Pretty Decent DIY clamps

[kermit]

I recently bought a Blasttech mpp clamp, and it hasn't arrived or been shipped yet.

I'm impatient and I like making things, so I thought I'd try and make my own
First, I experimented with a metal 1 1/2 inch tube and cutting it into strips for the bars. Didn't work out how I wanted it to, but if I spent more time on it, it would definetly have had been better.


Then I realized I had a 3D printer, so I attempted twice to make them, no luck and I got a ball of plastic. So the other night I tried it again, and it happened to work pretty well


After the print it was extremely fragile so I epoxied in part of the metal tube, and it worked perfectly. Right afterwords all I had to do was print out the bars and center piece and it looks pretty good. I'll try and update when I print out a better version and when It's painted

 

[tk427]

i made a few clamps out of sheet metal and 1/4" square stock the lever was from parts by parks....here is the template http://switz.tripod.com/Template04.gif

 

[SethS]

I too have a clamp shortage. I took the clamp from that monster Obi-Wan 3D saber that's online and had shapeways print it. It isn't bad, but I had to shave down the interior. It looks decent after a lot of painting, and is good for display-- bit I'm pretty sure one good impact would snap it.

If i had the means to roll and fold aluminum I'd try for my own too.