Looking for feedback on these clamps

[ltlvt]

I am looking for feedback both positive and negative on the use of these clamps. They are great on the drill presses and my homemade clamp table for holding everything from boards to metal parts. I adapted them to my mill tables by using 12mm Tee Nuts. They are great so far for quick and light milling. As you can see they will work up to 4" . Could be taller if some adapters were made. Any ideas of improved uses are welcomed. I have not found it necessary to use a vice on a drill press since I bought my first set. I now have 4 of them. And bought my son 2 of them for the drill press I gave him.

 

[MikeInOr]

I have a few of those that I picked up at a garage sale. I have never found a use for them. My drill-presses have T slots like my mill and I never found a good way to attach them to the table. I might need to pull them out and take another look at them, if I can find them.

 

[pontiac428]

Take the adjuster screw out and put it on the lathe. Square up the end of the bolt that touches the lever arm. It will keep the clamp from popping open on you because they are unfinished kits as supplied.

I used one on my old DP for years. My dad rebuilt a float lock and sent it to me after I got my Powermatic 1200, so that made the Rice-Grips obsolete.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

I am looking for feedback both positive and negative on the use of these clamps. They are great on the drill presses and my homemade clamp table for holding everything from boards to metal parts. I adapted them to my mill tables by using 12mm Tee Nuts. They are great so far for quick and light milling. As you can see they will work up to 4" . Could be taller if some adapters were made. Any ideas of improved uses are welcomed. I have not found it necessary to use a vice on a drill press since I bought my first set. I now have 4 of them. And bought my son 2 of them for the drill press I gave him.

If you took a piece of metal (aluminum maybe) the thickness of that strap clamp it is setting on and and cut a square from it not much larger than its foot than drill a hole in it the size of that bolt I could see it being useful as a quick hold down....

 

[ltlvt]

I have a few of those that I picked up at a garage sale. I have never found a use for them. My drill-presses have T slots like my mill and I never found a good way to attach them to the table. I might need to pull them out and take another look at them, if I can find them.

Both my drill presses have slots so no need for TEE Nuts on them but if you need to buy Tee nuts you will need 12mm . I wanted to expand their use so I bought the Tee Nuts rather than spend the time and money to make them.

 

[ltlvt]

Take the adjuster screw out and put it on the lathe. Square up the end of the bolt that touches the lever arm. It will keep the clamp from popping open on you because they are unfinished kits as supplied.

I used one on my old DP for years. My dad rebuilt a float lock and sent it to me after I got my Powermatic 1200, so that made the Rice-Grips obsolete.

I was going to build a float lock for the drill press, but the Rice Clamps are portable and quick. I'm not quite sure what you mean by the modification you mentioned. Here are some other uses I found for them.

 

[C-Bag]

I guess this is a direct reflection on how we have drastically different projects. I had a set of those and they were too much hassle so I gave them to the neighbor when I got my Palmgren 8” x-y rotary table with 4” speed vise. I’ve only taken the rig off once in the couple of years since I installed it. YMMV.

 

[pontiac428]

I was going to build a float lock for the drill press, but the Rice Clamps are portable and quick. I'm not quite sure what you mean by the modification you mentioned.

The adjuster screw. The end of it is sh!tty. Clean up the end of the adjuster screw in the lathe, and it will feel like a better tool.

 

[ltlvt]

The adjuster screw. The end of it is sh!tty. Clean up the end of the adjuster screw in the lathe, and it will feel like a better tool.

I re read your suggestion and now I understand it. Could save a Bozo Thanks

 

[francist]

I don’t much care for them. I find at least with the couple that I have there is always a tiny bit of creep in the part just as the clamp tightens down which annoys me no end. I don’t get that with ordinary C-clamps. I have to say I really thought I would use these more but I find I do almost everything but use them. The handle seems always in the wrong place and the pad is either too close or too far from where I want it, I’ve just never gotten fond of them. For repeat jig operations I have a dozen or so DeStaCo toggle clamps which work way better for me.