Quick fix for cheap bar clamps that wont tighten

[leftyz]

I'm not sure if anyone else has posted this, I couldn't find anything related when I searched.

http://zigsworkshop.wordpress.com/2014/05/02/quick-and-easy-fix-for-cheap-bar-clamps/

If you have a set of these cheap plastic bar clamps from China, then you know how quickly they break when you apply even the slightest bit of force.

 

[organ]

Not gonna help my HF ones... they busted out the side panel. Maybe that's why those Irwins cost so much...

 

[leftyz]

Not gonna help my HF ones... they busted out the side panel. Maybe that's why those Irwins cost so much...

Thats too bad, IIRC I got these from Tractor Supply, the side panels just bow out when you apply too much grip pressure.

 

[leftyz]

Maybe this could be a preventative measure for the HF bar clamps?

 

[Tom Hintz]

IN the last 12 years I have to had 100 email about cheap clamps failing and nobody being able to find anything that can be done about it. Short of buying good clamps anyway. It really seems that there is an art of sorts to making cheap clamps hat sort of work for a while then die, never to be resurrected again.

 

[skruft]

Interesting. I think I have never broken one of these, maybe because I have always used the name brands.

I have many, many clamps but find that in woodworking I use this type most of all, unless I don't have one long enough. They do not apply as much force as traditional clamps, though.

 

[leftyz]

IN the last 12 years I have to had 100 email about cheap clamps failing and nobody being able to find anything that can be done about it. Short of buying good clamps anyway. It really seems that there is an art of sorts to making cheap clamps hat sort of work for a while then die, never to be resurrected again.

Tom, these broke on my first use, I had just gotten home from the store with them and tightened them down a bit and "pop" they would go no tighter.

After doing this fix, I'm able to go as tight as I dare. Any more and either the 'trigger' will break or the clamping feet themselves.

 

[rlitman]

Interesting. I think I have never broken one of these, maybe because I have always used the name brands.

The name brands do not suffer this issue.

Tom, these broke on my first use, I had just gotten home from the store with them and tightened them down a bit and "pop" they would go no tighter.

After doing this fix, I'm able to go as tight as I dare. Any more and either the 'trigger' will break or the clamping feet themselves.

I got one of these from HF using a free coupon. There's no way I would have paid for it. Mine went pop testing it out on my hand.
That being said, I drilled mine out, and stuck a roofing nail in the pivot (wasn't wasting a good bolt on it), and it is now strong enough to clamp itself to an overhead beam and hang around. Still haven't gotten much good use out of it.