Agree. Great information. Thanks to everyone who helped out. Learned something new today.
More Whatzits--Can we make this the official Whatzit thread?
- Thread starter Beerhippie
- Start date
d42jeep
Well-known member
Happened to us in the mountains. Power company had to replace the transformer.
-Don
OP
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Out here, it's mostly hawks.
RTM
Well-known member
Thanks for this. I read somewhere (here or another forum) that a certain air hammer (from HF?) had a good trigger, and could be run at low enough pressure to be used for simple riveting (tool box hardware). They suggested mating it with Yard store hammers. It's been sitting unused for a year, and your original statement had me worried.
Thanks again, as others have said, great answer.
Bought 6 odd clamps on Friday for $1.00 each because “Why not?”, they were cheap and they called to both of us that they had to be useful . . . somehow.
Learned what they were and that eliminated “Whatzit” but rather than clutter the Forum with another Thread I figured there might be an acceptable Sub-Thread of “Whatzit for?”
“Yates clamps are versatile tools to have in the office. Routinely used for securely holding harnesses during fittings, these can also be used to suspend stockinette or casting socks.”
fillauer.com
Surely we can find a broader usefulness for these little Clamps!
Learned what they were and that eliminated “Whatzit” but rather than clutter the Forum with another Thread I figured there might be an acceptable Sub-Thread of “Whatzit for?”
“Yates clamps are versatile tools to have in the office. Routinely used for securely holding harnesses during fittings, these can also be used to suspend stockinette or casting socks.”
Yates Clamps
Yates clamps are versatile tools to have in the office. Routinely used for securely holding harnesses during fittings, these can also be used to suspend stockinette or casting socks.
fillauer.com
Surely we can find a broader usefulness for these little Clamps!
Attachments
Prior to everything laser- suspended ceiling contractors used them to level the grid system. They attached the wall angles using a bubble or water level. Then used the clamps to pull/hold strings for the mains. The mains were suspended from wires to the ceiling or structurals above. Twisting the wires to tweak the mains to the "level" of the strings. The grid system may not have always been level, but it was in a consistent plane.Bought 6 odd clamps on Friday for $1.00 each because “Why not?”, they were cheap and they called to both of us that they had to be useful . . . somehow.
Learned what they were and that eliminated “Whatzit” but rather than clutter the Forum with another Thread I figured there might be an acceptable Sub-Thread of “Whatzit for?”
“Yates clamps are versatile tools to have in the office. Routinely used for securely holding harnesses during fittings, these can also be used to suspend stockinette or casting socks.”
Yates Clamps
Yates clamps are versatile tools to have in the office. Routinely used for securely holding harnesses during fittings, these can also be used to suspend stockinette or casting socks.
Surely we can find a broader usefulness for these little Clamps!
Oregon Dave
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2023
- Messages
- 298
My guess would something like a tarp clamp; tighten it on the edge of a canvas tarp, put a rope through the eye and pull tight.Bought 6 odd clamps on Friday for $1.00 each because “Why not?”, they were cheap and they called to both of us that they had to be useful . . . somehow.
Learned what they were and that eliminated “Whatzit” but rather than clutter the Forum with another Thread I figured there might be an acceptable Sub-Thread of “Whatzit for?”
“Yates clamps are versatile tools to have in the office. Routinely used for securely holding harnesses during fittings, these can also be used to suspend stockinette or casting socks.”
Yates Clamps
Yates clamps are versatile tools to have in the office. Routinely used for securely holding harnesses during fittings, these can also be used to suspend stockinette or casting socks.
Surely we can find a broader usefulness for these little Clamps!
Outlawmws
Well-known member
That would be a good use also, especially for tarps that have that cord on the edge.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Drop ceilings? Tarps? Sheesh. Doesn't anyone else hang their clothes on a line anymore?!
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ they are also referred to as a "button clamp" but I cannot find anything showing exactly how they are used.
additionally, there's another "Yates Mfg. Co" in Lake Geneva, WI that makes a "univeral sewing awl" that's getting in the way of the search.
additionally, there's another "Yates Mfg. Co" in Lake Geneva, WI that makes a "univeral sewing awl" that's getting in the way of the search.
RTM
Well-known member
From a 1958 American Machinist
Yates clamps for dipping , flange work , edge work , and bench or wall use come in four types
Looks like Wedgelock May have been a maker or distributor.
Holding PCBs
Hand Tools
books.google.com
Saw a reference to holding metal for dipping prior to painting, but don’t see it now.
Lots of references to prosthetic creation too.
Guy I got mine from said he used them for simple sheet metal alignment prior to screwing or pop riveting together
four.cycle
Well-known member
So... it's simply a gizmo that allows one to clamp two pieces of <insert flat material type here> together in the process of assembly/manufacturing? 
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
Ive learned nothing.lol 
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
I have no idea and have not tried to identify what they were originally intended for, but I would say...
As demonstrated by the application that Fillauer (mfgr of orthotics and prosthetics...) is using them for - which is the fitting room. Similar to a tailor with pins. @MisterEd pretty much implied a perceived versatility for pretty much anything in his post inviting ideas - and I agree with him! @Outlawmws laughed, and my comment was intentionally funny, but I was only half-joking when I said they would make terrific clothespins. They would! Or for hanging anything heavy securely on any line. I really like the quick clamp/quick release (cam) action.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
For those interested in the original intent - apparently Yates' overall objective ("small clamps for multiple uses") was as diverse as @MisterEd's intuitive reaction to them. (My 1948 source is Snippet View only, but if you're clever, you can compel Google Books to give you as many snippets as you can with search terms and stitch it together.)
