How to make clamping pliers for any purpose with a long gripping distance

When performing various work in the workshop, powerful clamping pliers may be required, effectively replacing a clamp and a vice. They are useful for fixing workpieces when cutting, gluing, drilling or welding. Thanks to the lever system used in their design, the compression power of the clamp is greater than the actual force applied to activate the mechanism. That is, in order to securely fix the parts in it, you do not need to tighten the knob to the limit of your physical capabilities.

Materials:

• thick-walled pipe 3/4 inch;
  
• long pin M12;
  
• nuts M6, M12, M14;
  
• M6 bolts;
  
• profile pipe 10x20 mm;
  
• steel strip.

The process of making pliers

M12 nuts with a screwed-in pin are welded into a piece of pipe about 100 mm long along the edges.


An M14 nut is installed on the end of the stud and secured on the sides with washers. The latter are welded so that the nut can rotate freely.

Then 2 M6 nuts are welded to its sides.

2 narrow shoulders cut from a strip are welded to the pipe.


Their length is 70 mm.On one side, a hole is drilled into them; at the end of the junction with the pipe, they must be cut at an angle of 45 degrees.

Then levers 110 mm long, cut from the same strip, are screwed to the nuts on the stud. They have pre-drilled holes on each edge.

Next you need to make the clamp claws from the profile pipe. They consist of three lengths of 70, 100 and 40 mm. For short workpieces, one end is cut at 45 degrees; for a 100 mm piece, both sides are cut off. From two sets of such blanks it is necessary to weld a pair of identical claws.

Holes are drilled in the claws for the arms and levers of the mechanism. After this, the parts are connected with bolts and nuts. The connection must remain loose so that the structure retains its mobility.

Rectangular plates are cut from sheet steel or strip. U-shaped linings for the claws are welded from them. The resulting jaws are attached to the pliers with bolts, also not rigidly.



You also need to weld a crank to the stud to allow manual rotation without a wrench.

If the recommended dimensions are followed, the resulting clamp has a grip of 170 mm, which is sufficient for most applications.


Having understood the structure of the structure, you can remake it to fit your dimensions if the proposed option seems small. After painting, a homemade clamp looks no worse than a factory one, and it is also highly reliable and powerful.

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