Sheet metal pinch clamps (?)
 

YOu know those little clamps that hold two pieces of sheet metal together flush? They look really useful for aligning and welding sheetmetal except that they imply a minimum gap of 0.032" between the metal pieces to allow their "key" to fit through the metal.

Everything I've ever been taught is you want your gap to be as minimal as possible. Do good fabricators ever use these or are they for hack repairs?

I've never used them due to the "gap", but they do look really nice for holding everything in place while you tack, not to mention a .032 gap on each side would make the filler piece a lot easier to cut since you have .064 leeway.

I'm inclined to think the magnetic versions would be better although of course its difficult to weld anywhere near a magnet and they're obviously no good on aluminum.

edit - these things - http://www.eastwood.com/review/product/list/id/56/

Just use a magnet to hold your patch.... if that's what you're doing - and tack it in.

If you're hanging an entire panel - that's a job for clamps etc and there's usually somewhere you can get a clamp to hold the panel until you put a few tacks in it.

Just my experience is all.


If you're TIG welding -- make sure the magnets aren't near where you're attempting to weld -- TIG and magnets don't like each other. :cheers:

What happens if you get a TIG near a magnet? Is it a something destructive yet wickedly cool? :unibrow:

Just........... No

Just one other "thought" because lots of people read these kinds of threads...


Many of our panels are compound curves or curved in some manor... and they take a bit of hammer and dolly work as you weld in patches etc... these clamps are good for flat and STRAIGHT cuts etc. Many times the patches I'm making are not straight... they're shapes with curves and around other stuff and on and on.

I've always just used a variety of clamps (you can never own enough of them) - and or magnets - or I've welded on temporary "hand holds" etc. Once you put a tack or two on the piece -- then it's "there" and there is much other consideration - like trying to control warpage -- and shrinkage -- and all manor of other nuances to these types of "jobs".


Just thinking out loud here....

yeah I never really thought of them as being used to hold in the whole patch panel but more as a "local" device to help in place of having a 3rd hand and a good way to get it held tightly flush. So the gap was my main concern. I have a set and after experimenting with them in the past I never used them but I wanted to see if anyone else had success with them.

Ron Covell grinds away a little bit of the metal where the center pull goes thru to the other side. That allows the clamp to be used - and you can flush up the panels and tack them. Then pull the clamp and weld the small slot.

Or you can use cleco fasteners and straps on the back side to tack up the panel. Then you can weld the little cleco holes no problem.

Jim

Jim, that's a good tip:thumbsup:

And I agree with Greg about TIG welding near magnet,lol.

Maybe a dumb question but I have to ask. When you talked about warpage, etc. Are MIG welds used at all or is everything sheet metal wise TIG welded? I just purchased a TIG but am still learning how to use it. Whereas the MIG I am pretty decent at. Also, anyone used an item called Muggy Weld? It supposedly prevents warping.

MIG filler wire is harder to metal finish.... it's a harder metal.... TIG is softer filler so easier to finish etc and it's easier to control the heat with TIG IMHO.

More people MIG sheet metal than TIG because of the skill required and the costs of TIG.