The last line in the second snippet reads "for holding sheet metal parts, films, towels," (which took me several minutes of trial and error to get it to confirm my conjecture with yellow highlight...), but I can't read the rest of the line or predict enough of where it might be going to give me the next few lines in another snippet to see what other kinds of things/uses he envisioned
EDIT: Here's the rest! (Smarter than your average f&^%ing copyright limitation!)
"for holding sheet metal parts, films, towels, instructions, prints, display cards and many other items."
Although the unit in the photo looks slightly different than the units @MisterEd found.
Their TM (for the term 'SKIN-TITE') also mentions sheet metal.
The last line in the second snippet reads "for holding sheet metal parts, films, towels," (which took me several minutes of trial and error to get it to confirm my conjecture with yellow highlight...), but I can't read the rest of the line or predict enough of where it might be going to give me the next few lines in another snippet to see what other kinds of things/uses he envisioned
EDIT: Here's the rest! (Smarter than your average f&^%ing copyright limitation!)
"for holding sheet metal parts, films, towels, instructions, prints, display cards and many other items."
Although the unit in the photo looks slightly different than the units @MisterEd found.
Their TM (for the term 'SKIN-TITE') also mentions sheet metal.
Attachments
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nadogail
Well-known member
I used those same Wheel Cylinder clamps when I did brakes on my first car, a 1946 Chevrolet and my first Pickup, a 1948 Chevrolet.
senlow
Well-known member
Here is my whatzit. I acquired, along with a few tools, them a couple of days ago. Does anyone know what they are? I did finally figure out that the item at the bottom of the pic is a 6" steel rule. It's actually in the pic to provide scale.
Wrench97
Well-known member
Looks like a locomotive reversing key...Here is my whatzit. I acquired, along with a few tools, them a couple of days ago. Does anyone know what they are? I did finally figure out that the item at the bottom of the pic is a 6" steel rule. It's actually in the pic to provide scale.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
^ Yes. I totally got that. And it was meant to be funny. But we still do hang our clothing on a line and these would make excellent clothespins!
senlow
Well-known member
Wow!! I had no idea.
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
Knowledge!
OP
Beerhippie
Well-known member
It'll come in handy next time you need to back your jacked locomotive out of a parking spot at the mall!
Debcrow
Well-known member
Clever? Compromises my searches, I guess.
If they'd been related to Saw Sets you'd've learned even less.Ive learned nothing.lol
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Snerk. I'm reading this as self-deprecating humor - but you do know I was only referring to how to get around the Snippet views, right? Not general searches.
Just to re-state the tip, in case anyone is interested... With Google Books, if a document prompted by your search terms is behind the copyright wall, it will be provided it in your results list, but not the whole publication, just showing you the few lines that anyone is allowed to sample from any book, song, etc without permission. However, if you can deduce what terms might be in a preceding paragraph or a subsequent paragraph to the Snippet based on the content of the Snippet, you can go back and search on those terms, and it will provide another Snippet. If you do that with enough patience and cohesion, you can piece together in multiple Snippets a semblance of an entire article that is behind the copyright wall.
Huh! Would Yates Clamps help with that? Hold all those damn snippets?
Appreciate the Google Books Search information with or without Clamp usage.
OP
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Can't you train an AI to do this?
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Snerk. It's actually pretty good at deduction. The subject matter might be too esoteric, though. (In general, across all government, industry, and academia, that's the biggest challenge with AI. Wide is easy. Deep, not so much.)
senlow
Well-known member
Oops, I thought it was in reverse.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Speaking of AI and Yates, I tested our old friend Chatty and the mannequin over in the Copilot seat.
I won't bore everyone with the results, but in summary, both relied on eBay, Worthpoint, and Google Patents. Neither provided the TM or any of the information on the clamps I was able to pull out of trade mags on Google Books. Neither used any information about Yates posted here. Neither cited GJ. Both provided descriptions of the clamps we already have with examples in our possession. Both mined the same Fillauer website Ed posted to conclude they were still being made by others for that and similar industries. ChatGPT found an irrelevant 1943 Yates patent (2,327,148) for a different clamp. To its credit, Copilot found the design patent (D134,622) for the clamps Ed found.
I won't bore everyone with the results, but in summary, both relied on eBay, Worthpoint, and Google Patents. Neither provided the TM or any of the information on the clamps I was able to pull out of trade mags on Google Books. Neither used any information about Yates posted here. Neither cited GJ. Both provided descriptions of the clamps we already have with examples in our possession. Both mined the same Fillauer website Ed posted to conclude they were still being made by others for that and similar industries. ChatGPT found an irrelevant 1943 Yates patent (2,327,148) for a different clamp. To its credit, Copilot found the design patent (D134,622) for the clamps Ed found.
RTM
Well-known member
And, NOT in DATAMP. Dammit
Zrxrunner
Well-known member
Rebooting the whatzits!!! Obviously could be used for all kinds of stuff, but seems purpose built to mount to something tubular and clamp something square or rectangular? Anyone seen a vise/clamp like this? Google lens seems to think its a cylinder ridge reamer (lolol) or a leg vise. Dont think so, Tim!!
Attachments
Wrench97
Well-known member
Almost looks like a I beam clamp of some kind.
Zrxrunner
Well-known member
Looks like a possibility. Maybe not to clamp to something tubular, but maybe clamp to an i-beam and HOLD up something tubular?
Outlawmws
Well-known member
I'm thinking guide/support for a pipe threading machine?
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
Looks suspiciously like a shop smith accessory. Kay would probably know if it is or not.
@kaymccampbell
@kaymccampbell
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Outlawmws
Well-known member
I think you mean @kaymccampbell ?
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
You learn me erythin