Plate Clamps and Grape Fruit Punch

[flukecej]

Invention is the Mother of Necessity, or something like that. And if you give me a picture of a tool, I might just be able to duplicate it. We needed some plate clamps for handling steel plate horizontally. Something simple and inexpensive. I've got access to the tools, can I build what I need? Can I find something that will do the job? I found some simple clamps online marketed as "Bird Clamps".

01-Bird Clamp Online.jpg

I dusted off my AutoDesk Inventor and laid out the clamp I found online

02-My Version.jpg

Using our Hypertherm Powermax 1000 and my Miller Circle Cutter Guide and a straight edge or two, I laid out, cut, and trimed out the pieces.

03-Clamp Plate Layout.jpg
04-Initial Cuts.jpg
05-Next Cuts.jpg

Well, that's the first Five, I'll add the others in additional post.

[flukecej]

This is the next batch of Pictures of my home built Bird Clamps

06-Cutting Free.jpg
07-Mark Off Braces.jpg
08-Clamp the Guide.jpg
09-Trim the Ends.jpg
10-Mark the Pivot.jpg

To Be Continued...

[flukecej]

Wow, If you don't arrange the attachments yourself, the software has its own idea of order.

11-Making the Cut.jpg
12-Trimming Out.jpg
13-Fit Up.jpg
14-Welded Up.jpg
15-Another View.jpg

To be continued, after some editting.

[flukecej]

Is this what selecting "Your Five" is like?

16-First Test.jpg
17-Black Paint.jpg
18-Red Paint.jpg
19-Second Clamp Fit Up.jpg
20-Second Clamp Welded.jpg

To be continued, after arranging...

[flukecej]

I guess I should learn how to do this from online and not from my computer...

21-Rear View.jpg
22-Side View.jpg
23-Clamp Open.jpg

The Clamps needed some teeth to grip with, so and old horse file was used to add some grip to the clamp.

24-Dental Work.jpg
25-Grip for Clamp.jpg

We're almost done, I think one more post will complete the pictures.
To be continued...

[flukecej]

OK, we have arrived, the final pictures...

I didn't mention this, I had previously cut out enough parts to make 2 sets, not completely, I had a few more to cut out after the modifications made to the first set.
26-Trim Out 2nd Set.jpg

And here is the first set after the paint finally dried...

27-First Set Final Paint.jpg
28-First Set Complete.jpg

Many of you are probably wondering what "Grape Fruit Punch" is. Well, its been more humid than normal here on the South Plains of Texas and it just makes you sweat alot more. Well I have been mixing KoolAide and Gatorade and it comes out pretty interesting. The mix of late has been KoolAide Grape and Gatorade Fruit Punch, thus the name. Next Mix, Tropical Fruit and Fruit Punch, that makes Tropical Fruit Fruit Punch.

Stay Tuned for more project updates. After the rain, thank you Alex, time to pull weeds and haul off some scrap metal. Upcoming projects: Trailer rebuilds and mods and rig rebuild to come, along with the mother of all truck service beds.