Good idea. Worked as a fabricator in a sign shop for years. Tried the gloves, wood, and other. Hands down this is the best idea if you run into this issue a lot.
i work alot with polished stainless building highend cabinetry and grills and we wrap our clamps with copper sheeting and works the same without having to permanently welding to your clamps
I never realized that silli was THAT soft. I figured that it would still leave some marring... but after seeing this, I think I may have to try it on a few of my 'finish only' tools. Thanks!
Good idea but we always use cowhide and Super Glue...it's amazing the grip cowhide has on a polished surface , the adhesive is simply to secure the leather to the clamp. Thanks, I'll use that.
Great tip - highly recommended and good practice to have non marking clamps even on parts that can't be seen. I plaster anything used for clamping (or grounding) in Silicon or Aluminium bronze. Lots of are saying use tape, I often do, but it doesn't work close to welds and the residues are forbidden on a lot of stainless work. Great Channel.
I``ve always used leather or ally, But looking at what you are doing , I think a thick coating of solder ( lead and tin) would be even more gentle and easier to apply to the cramp.
I'll have my helper do it while I'm workin. Double sided tape, or I've been known to sneak over to the sparktricians shop and dip the pads into this stuff they have called liquid tape. Works great and lasts for quite awhile. Wears off, off to sparkys shop again. I dip plier handles in it too
I am impressed a TH-cam video that delivers on what it promised I have a roll of copper about 0.3-0.5mm that i have been wrapping around the pads/feat of my clamps but this is a much better solution Cheers
If you haven't got any silicone bronze you can use straight copper electrical wire tig brazed to them as well it's also good cheap practice for tig brazing
I build weight lifting equipment and I had been using cutouts of my old leather tig gloves. But tomorrow I'll be doing this to the first 15 of my C-clamps.. I never thought about this, but thanks for the tip bud..👊👊🇺🇸
Everything in the Teflon division of Dupont had to be polished to a #16 mirror finish, stainless steel,mixer blades, shafts and the inside of the poly kettles by hand.Not sure but I think they use electro plating currently, haven't been in there since 2000.
When you get around scraps, look for copper pipe and tubing... You can flatten that out for a decent "pad" too... From older school "metallurgy", bronze and brass are (average) about 10 times harder than copper... SO it'll wear out fairly easily, and you don't want to waste a lot of time or money on it for a sacrificial pad. ;o)
Ok I gota admit, I busted a gut when you reference bronzing the 3rd hand. Quite obviously in welding 3rd hand is NOT the same as 3rd hand in blacksmithing ( which is holding the tongs or tool tightly in the crotch with your legs). Thanks for sharing. Was awesome to meet you at good of the land!! 🙏be blessed now sirSir Crawford out 🧙♂️
You can also make some replacement brass/copper swivel pads (made them a long time ago with a hacksaw and some hand files. No need for a machine shop to do it)
Exactly what I was thinking...I'd also be super pissed the first time I want to clamp two thin pieces of stainless together for a butt weld and I couldn't get them flat together. I have a small stack of aluminium pads that I stick to my pads with double sided tape...been doing it for years never failed me yet and never left a mark. Takes me about 30 seconds not all day :)))
Great tip, but for us that don’t have a TIG machine, I simply use a piece of thin particle board as a cushion. It’s even softer than silicon bronze metal on the piece, yet strong enough to hold the material long enough to get some welds in. Yeah it falls off when I clipping, but no big deal.
Not a bad hack I think, especially when you want to get some hours in with the TiG. I like the leather+glue as well, but can see that that won't last as long and might attract metal filings you will have to look out for. Either way, good video! Thanks for sharing!
@@GraduatedIn wtf dude stop propagating gossips. He even commented on a weld.com video a few days ago. Bob wanted some time out of the channel for whatever reason that isn't anyone's business around here
I have brass pads that I bent over the feet on mine and just buzzed the tabs over so they don’t open up and fall off. The brass was some sheet brass scrap that I cut up.
