Tree Machine Filing Clamps

[Philbert]

Very nice product. Very interesting story on how much work goes into making something like this.

Philbert

 

[Tree Machine]

Oh, it's not quite over.

It gets better. See, I'm a Treeguy, making treeguy tools for other treeguys.
In field-testing, I get feedback from a lot of other treeguys.

We were asking ourselves, "After all this hard work and upgrade, is there any other way to make it BETTER?



Many of the viewers of this picture, I might expect,
would like the raw beauty of the silver clamp.

The screw knob is already stainless, so in stepping up to bat for you guys,
I had several hundred units made in pure stainless steel.

Right here in front of all of you, and God
I personally attach to the stainless model, an unconditional lifetime guarantee

It is $37

 

[Philbert]

TreeStuff is only showing the powder coated version.

I am assuming that the SS model (aside from appearance) is for guys that want to mount one on their work trucks or trailers and leave it on there?

Philbert

 

[Tree Machine]

You could do that with the powder-coated one. I am running a stainless vs. a black one onboard my tree truck.

The stainless clamps would be for arborists who live along the coast, near a marine environment.
Or for the Arborist who wants to will this thing to his children and then on to his grandchildren.
I expect these clamps to last awhile.

I feel like they should have a name. Clamps. Bar vises. That's the best we've come up with.

 

[zogger]

You could do that with the powder-coated one. I am running a stainless vs. a black one onboard my tree truck.

The stainless clamps would be for arborists who live along the coast, near a marine environment.
Or for the Arborist who wants to will this thing to his children and then on to his grandchildren.
I expect these clamps to last awhile.

I feel like they should have a name. Clamps. Bar vises. That's the best we've come up with.

Chain Champs

 

[Philbert]

"Barmeister"

"Bar Stools"

"Table Vise" (instead of 'Stump Vise')

Philbert

 

[Tree Machine]

The Bar Veister Meister

 

[Philbert]

Hole Vise

Waaaay back in posts #6 and #9 in this thread, I suggested a version of these clamps/vises with a threaded post (excuse the puns). Instead of being permanently mounted or clamped to a flat surface, these would drop through a hole in a work bench, trailer bed, tailgate, etc., for quick, stable, temporary use. Store flat in a tool box.

Some guys at a few GTG's suggested that they did not like the use of clamps, shown in earlier photos, to hold the vise. These could also drop through bench dog holes on a woodworking bench, or through a hole drilled in a block of wood to use in a woodworking vise.

Tree Machine generously provided me one more of his clamps/vises to experiment with. I cut the base off with a hacksaw and Dremel tool:



I chose a 3/4" post so that it would stand up to abuse and resist bending. I cut the head off of a 5 inch long bolt, so that I could clamp it to a table made up of 2X4's or 4X4's - it can always cut it down later if too long.

Wing nuts larger than 1/2" are harder to find locally, so I ordered a few different kinds from a supply house to try out. In practice, a 5/8" thread and a standard wing nut would probably be fine for a production version of this.



Originally, I cut a slot in the top of the bolt for a mechanical connection with the clamp body. It was extra work, and actually made the welding more difficult. I would go with a beveled end and butt weld with a nice fillet for future versions. A local welder did this for me and I cleaned it up.



Shown with some mounting washers, before getting painted (original was powder coated). I will try it out, and bring it to some GTG's in the Spring for progress reports and more input.

Philbert

 

[Tree Machine]

Waaaay back in posts #6 and #9 in this thread, I suggested a version of these clamps/vises with a threaded post (excuse the puns). Instead of being permanently mounted or clamped to a flat surface, these would drop through a hole in a work bench, trailer bed, tailgate, etc., for quick, stable, temporary use. Store flat in a tool box.

Philbert, I can see the extended effort.
I can see the direction you're going with this.

 

[Tree Machine]

I can see the direction you're going with this.

The appeal for someone like me is to use them like a stump vise on finished, horizontal surfaces: a workbench, a picnic table, tailgate, etc. For this use, attaching the filing clamps to a board, and attaching the board to the work surface with ‘C’-clamps, etc., creates a portable chain filing workstation.

