Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Clamps
Youwillneedaselectionofclampstoholdworkdowntothetableandpacking
blocks to go under the end of the clamps. You can buy sets of clamps that
have angular teeth on their ends to match angular packing blocks. By rais-
ing the back of the clamp and putting a packing block under, the height of the
clamp can be varied.
It is important that the packing block is used correctly. The stud should be
about
1
⁄
3
of the way along the clamp from the work. The remaining
2
⁄
3
of the
clamp should be behind the stud at the packing block end. The packing block
end should be slightly higher than the work end of the clamp so the top of the
clamp runs very slightly downhill to the work.
A selection of flat clamps and packing blocks will be found useful as well.
A different type of clamp is the swan-neck clamp, so called because it re-
sembles a swan's neck. This sort of clamp is ideal when you want to keep
the clamps low down to the table, perhaps to avoid fouling on the cutter. A re-
finement of the swan-neck clamp is one where the clamp is fitted with a pivot
pin; the clamp's back end clamps directly onto the table, and the clamp itself
clamps on to the work.
