Tee slot clamps similar to mole grips

In the YouTube series of building a 5 inch Lion locomotive, the builder, who is a member of Aberdeen Model Engineering Society, shows a tee slot clamp that looks like professional modification of a Mole Grip.

Does anyone know the correct name for these and where they might be obtained?

Brian

Drill table clamp

Axminster do these but really meant for drill table slots with access below the table.

Mike

Drill clamp machine mart

Alan has pointed out below that the same clamp is available from Machine Mart, if these are what you are looking for machine mart are rather cheaper and look identical, top tip from Alan.

Edited By Mike Poole on 09/02/2022 16:55:25

Mike, you can get the same clamps at Machine Mart and a lot cheaper than Axminster.

Alan.

Wouldn't be without mine on the pillar drill. Some sort of sub-plate might be possible, but the thread is quite long. You may be able to shorten the thread to suit both applications, as it's way too long for my drill table.

You could make a round T nut to suit your table slot and shorten the thread on the mole clamp. It would allow you to slide it into place and rotate etc then clamp.

David

There was a fairly recent thread on this topic:-

*** Drill Table Clamp ***

or a bit older 2018

*** Drill Table Clamps ***

John

Edited By Journeyman on 10/02/2022 09:56:54

Be prepared to tighten up the pivot points. Both rivet and getting a better match between the folded body and pivoting component in between. Often the body fold isn't perfectly parallel so the in between part only touches at the outer edge. Not good for stability. Take a good look at the one for the long jaw. Any slackness and such devices can be worryingly floppy. Enough to reduce the grip or make it likely to slide sideways.

I've not had experience with those particular devices and brands but all the inexpensive "modified jaw" Mole style locking wrench devices I've had through my hands got some attention. As received quality has varied from "so floppy that the jaws slide past each other when loaded", a small extended jaw version out of a LiDL three pack, to "works well enough that normal folk will be happy but I want it right", the big one out of that same LiDL pack.

Usually as delivered quality is in the OK(ish) to adequately functional range so they can be used straight out of the box but might need a bit of extra care, skilled tweaking or whatever under some circumstances. Bit of a faff making up devices to tighten the pivots but, in my view worth it. That clamp arm is a long way from its pivot! Firming up the pivots improves the locking action too. A forked welding clamp version was very squidgy and imprecise when locking as delivered. The business end was wonderfully firm tho'.

No need to overdo things. Generally only a little nip does the deed. Given the price differential between the inexpensive versions and the professional ones there is no way I'm complaining about doing a bit of tweaking. Especially as I rarely use any of my collection. But when I need them I need them.

Clive

If you are using one of these in a tee slot, I would recommend interposing a thick flat washer; the mating surface on mine is far from flat.

Toggle clamps are a useful item, really intended for production type jigs rather than general purpose clamping but they come in a wide variety of configurations and can make a quick job of a special setup if you ever get involved in making a big batch of something.

Mike

I got my drill table clamps off Ebay/. were sub £9 each and exactly the same quality as the Axminster and Machine Mart clamps.

Andrew.

The drill table clamps (I have one too) are not what I understood to be what Brian was looking for as "tee slot clamp".

Brian?

Edited By Peter Greene 🇨🇦 on 10/02/2022 18:16:28