I just use some polyimide tape as an interface layer between my clamp and the workpiece. Resists ridiculously high temps and can easily be removed without permanently modifying the clamp.
I wonder if silicone sealant can do the same trick. It can handle heat. Like, make a ring with tape around the pad to hold the silicone in while it cures, pump a bit of the stuff and use a wire to pretty things up if youre worried about how it looks in the end.
Oh oh wow that trick on clip opening further was awesome thanks guys. Would you do a darker shot and a very close up of the Silicon bronze as you laying it down. I don't seem to be able to get silicon bronze to stick.
Copper or aluminum shims work well and bending them around the feet would save you time and zinc poisoning. Kant twist makes a pretty killer copper and plastic soft jaw C clamp.
Cool idea and probably more permanent, but I just buy those little felt stick-on cushion pads, (which were designed, I think, as shock absorbers for cupboard door corners)at Home Depot and put one on each face plate on my vice grip pliers and I’m off to the races.
Nice, informative video... as usual... I use tempered masonite as a temp surface when I need it. Will now try the Si Bronze... Thank You! Michael in Colorado.
at the moment if we break a clamp we can take it back and get a new one under warranty , not sure if we could still do this if it was brazed , good idea thou
seem like you could buy a foot of 1" bronze bar stock and chop of 3/16" lengths for a bunch of pads. You could braise them on, but could even glue them on in a pinch
@@Welddotcom if your already welding something and just happen to have everything IN hand. In our heads project's don't seem to take long but when you go to actually do it everything takes much longer than you originally think
You can start practicing your TIG with the #10 you have but for sheet steel work you may end up going with a #8. If you end up doing a fair bit of TIG then get a TIG specific auto darkening lens pack.
I usually just hot glue some thick leather from old tool pouches and boots onto the fingers if I need to protect surfaces, but I may do this to a set of clamps.
Head over to www.weld.com to pick up your Weld.com merch.
Nice trick.
What a GREAT TIP!
Thanks very much for passing along!
Weld.com coulda just soldered a flat bit of copper, n, brassed it
Multiple layers of aluminum foil works. Soft faces can become embedded with grit. Fresh foil is a clean pad.
Now weld about a 2" washer to the tightening screw on edge vertically. Lets you apply more torque to screw and makes it easy to hang on a hook.
Homemade wing nut kinda ,I dig it.
Good idea. Worked as a fabricator in a sign shop for years. Tried the gloves, wood, and other. Hands down this is the best idea if you run into this issue a lot.
i work alot with polished stainless building highend cabinetry and grills and we wrap our clamps with copper sheeting and works the same without having to permanently welding to your clamps
Yeah to tac a piece of copper would be faster. I would show guys to use a copper knife to cut the plastic.
we use a copper knife with the edges coated in silicon bronze filler rod to keep the edges sharper longer
I never realized that silli was THAT soft. I figured that it would still leave some marring... but after seeing this, I think I may have to try it on a few of my 'finish only' tools. Thanks!
I just use aluminum coupon or copper bar.
We made stainless fixtures for casinos.
Never had a problem
Great idea - THANKS! I just went ahead and tacked on thick brass washers for now -- works great!
Good idea but we always use cowhide and Super Glue...it's amazing the grip cowhide has on a polished surface , the adhesive is simply to secure the leather to the clamp. Thanks, I'll use that.
I cut up my old leather gloves for that but a good idea tho
Good idea
Now there is a great idea that does not include buying a TIG machine! 👍
Great idea!
I do the same 👌🏾
I've never tried his bronze trick but I always thought that the leather gave it a good bite onto the material without causing any scratches.
Great tip - highly recommended and good practice to have non marking clamps even on parts that can't be seen. I plaster anything used for clamping (or grounding) in Silicon or Aluminium bronze. Lots of are saying use tape, I often do, but it doesn't work close to welds and the residues are forbidden on a lot of stainless work. Great Channel.
