Straightening a C Clamp

[DavidB]

I picked up this not so small Jorgensen 412 C clamp at the flea market today for $5. As you can see it is bent, but I thought there was a good chance I could find a way to straighten it.



It's not out a whole lot.



I was wondering if anyone has straightened a C clamp before and could share how they did it? So far I've thought of heating the end of the C and turning it with a pipe wrench. I'd also thought of trying to tighten it down on a wedge to push it back in the right direction but fear this would bend the screw. If anyone has any thoughts I'd love to hear them.

Thanks,
David

 

[larry_g]

Clamp the web of the screw leg in the vise and then pull or push the rest of the frame into alignment. They are malleable iron.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[racingtadpole]

Last one I did a few weeks ago I put into a vice, wound the screw down until it was almost bottomed (just to make it a bit easier to see where to aim) and then heated it with an oxy and 'adjusted' it with a BFH...

It took a bit of heat to get it to move easily, those big cast clamps soak a lot of heat. It trashes the paint and nukes the grease, but thats not a big drama.

 

[870chrisb]

Ive been trying to straighten one for the past few days. Tried the heat and pipe wrench route but so far havent really got it where I want it.

 

[fflintstone]

Last one I did a few weeks ago I put into a vice, wound the screw down until it was almost bottomed (just to make it a bit easier to see where to aim) and then heated it with an oxy and 'adjusted' it with a BFH...

It took a bit of heat to get it to move easily, those big cast clamps soak a lot of heat. It trashes the paint and nukes the grease, but thats not a big drama.

X2

I just did a few today till I ran out of oxygen.

 

[fflintstone]

I would be all over that size clamp for $5.

A man can NEVER have too many C clamps.

 

[Outlawmws]

I need to resurrect this thread I started anyway, but ask and you shall receive.

Solidly anchored vise and a big Crescent will do this...

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=201179

 

[DavidB]

Well, I tried pretty much what Outlawmws illustrated except with a 6" Wilton vise and a 24" pipewrench with a cheater bar. I'm pretty sure it just laughed at me and told me to go away. I think I'm going to need to heat it in order to move it but I don't have a torch. Hmm.. I may have to find someone with a torch.

 

[Outlawmws]

put a cheater on the pipe wrench or get a second body involved (Assuming the vise is securely anchored).

It also matters where you clamp and where you bend, if you try to bend at a point, you are going to find it difficult... Generally its a twisting of the beam, not a sharp bend.

 

[racingtadpole]

I would be all over that size clamp for $5.

A man can NEVER have too many C clamps.

I scored 14 that were a little smaller (12-15") on evilbay a few weeks ago for $43, cost me $55 to courier all 32kg of them halfway across Australia where they sat on my doorstep for three days until I got home from work because my Mrs decided that the box was too heavy to move.

 

[jakemac]

Try securing the clamp in your vise and use a 60" pinch bar through the clamp and PULL.
Chain up a come-along if you have to.
Be prepared to duck.