Clamp

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Clamps are important for many things such as drilling and sawing. There are three main clamps used in robotics; C-clamps, vices, and Quick Grips. They are used to secure an object in place to ensure that it does not move during sawing or drilling. They are a necessity for any drilling or sawing, if any amount of precision is wanted.

Types

C-Clamp
G-clamp.jpg
C-clamp
Tool Information
Material: Cast iron, steel
Uses: Holding objects in place
Other Names: G-clamp
Vice
150px
A vice which can be mounted onto a table.
Tool Information
Material: Wood, steel, cast iron
Uses: Holding objects in place
Other Names: Table clamp
Quick Grip
Quick-grip.jpg
Quick grip securing wood together
Tool Information
Material: Plastic, rubber
Uses: Holding objects in place

C Clamps

C clamps are clamps that are generally made out of cast iron or steel. They have a shape like the letter C, as indicated by their name. They can be used to hold wood, aluminum, or poly carb in place. C clamps use a lead screw mechanism to make the empty space in the mouth of their C shape smaller, allowing one or more objects to be held in place at the wanted pressure. Generally, C-clamps are used to fasten an object to the table of a drill press or to other objects, like sides which would be adjacent to it in a drive frame. This ensures that the holes and gussets will line up as well as possible.

Vices

A vice is a type of clamp which is mounted to a table. It uses a lead screw to loosen or tighten two wooden pieces onto an object which can be held in place. This is useful for sawing, dremeling, and drilling. They are useful due to the ease of their use and how they are already set up in the workshop. Vices are generally not used for securing multiple objects together, but rather for holding an object in place so it can be cut or drilled. A good example of this is using a vice to hold a bolt which needs shortening.

Quick Grips

Quick Grips may be more effective than C clamps. They are typically used with the chop saw to secure the object in place. This is due to the fact that their grips are designed for flat surfaces, like those of the aluminum tubes which are generally cut on the chop saw. Additionally, they are easy to adjust in case the initial tightening on the chop saw was not accurate. They also cannot damage the object which they hold in place from over-tightening due to how the tightening mechanism works and due to the large surface area of the rubber grips of the Quick-Grips.

Safety and Other Tips

Clamps come in a variety of sizes. Depending on the situation, the quantity and size of the clamps may vary. It is recommended to protect the object from the pressure applied by a C-clamp, since the clamp can put dents in the object, especially if it is a wooden object. It is important to ensure that the clamps which hold the object in place do not get in the way of the chuck or drill bit on the drill press.