I just use tape and then acetone it if it leaves any adhesive. Takes literally 10 seconds and you don't have to permanently alter your clamps.
but theres no downside to this
Beat me to it! I also do it on skillsaws when doing cuts on finish carpentry wood working.
tape is far better , jasons idea would invalidate the warranty of all the clamps I have
Except the clamp can be part of the earthing of the part, unless you tape it.
@@Longtrailside Jigsaw is where I've gotten the most use out of it. Lets you cut easily on finished surfaces without having to refinish at all.
I``ve always used leather or ally, But looking at what you are doing , I think a thick coating of solder ( lead and tin) would be even more gentle and easier to apply to the cramp.
no reason on gods green earth to do this with a tig torch. someone else is paying for that mans gas, this is obvious.
I'll have my helper do it while I'm workin.
Double sided tape, or I've been known to sneak over to the sparktricians shop and dip the pads into this stuff they have called liquid tape. Works great and lasts for quite awhile. Wears off, off to sparkys shop again. I dip plier handles in it too
You can also braze with silicon-bronze using air acetylene or even mapp gas.
I am impressed a TH-cam video that delivers on what it promised
I have a roll of copper about 0.3-0.5mm that i have been wrapping around the pads/feat of my clamps but this is a much better solution
Cheers
copper wicking straps are great for this
It's a crazy concept we're testing out 😂
If you haven't got any silicone bronze you can use straight copper electrical wire tig brazed to them as well it's also good cheap practice for tig brazing
Nice tip. This gives me an excuse to practice tig brazing.
I build weight lifting equipment and I had been using cutouts of my old leather tig gloves. But tomorrow I'll be doing this to the first 15 of my C-clamps.. I never thought about this, but thanks for the tip bud..👊👊🇺🇸
Good idea, good advantage for conductivity as well. Surprising that vise grip don’t produce something similar already tho.
Everything in the Teflon division of Dupont had to be polished to a #16 mirror finish, stainless steel,mixer blades, shafts and the inside of the poly kettles by hand.Not sure but I think they use electro plating currently, haven't been in there since 2000.
Couldn't you save a lot of time by just brazing or soldering on some pennies? Maybe even using a high heat epoxy.
Pennies would work great (pre-1983) I use a bent copper sheet in my vise for the same reason.
When you get around scraps, look for copper pipe and tubing... You can flatten that out for a decent "pad" too...
From older school "metallurgy", bronze and brass are (average) about 10 times harder than copper... SO it'll wear out fairly easily, and you don't want to waste a lot of time or money on it for a sacrificial pad. ;o)
Use leather on your clamp for no marking on your polished material
I just put a drop of hi temp silicone on my vice clamps for polished 16th material and thinner
Ok I gota admit, I busted a gut when you reference bronzing the 3rd hand. Quite obviously in welding 3rd hand is NOT the same as 3rd hand in blacksmithing ( which is holding the tongs or tool tightly in the crotch with your legs).
Thanks for sharing. Was awesome to meet you at good of the land!!
🙏be blessed now sirSir
Crawford out 🧙♂️
Daniel Crawford nice meeting you too. Definitely DO NOT BRAZE the end of your Blacksmith 3rd hand. 😂
What about high temperature Kapton tape?
I use the self adhesive furniture felt pads
Well I live and I learn. Thanks for sharing your knowlage!
You can also make some replacement brass/copper swivel pads (made them a long time ago with a hacksaw and some hand files. No need for a machine shop to do it)
You can use hot-melt glue to stick a piece of Popsicle stick to the flats on the clamp.
It'd take six months to do this to every clamp I own.
That's the best problem to have 🤑
Just use some copper sheets as buffer between your polished work and clamp. Can use a copper coin too.
Goals ......
Exactly what I was thinking...I'd also be super pissed the first time I want to clamp two thin pieces of stainless together for a butt weld and I couldn't get them flat together. I have a small stack of aluminium pads that I stick to my pads with double sided tape...been doing it for years never failed me yet and never left a mark. Takes me about 30 seconds not all day :)))
Fold a bit of lead leaf over it.
