Ted Ewert Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 I have a perfectly adequate hold fast, but sometimes I need a little better grip on the work. I'm sure other guys have come up with different designs (and maybe this one too), but I started thinking about it on a walk and decided to built it. I used an old pipe clamp which threads on the end of a pipe as the clamp. I welded it to a piece of 1" flat bar with a 1/2" hole in it. I then welded that to two pieces of 1/4" x 1" bar which extend down into the hardie. Before I welded them, I tapered the inside. I then made a wedge out of a 1/2" coupler by tapering the two opposite sides. The wedge is pulled by up a threaded rod which extends to the end of the pipe. Here how it mounts: The thickness of the junction doesn't allow the clamp to extend all the way down, so I made and extension. I used a couple of pieces 3/4" square bar and beveled two edges to hold round stock. The clamp can rotate to whatever angle is desired, and there is a bit of slop in the bottom piece for odd shaped pieces. When cinched down, no amount of clamp pressure will pull the unit out of the hardie. Ted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzkill Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 Brilliant! Looks like it should be fast enough to use so that not much heat is lost while clamping the stock down. Let us know how you like it after using it for a while. It's definitely got the wheels in my head turning on building something similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 If you screw it down to within a turn or so of the size of the stock before you put it in the forge you shouldn't lose any heat hardly at all. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Ewert Posted July 22, 2019 Author Share Posted July 22, 2019 Thanks Buzz, It only took me a couple of hours to build. I had a threaded hole in my previous anvil and used the clamp there and it worked great. I've been missing it so I built this one. You could use the same concept in the pritchel hole using a smaller pipe fitted to the hole. I was going to do that but didn't have any tubing which would fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 Greetings Ted, I made mine a few years ago. My design has a base with a hoop and is secured by a wedge under the hardy hole. The advantage of my design is the adjustable height. I use blocks under the screw to secure the stock. If we keep going with our designs I’m sure one of us will build a better mousetrap. LOL Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 Thanks for posting these guys. That's good for inspiration. I would never have thought of something like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Ewert Posted July 23, 2019 Author Share Posted July 23, 2019 That's a nice clamp setup you have there Jim. I was aware of that method of anchoring the clamp, but my anvil is pretty thick below the hardie so I tried something different. The way you did it is probably better in most cases, since it's quicker to set up. I have a machinist vice which I want to be able to clamp to my anvil. That will be my next project. CGL, improvising and making custom jigs and tooling is half the fun of this sport! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 Yes sir I agree. My first two anvils lacked a hardy hole, so I feel like I'm working with a whole new tool. Thinking of all the things I will be able to do so much easier, and ideas like you guys' look like they'd be even easier still Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Ewert Posted July 25, 2019 Author Share Posted July 25, 2019 On 7/23/2019 at 2:53 PM, CrazyGoatLady said: ... Thinking of all the things I will be able to do so much easier, and ideas like you guys' look like they'd be even easier still Here's some food for thought... This is the small collection I've built over the last 8 months or so (after I got my big anvil). Yours will soon look similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted July 25, 2019 Share Posted July 25, 2019 Nice collection there. I'm eager to start on a collection of my own. Thank you for the examples. I may copy some if you don't mind, Ted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Ewert Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 Don't mind at all, that's what the forum is for. If you or anyone else wants more detail on a particular jig, let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 Nice work. you can also use a wegde like a bicycle stem and it will do or act to pull the item into the hardie hole.. Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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