pads for Pony pipe clamps

[thewalnutguy]

The slip-on pads for Pony pipe clamps that used to be soft and flexible now seem to only be plastic, and I'd not had luck finding the "old style" clamp pads. Looked on Amazon, found quite a few comments about the new plastic pads, none positive. Searching the web I came across the PeachTree site, and found that they offer silicone rubber slip-on pads for pipe clamps. At $5 for four pads (two clamps) the price seemed reasonable, so I ordered four sets last week, and they arrived today. I'm quite impressed by them, they really are a softer pad, should be more friendly to the material being clamped, supposedly glue that gets on them can be wiped off with a damp cloth, or allowed to dry and it will peal off. The pads are a bit wider than my Pony 3/4" pipe clamp jaws, was a bit concerned they might get knocked off the jaw easily, so I put a 1" wide strip of double-sided tape across the clamp's jaws, then slid on the pads, and they seem to hold onto the jaw's face. Now I need to count how many 3/4" Pony clamps I have, and order enough clamp pads to outfit the remaining clamps. The Peach Tree site says they'll fit most 1/2" and 3/4" pipe clamps, but I find they're really too wide for my 1/2" Pony clamps. Website for the pads is https://www.ptreeusa.com/clamp_pipe.html

[mound]

The slip-on pads for Pony pipe clamps that used to be soft and flexible now seem to only be plastic, and I'd not had luck finding the "old style" clamp pads. Looked on Amazon, found quite a few comments about the new plastic pads, none positive. Searching the web I came across the PeachTree site, and found that they offer silicone rubber slip-on pads for pipe clamps. At $5 for four pads (two clamps) the price seemed reasonable, so I ordered four sets last week, and they arrived today. I'm quite impressed by them, they really are a softer pad, should be more friendly to the material being clamped, supposedly glue that gets on them can be wiped off with a damp cloth, or allowed to dry and it will peal off. The pads are a bit wider than my Pony 3/4" pipe clamp jaws, was a bit concerned they might get knocked off the jaw easily, so I put a 1" wide strip of double-sided tape across the clamp's jaws, then slid on the pads, and they seem to hold onto the jaw's face. Now I need to count how many 3/4" Pony clamps I have, and order enough clamp pads to outfit the remaining clamps. The Peach Tree site says they'll fit most 1/2" and 3/4" pipe clamps, but I find they're really too wide for my 1/2" Pony clamps. Website for the pads is https://www.ptreeusa.com/clamp_pipe.html

I bought a roll of cork from the local art supply store, cut out squares and used double-stick tape to attach them. rubbed in some paste wax.  dirt cheap and does the job.

[Willyou]

This is just my opinion but, I don't like the soft pads. They tend to squeeze out and absorb (for lack of a better term) a lot of the clamping pressure. I simply made some soft wood blocks about 1/4" thick and epoxied them to the clamp faces. They are soft enough to not mar the work but, firm enough to allow good pressure. When they break or get damaged, they are easily replaced.

[bhh]

I've cut out pads of masonite and hot glued them onto the clamp pads (and a hole where the pipe goes).   Seem to work fine for me.

[Robin Dobbie]

Another thing you can do is just batch out some plywood scraps into squares or rectangles that are the same size. Two squares per clamp. Set up the drill press with a spade or forstner that's the same diameter as the OD on the pipes you're using. On a test piece, find the ideal hole location and then set up a fence and stop block so the holes are in the exact same place every time. If you have a mix of 1/2" and 3/4" clamps, you could offset some so the top of the bars are the same height regardless of size. But the big thing is they act as auxiliary feet so they're less likely to tip as spreading clamp pressure. If you want you could glue a "fence" on one end of the back side so they don't rotate relative to the pad.

[MichaelMouse]

Another thing you can do is just batch out some plywood scraps into squares or rectangles that are the same size. Two squares per clamp. Set up the drill press with a spade or forstner that's the same diameter as the OD on the pipes you're using. On a test piece, find the ideal hole location and then set up a fence and stop block so the holes are in the exact same place every time. If you have a mix of 1/2" and 3/4" clamps, you could offset some so the top of the bars are the same height regardless of size. But the big thing is they act as auxiliary feet so they're less likely to tip as spreading clamp pressure. If you want you could glue a "fence" on one end of the back side so they don't rotate relative to the pad.

When I used pipe clamps, I did something similar, but not with plywood, which was prone to smash and splinter.  I used true poplar (Populus sp.), which features soft, interlocked grain which is reluctant to split or splinter.  If you don't have aspen, remember that cottonwoods and willows will do.

[5thumbs]

I gave several small squares (11/2"?) that I cut from a piece of scrap hardwood.  I simply insert them between the clamp jaws and the work. If I'm concerned about glue squeeze out, I add a small piece of waxed paper.  So far, they've lasted over 10 years.

[Cooler]

https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Clamp-...B0000224CC

It says it is made from rubber and is "soft and durable".

[GeeDub]

Probably beyond what you're after but, these act as pads and stands.

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[Stwood_]

I glue pieces of leather on many of my clamps