Great tip, but for us that don’t have a TIG machine, I simply use a piece of thin particle board as a cushion. It’s even softer than silicon bronze metal on the piece, yet strong enough to hold the material long enough to get some welds in. Yeah it falls off when I clipping, but no big deal.
Hope this doesn't mean that i have to stop using my brazing back up mat. Has worked in my shop since the eighties.
Very nice tip!
Bob Moffatt thanks Bob.
Not a bad hack I think, especially when you want to get some hours in with the TiG. I like the leather+glue as well, but can see that that won't last as long and might attract metal filings you will have to look out for. Either way, good video! Thanks for sharing!
Cut pad of copper sheet larger than clamp foot. Hammer edges round side of foot. Quick, cheap, easily replaced.
where is Bob Moffatt ??
Lee Nux not sure. Heard he may have passed away, but not sure. We will find out sooner or later
Not sure why he is not in the videos anymore but he did not pass away.
Robert Vizena good to know
@@GraduatedIn wtf dude stop propagating gossips. He even commented on a weld.com video a few days ago. Bob wanted some time out of the channel for whatever reason that isn't anyone's business around here
He was supposed to be gone for only a few weeks and that was like a year ago
I have brass pads that I bent over the feet on mine and just buzzed the tabs over so they don’t open up and fall off. The brass was some sheet brass scrap that I cut up.
Silvalloy,brass brazing rod should work too I would think.
Where can I get a cap like that? would love to cover my ears more so I don't have the sudden sound of my skin behind my ear burning with the feeling
Solid advice, frankly ashamed this never crossed my mind
I just use some polyimide tape as an interface layer between my clamp and the workpiece. Resists ridiculously high temps and can easily be removed without permanently modifying the clamp.
Came looking for a comment like this.
Would this be Softsurfacing 101?
How’s Bob? I saw him in a video from Jody at Fabtech 2019
I was wodering the same thing
I miss Bob!
Not sure what aluminum you are working with but bronze is way harder than the stuff I work with.
I wonder if silicone sealant can do the same trick. It can handle heat. Like, make a ring with tape around the pad to hold the silicone in while it cures, pump a bit of the stuff and use a wire to pretty things up if youre worried about how it looks in the end.
Kool!!! I’ll have to try that! Just started using silicone bronze! Nifty stuff!! It’s the real gorilla glue!!
I cut off and flattened pieces of copper tubing and soldered them on the pads. It's fast and easy.
Do you believe this would work for a pneumatic hammers anvil face or would the Brazing surface just break off.
Please test and report back!
Oh oh wow that trick on clip opening further was awesome thanks guys. Would you do a darker shot and a very close up of the Silicon bronze as you laying it down. I don't seem to be able to get silicon bronze to stick.
Copper or aluminum shims work well and bending them around the feet would save you time and zinc poisoning. Kant twist makes a pretty killer copper and plastic soft jaw C clamp.
I use copper strips. Works great. Quick and cheap.
You changed gloves?
Brilliant! No 😢 ng under your hood over scuff marks now
Cool idea and probably more permanent, but I just buy those little felt stick-on cushion pads, (which were designed, I think, as shock absorbers for cupboard door corners)at Home Depot and put one on each face plate on my vice grip pliers and I’m off to the races.
And use aluminum solid bar 2x3 inch half inch think to shape the corner if needed.
HI temp gasket material like the gaskets used on steam pipe flanges. totally reusable. used them for years
Nice, informative video... as usual... I use tempered masonite as a temp surface when I need it. Will now try the Si Bronze... Thank You! Michael in Colorado.
400K subs, well deserved! Congrats to you guys!
I just wrap mine in leather but this does have its place im sure thanks
Another brilliant idea... 😊 Thank you!
congratulations for the 400k subscriber
I don’t have that much time. I just wrap thin brass around pad when needed.