A quote from you, earlier, something you said,
"portable chain filing workstation."

I think I am going to pop this prototype in the mail to you, offering it up for the collection.

I grindered the paint off the corner of the clamp's base,
Then welded a C-clamp to it. Three minutes effort.

How does this look as portable chain filing workstation?

 

[Philbert]

That will work near the edge of a surface, like the ones in the first few posts in this thread. Might be bulky to store in a tool box?

The threaded base drops through a hole anywhere on a surface (or through a wide gap between boards) and lies flat for transport/storage.

I think that the simple, solid design of your vise opens itself up to a variety of mounting options, depending on the situation, preferences, etc. .

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

This showed up today! Thanks!

I'm going to have to have a filing clamp GTG!

Philbert

 

[Tree Machine]

The threaded base drops through a hole anywhere on a surface (or through a wide gap between boards) and lies flat for transport/storage.

Along with the C-clamp, above, I included a stainless steel clamp for you to further your effort.

On the threaded post version you just did, you removed the base completely.
With this stainless steel bar vise, will you have the post welded to the base itself?

We lose the ultimate thinness you get with using a washer instead of the base plate itself,
but we gain in not having to use a washer on the top side.



Also, I would like to take the opportunity to show a visual feature that some of these vises have.

The manufacturer, as best I understand it, was having a problem adjusting the gas mix in the laser cutter,
so part of the upright is near-perfect smooth, and the other half of the posts have these laser waves,
which personally, I think are very cool. There are only a few of these, so if you want one, specify it on your order.

 

[Philbert]

On the threaded post version you just did, you removed the base completely.
With this stainless steel bar vise, will you have the post welded to the base itself?

I had the thread welded to the clamp itself;
- 1) so that it would lie flat in a tool box;
- 2) it's a simpler, cleaner design;
- 3) to make sure I got a solid weld.

If you were going to produce this version (which I am suggesting you consider), the base would not be an included part, so I took it off of the one you provided for this prototype. Part of the reason for the large washer is the large fillet that I ended up with - I was concerned that I might need to bore a larger diameter hole for the clamp to seat. In a production version, mating parts could be beveled so that this fillet was almost flush after finishing.

The optional washer also allows placement between 2 boards (e.g. on a picnic table) without slipping through.

I may try something different with the SS model, just because of the different parts I accumulated with the last version.

. . . . part of the upright is near-perfect smooth, and the other half of the posts have these laser waves . . .

I assumed that it was like dimpling on golf balls.

Philbert

 

[Oliver1655]

Here is another option for a chainsaw vise for holding the bars while filing. It's nothing fancy but with a couple of screws or a clamp you can mount it most anywhere.



A simple $6 hold down bolted to a bent piece of 1/4" steel plate. The rubber headed bolt for the hold down was replace with a piece of 1" angle iron. To allow this piece of angle iron to pivot/rotate to match the bar, I loosely sandwiched the head of a 5/16" carriage bolt between the angle iron & a flat washer which was welded to the angle iron. The rubber pads keep the vise from pushing against the chain while protecting the bar & keeping it from sliding in the vise. The file guide is a Stihl 2n1.


The larger saws will set directly on the bench.


For the smaller saws I use a small piece of 2x6 under the power head.

Real quick & easy to clamp the bar. The wider jaws really help stabilize the bar.

 

[Philbert]

I like it!

Philbert

 

[Oliver1655]

Thanks!

 

[Tree Machine]

The creativity of the members of our community again amazes me.

Good one, Oliver.

 

[Philbert]

Here's one I saw at a GTG many years ago - just ran across the photo. Simple use of indigenous materials.

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

We mentioned field vises, and I posted a photo of a hitch receiver adaptation in Post #18. Here is a commercial receiver vise I saw a recent tool show. Very nicely designed and finished.

Wilton 'ATV' (All Terrain Vise): http://www.lawlessgroup.com/Wilton-ATV.html



Philbert