pipe clamps again (really onlist, ha)

[Ron Nossaman]

>When I used some long reach pipe clamps on a back repair I bent the 3/4" 
>black pipe - one more reason I thought I might not use them for soundboard 
>installation, but at $6 each they are hard to resist - and I don't think I 
>will need to turn them down as much as I did for the back repair.  But I just 
>knocked out my first board here in the shop, and am progressing (by jerks and 
>stops) on my pneumatic beam SB press.

Well, here I go abusing you again, but it's really for your own good (don't
you hate it when people tell you that?). <G> The deep reach pipe clamps are
a no-no for high pressure applications, for the reason you cited. The
farther away from the centerline of the bar you get, the more bending force
you put on the pipe for a given pressure. Being able to reverse the jaws
for expansion pressure is a potentially handy thing, so these clamps are
definitely worth having. For applying brute force to delicate objects of
all types, you need clamps who's jaws are very close to the pipe, bar, or
whatever. The regular short jawed pipe clamps work better for that, though
you can still bend pipes with them if you insist. These are worth having
too. Medium duty F-clamps (I agree with Jim B, you're not trying to mash
the rim shorter), are the way to go for soundboard installation, in my
opinion. Using the slip jaw, rather than the ratchet clutch type, makes
them fast, easy, and potentially carnivorous. Deep reach pipe, and ratchet
clutch F-clamps are safer to handle, since you don't have a sliding jaw
trying to pinch chunks out of you, but it takes three hands to position
them, hold the caul up, slide the jaw down, and tighten the screw. I find
the sliding jaw F-clamp much quicker and easier to use, after I learned how
to handle them. I have 24 of the big ones, and 12 of the littler ones, and
have done up to 7' pianos without feeling I didn't have enough clamps.
Total cost was a little over $400. When I get a 9' in for soundboard
replacement, I may get another 6 big ones just to be sure, or not. Maybe
I'll try a few of Grizzly's $7.50 20 inchers. With cauls and such, you
don't need a hundred clamps.  


>(We did our first test on the fire hose end plug under pressure yesterday - 
>it's everything its reported to be - 80 psi shot the end cap out fast enough 
>to kill someone, but anticipating the event I was able to watch the thing 
>slowly push out - then BANG! - BAZOOKA!  at a lowered angle in a safe cement 
>block corner of the shop - don't try this at home.  Better glue and tighter 
>hose clamp, maybe less PSI too.)
>
>Bill Shull, RPT

Ouch!!!! I used siliconized latex caulk in mine, for a sealant, and hose
clamped the heck out of it. I run them at anywhere between 40-50 psi, and
haven't lost one so far. 

Ron N