I seen footage of Mr. Bob at Fab Tech. Why did he leave us?
How many amps you running there? I'm guessing like 30-50?
Awesome tip Jason, thanks. Hey What happened with Bob? haven't seen him in any videos for a while now.
Thank You for your help & information
Fiberglass heat tape is easier and works better, just put the cloth tape on the clamp, and your done.
Thanks for the tip!
Great idea Jason !!!!-- You are doing a great job with the channel content. Keep it coming !!!!. Looking forward for the fabrication ideas.
@Brandon S -- Thanks for hating on me...you're finally giving someone else a rest. I appreciate it.
You can also "weld" copper on to the pads.
Seems like a lot of argon and other consumables to do this. I like the penny or piece of copper or bronze sheet.
at the moment if we break a clamp we can take it back and get a new one under warranty , not sure if we could still do this if it was brazed , good idea thou
seem like you could buy a foot of 1" bronze bar stock and chop of 3/16" lengths for a bunch of pads. You could braise them on, but could even glue them on in a pinch
I cut a piece of copper about 1 1/4 square, clamp the pad down on it, to the bench. Then wrap it over the clamp with a screwdriver, and hammer.
I glue leather pads to mine, works fantastic
Clamp for thought just wondering if you guys can do a review on this product the yes welder machine
Leather pieces or any softer metal pieces will do too, leathers the best IMO cause you can just tape the pieces on the clamps and forget about it 👌🏼
What was the exact type of brazing rod you used?
Any type of silicon bronze will work, as long as it's uncoated when you use TIG. Probably about 1/16th thick.
Great info! Question: On your certification table looking for info: preferred metal thickness? Threaded holes or not?
Although some don’t like it, I think its a good solution. A solution for many other situations.
Glue some leather on the clamps - keep them clean use urethane rubber.
Very cool! Thank you.
What about annealed copper pads?
So instead of hard facing you're soft facing the clamp. I like it.
you could also use a copper penny or a piece of copper and braze it on the same way,
isellcatlitter pennies arent copper
@@LextechLighting pre 1984 are 98 % copper, the new ones are zink.
I don’t have silicone bronze nor a TIG machine... maybe someday, but for now, a glued piece of leather on the clamp will suffice for me...
Safety guy just said you can’t use that clamp anymore it’s been altered
Thia takes way longer than 5 minutes
10 tops if you have everything on hand.
@Jake the video is 5:48 long and he spent a good 2:30 explaining this so I call bullshit on your way longer than 5 minutes comment.
@@greenidguy9292 let's see a video of you doing this in 5 min. You can even get all the tools out and it will still take you longer
@@Welddotcom if your already welding something and just happen to have everything IN hand. In our heads project's don't seem to take long but when you go to actually do it everything takes much longer than you originally think
@@jakeclauson9863 You must not be mechanically inclined...
i have a question what shade should i use for tig welding.I use a shade 10 for mig and stick do i need a darker shade for tig welding?
All depends on your preference and amperage.
You can start practicing your TIG with the #10 you have but for sheet steel work you may end up going with a #8. If you end up doing a fair bit of TIG then get a TIG specific auto darkening lens pack.
Great idea. Thanks for sharing.
No problem. Thanks for watching
Good tip sir.
Mig nozzles work good
I tack copper to all my grippers and vices. More simple.
Great idea. Love it!
Good video, whenever I try tig brazing I get a lot of smoke. Any tips?
Hold ur breath
@@tomstark9381 Hilarious😂
A perfect task for the the shop apprentice lol.
I prefer the leather glove trick.
Great video though!
I usually just hot glue some thick leather from old tool pouches and boots onto the fingers if I need to protect surfaces, but I may do this to a set of clamps.
That's a good method as well 👍
good tips, nice videos with good content. But I still miss Bob.
good tip, thanks.
This is a great idea. Just wondering wouldn't copper from a piece of 12guage wire work just as well ?