Adjusting Vintage Graflex Clamp

[FLS89]

So I have a vintage graflex that I’m trying to use for an ANH build, and having some trouble with the clamp.

The clamp teeth seem to be angled inward and not allowing enough space to put the bubble strip in between them. If I loosen it up then it will be far too loose on the graflex tube.

Does anyone know of a good way to slightly bend the clamp so that it can be wide enough for the bubble strip?

Here’s a couple of pictures of what I mean. The first picture you can see the lines I drew are angled inward and the clamp is too tight. Whereas in the other picture (different clamp) the angles are pointing outward allowing for enough space.

 

[Obi1Kenobi]

I believe you can take it all apart, rotate the bar with the female threads by 180 degrees and then put it all back together to get a result that is half way in between too tight and too loose.

 

[FLS89]

I believe you can take it all apart, rotate the bar with the female threads by 180 degrees and then put it all back together to get a result that is half way in between too tight and too loose.

Yea unfortunately that's not really the issue though.

In either case, the part of the clamp that wraps around the graflex tube is too loose while the teeth of the clamp where the bubble strip sits is too tight.

The angles where the clamp bars sit aren't quite 90 degrees to the section that wraps the tube. Was hoping to be able to bend it just slightly more. Need like 1/8 inch.

 

[teecrooz]

I’d remove the clamp bars and just bend it to where you want. Use some force.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

The only advice I will offer, when it comes to bending the jaws of your clamp is, use a vice to get even force and bends vs. a method like pliers.

 

[FLS89]

Ok that makes sense. The main question then is….how do I fit it into a vice? I have a wood vice attached to my workbench but maybe I’m just not good at visualizing how I would insert it into the vice and properly leverage the jaws.

Probably hard to explain also lol. Thanks for any help though.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

Ok that makes sense. The main question then is….how do I fit it into a vice? I have a wood vice attached to my workbench but maybe I’m just not good at visualizing how I would insert it into the vice and properly leverage the jaws.

Probably hard to explain also lol. Thanks for any help though.

I’ve done it before. I’ll post some pics tonight

 

[FLS89]

I’ve done it before. I’ll post some pics tonight

Thanks so much!

 

[Captain Dunsel]

Thanks so much!

Here you go…

Place the “lip” of the jaws of one side of the clamp inside the jaws of the vice.

Tighten the vice only so far as it takes to “grip” the lip of the clamp—without crushing it.

From there, grab the body of the clamp and pull it up, or push it down, until the clamp lips grips the bubble strip the way that you want it.

You’ll likely need to adjust both sides of the clamp until it gets to where you want it to be.

 

[FLS89]

Here you go…

Place the “lip” of the jaws of one side of the clamp inside jaws of the vice.

Tighten the vice only so far as it takes to “grip” the lip of the clamp—without crushing it.

View attachment 1813568

From there, grab the body of the clamp and pull it up, or push it down, until the clamp lips grips the bubble strip the way that you want it.

View attachment 1813567

You’ll likely need to adjust both sides of the clamp until it gets to where you want it to be.

Thanks for the pictures and explanation.

So in this example since the picture is close up, I want to make sure I’m understanding correctly. Are you clamping inside the lip where the clamp bar would go, and then the other part of the vice is pushing lightly against the clamp body that wraps the graflex tube?

 

[Captain Dunsel]

Thanks for the pictures and explanation.

So in this example since the picture is close up, I want to make sure I’m understanding correctly. Are you clamping inside the lip where the clamp bar would go, and then the other part of the vice is pushing lightly against the clamp body that wraps the graflex tube?

The jaws on my vice fit right where the bars on the clamp would normally go and the jaws of the vice are cranked down only enough to “grip” the lip of the clamp so that I can push down / pull up on cylinder of the clamp to alter how the lips on the Graflex clamp align.

 

[FLS89]

Ah ok, at first I didn’t see both sides of the vice. But yea I think I get it now. Hopefully my vice is similarly sized, it looks quite similar so I’ll give it a shot soon. Thanks again.

 

[FLS89]

Was able to do it this morning and it worked. Thanks again for the help on this, problem solved!

 

[Captain Dunsel]

Was able to do it this morning and it worked. Thanks again for the help on this, problem solved!

Outstanding!