Small clamps for jigs any ideas?

[chunkolini]

When making my small human figures I have to jig up the hands and feet which is a massive pain.

They are made of 2mm mild steel gas welding rods brazed together. Bloody fiddly.
Fitting them onto the body is a balancing act.

I support the body in a large jig I made that works really well.
I have made smaller versions for the hands and feet which work but are a pain to set up, they use small mole grips and microphone stands on magnets.

It it time to move on a stage. The mole grips are cheap and nasty, wobbly jaws springs that have fallen out. First up I need some decent mini mole grips, all of the ones I have seen for sale look like novelty things for big boys to play with. Can anybody recommend some decent small ones. I figure they will cost; that makes me cry but they do get used a lot. I ave just built a collection of 20 of these guys and fiddling about with the clamps got a tad boring by the last few.

Supports? magnets on the bases are a pain when it comes to moving them around is there a source of cheapish switchable magnets? I looked at the price and cried into my cider.

I plan on using the clamps off retort stands at the fixed end and the mole grips at the business end. A big problem is that brazing the hands and feet on obviously involves a lot of heat.

So I am after stable bases and tiny mole grips.

No doubt within ten minutes I will have a solution.

 

[ben8vgte]

You wont go wrong with Irwin vice grip moles, the small ones are quite cheap. For cheap switchable magnets what about a DTI stand?

For example http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Magnetic-...UK_Measuring_Tools_Levels&hash=item19cd143c42

 

[julianthegypsy]

I've seen some very clever little mole grips at our local steel yard. Once you set the tension level, they adapt to whatever thickness steel you're using without having to adjust them. I'm going there on Tuesday, I'll find the brand for you. Then someone will come along and tell us they're crap!

 

[chunkolini]

ben, that is stupid.
Those magnets are about fifteen quid to buy on their own and with the attachment they are a tenner. Daft that. but listed in my favourites, thanks for that.
Julian will be watching out for them.
Almost sorted out in 17 minutes.
A bit slow this morning, I suppose it is all the chocolate.

 

[wheresmejumper]

probably not ideal for your work,but the little cast iron based flexible things that come with some soldering irons has got me out of bother a few times
https://www.google.ie/search?q=soldering+vice&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=cxBYUcLTH82HhQei8YHQDg&ved=0CDgQsAQ&biw=1440&bih=761

 

[Normsthename]

I've seen some very clever little mole grips at our local steel yard. Once you set the tension level, they adapt to whatever thickness steel you're using without having to adjust them. I'm going there on Tuesday, I'll find the brand for you. Then someone will come along and tell us they're crap!

Not at all, they are the best thing since sliced bread!
I bought a small pair a few years ago and they are brilliant.
There is a screw that allows you to set the tension and that's it.
It clamps onto any size material without messing with an adjuster screw.
They do them in all Mole Grip sizes, I am going to buy another larger one.

Andy

 

[wheresmejumper]

i had a Facom pair with about 4 or 5 years,but heat killed them
still clamp,but clamping force screw doesnt alter force any more

 

[Pete.]

Bunch of soft iron tie-wire twisted up with a clamp for a bulldog/croc clip on the end and a heavy base, you can adjust it infinately and it has little or no spring. Ideal for positioning small bits.

 

[CRB]

Lab clamps or small wire grips as found in chandlers.

The latter may involve too much setup time to be of use though.

 

[hotrodder]

I'm probably missing something but instead of making the hands and then sticking them to the arms what about clamping* up 4 lengths of the 2mm rod (the fingers), brazing it to the arms and then cutting and bending the fingers.

* 4 holes through a chunk of wood would keep the 'fingers' aligned, similar with the rod for the arms. Braze, slice excess off, pull through and repeat. Make a bunch and then tweak the fingers a la artiste

 

[Hitch]

Make yourself up some nice jigs, and use toggle clamps.

I think I'd be inclined to put the hands and feet onto straight bits of bar before doing the knees and elbows and attaching to the body.
As hotrodder mentioned, use longer rods and cut them off after, got to be easier.

 

[chunkolini]

I make the hands in bulk using a jig I developed and am keeping to myself.
Fitting them?
I did try brazing them onto the arms pre fitting the arms and did not like it. If they become to uniform they lose the individuality they currently have.
I reckon small grips on mag stands when I get my pocket money.