, even though most people would not be using them to make windows. It is a term used for a type of clamp that may once have been used for a specific purpose but is now more widely applied to many situations requiring a clamp with a large capacity. My grandfather's sash clamps, which would be at least 60 years old, consist of metal T shaped bars with holes drilled along their length. The bottom jaw slides up and down this bar and is locked in place with a pin. The top jaw is fixed at one end of the bar and is wound in or out by means of a screw. If you walk into any hardware shop or tool supplier, you will probably find versions of this same clamp. In Australia, most people I've come across call these 'sash clamps' or 'sash cramps'. So I would say that the appearance has everything relevance, since its form is what relates it to the original purpose and is the reason that it has preserved the name beyond that purpose. Your description of using a ratchet strap is what I would call a band clamp. SilentC (talk) 23:54, 20 February 2008 (UTC)

There you go, Band Clamp should also be included, maybe noting that their ok for picture framing. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Erlyrisa (talk • contribs) 09:13, 21 February 2008 (UTC)

What, like this: Band clamp? :) SilentC (talk) 22:35, 21 February 2008 (UTC)

Cardellini clamp

I'm the original poster and strongly urge Cardellini clamp be merged herein (but I dunno how to do it). unsigned comment by Robertkeller 17:15, 27 June 2006

Easy. You first copy the stuff over and then create a redirect to this article. In more detail:

1. Go to Cardellini clamp, click on the edit tab & copy what you want.

2. Come back to Clamp (tool), click on edit tab and paste it in the appropriate place. Save your changes.

3. Go back to Cardellini clamp, open the edit window and replace the text with #REDIRECT[[Clamp (tool)]]

Redirects are cheap and there is no need to delete the original article. Now anyone looking for a Cardellini Clamp will be sent here. You might have got confused by the "Move" button at the top. That is not really used to move text, but to rename articles instead. HTH Luigizanasi 04:30, 28 June 2006 (UTC)

Cramp

"In the United Kingdom and Australia, the term cramp..." Really? I have never heard the word 'cramp' used in this way.

I have to agree .... I have seen even note-able magazines starting to use the word "Cramp" ..., maybe something could be said of the word's sudden uptake in usage. I believe it has more to do with ill-taught apprentices not spelling correctly and hearing the word as Cramp - the mistake can easily be made, especially considering that the word cramp in it's common meaning, i.e. "to stuff" "cramped space" etc, is more common in the vernacular. -the same has happened to the word Arris. The word is strictly supposed to be used to describe complex sharp edge architectural corners, yet today even fully qualified cabinet makers and carpenters will instruct apprentices to "take the arris off", or even more incorrectly "add an arris to that edge", when what is meant is to "sand the edges of that table" or "add some bevels to that edge"

I have had this same type of argument with the Sabre Saw, where common usage dictates that this is type of tool is consider as a Mc Donified Sawzall or reciprocating saw. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 202.161.87.172 (talk) 06:48, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

This may come as a complete shock to you, but just because YOU have never heard the term used that way, it does not necessarily mean that it is not. SilentC 23:24, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

From the Macquarie Dictionary:

Cramp

noun 1. a small metal bar with bent ends, for holding together planks, masonry, etc.; a cramp iron.

2. a portable frame or tool with a movable part which can be screwed up to hold things together; clamp.

3. anything that confines or restrains.

4. a cramped state or part.

--verb (t) 5. to fasten or hold with a cramp.

6. to confine narrowly; restrict; restrain; hamper.

--phrase 7. cramp someone's style, to hinder someone from displaying their best abilities, or their preferred self-image. [Middle Dutch: hook, clamp]

SilentC 23:36, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

To help others decide....

Although a history lesson in itslef, and may be philisophical in nature, the word cramp seems to stem from the act of ""crushing", an item permanently and denotes the action and implement, where the implement causes an unreversible state to the action. Eg. leather makers cramping tools. Somehow over the years mixtures of trades have amalgamated the terms.

The clamp, and the act of clamping denotes a non time dependant function.

eg. Un-clamp vs. remove the cramp, although the pro's are interchange-able, only the word clamp specifies the implement only.

Erlyrisa (talk) 17:23, 17 February 2008 (UTC)

It could be postulated that the coloquilising of cramp stems from the "severity" and "rigour" with which the action takes place. Instead of subtly clamping: the more masculinised form of cramp became popular terminology.

Erlyrisa (talk) 17:23, 17 February 2008 (UTC)

The use of the term is so ancient that you'll probably never really be able to pinpoint where it comes from. Here is some etymology of terms:

clamp (n.) - 1304, probably from clamb, orig. pt. of climb, or from M.Du. klampe, from W.Gmc. *klamp- "clamp, cleat." The verb is from 1677.

cramp (n.) - "muscle contraction," 1374, from O.Fr. crampe, from a Frank. word (cf. O.H.G. krapmhe "cramp, spasm," related to kramph "bent, crooked"). The same P.Gmc. root yielded M.Du. crampe, M.L.G. krampe, one of which gave Eng. cramp "a metal bar bent at both ends" (1503), which yielded a metaphoric sense (first recorded 1719) of "something that confines or hinders." Writer's cramp is first attested 1853.

I gather that one version of cramp was a metal bar, bent like a staple, which was used for fixing stone blocks in place. I don't think it's for us to decide whether one term is more appropriate than the other, we simply need to document both usages, which we have done here. SilentC (talk) 01:17, 18 February 2008 (UTC)

I did some looking around concerning violin craftsmanship, it seems that they to seem to use the word cramp. In sentences like "cramped into place", which agrees with the feeling the act of cramping differs to clamping , vs. "clamped in place" refers to the objects being clamped, whereas cramping seems to be more 'active' (like a verbalised noun). -it's delightful to witness the evolution of english!202.161.87.172 (talk) 03:53, 18 February 2008 (UTC)

Yes all very interesting, but as I said we're not here to dig up the etymology of the words in question. All we have to do is to establish that the word 'cramp' is in fact used in a fashion that is synonymous with 'clamp' in some parts of the world, which it patently is, and so it remains in the article as an alternative, despite the fact that some people have never heard it used thus, which was the point of this original thread. SilentC (talk) 04:39, 19 February 2008 (UTC)

De-Sta-Co type clamps deserve mention

Toggling-type clamps find various uses in jigs and fixtures. Not knowledgeable enough here to write anything in the article, so I'll leave it as an open request. __Just plain Bill (talk) 22:44, 19 May 2008 (UTC)