i want to build my own c-clamp, does anyone know of any tips? at DVinfo.net

Patrick Falls · December 29th, 2003, 09:01 AM

i have some smith victor light stands and i want to know if anyone has any links to any do it yourself pages on building your own c-clamp?

Don Bloom · December 29th, 2003, 11:30 AM

If you're referring to a standard adjustable "C" clamp, try any home improvement store and you'll find a hugh variety of sizes and price ranges. You'd really be better off doing that unless it's a speciality clamp of some sort and even then you'll probably be able to find something that will work for you.
Don

Riad Deeb · December 29th, 2003, 11:53 AM

kinda of curious if you meant c-stand?

Patrick Falls · December 29th, 2003, 11:56 AM

i'm talking about the ones used for holding bounce cards and reflectors to stands. can you use the ones at hardware stores for this? i may be better off buying the real thing just for versatility.

i'm sorry i did mean c-clamp. i really need to start proofreading my posts.

Chris Hurd · December 29th, 2003, 12:34 PM

Hi Patrick,

In terms of a C-clamp, I'm kinda curious why you'd want to build one instead of just buying one -- C-clamps are cheap and readily available at just about any hardware store, home improvement center or discount mart. As Don says above, you'll find a huge variety of sizes and price ranges. You can get a four-pack of "made in China" C-clamps for a couple of bucks at just about any place that sells tools. As for myself, I like the alligator-jaw-type spring loaded clamps, found a variety of tough plastic ones in different sizes at a Wally-World discount mart for under $10. However I wouldn't use plastic around hot light sources though.

C-stands on the other hand are usually in the neighborhood of $80 to $100 apiece. I wouldn't mind seeing a do-it-yourself project for a C-stand, but these days for me, I'd rather buy something than build it, because in my own twisted life, time is more valuable than money. But it would be cool to see someone's home-built C-stand. Hope this helps,

Don Bloom · December 29th, 2003, 03:13 PM

Yeah, Metal spring clamps are sold at home improvement stores and are very inexpesive. I use them for many things around the house,office,keep a couple in my tool kit with my gear (along with my sewing kit)- I've used them to hold a mic in place on a drummers cymbol stand- I needed a quick mic stand and it worked fine.
Don

Patrick Falls · December 30th, 2003, 10:25 AM

i meant c-stand, but for some reason i keep posting c-clamp.

Don Bloom · December 30th, 2003, 10:44 AM

Ahhh, Ok, well forget everything I wrote. :-)
Don

Chris Hurd · December 30th, 2003, 10:44 AM

Searching for the terms "C-stand" and variations of make/build your own, etc. haven't turned up anything for me, so it sounds like this project is ripe for development, if anyone wants to take a shot at doing it.

David Mesloh · December 31st, 2003, 01:11 AM

A c-stand is going to run about $150 - $175 each. If you look at a stand the "Knuckles" that are the key parts are sandcast aluminum. Unless you have a backyard casting operation, you will need to machine the parts from billet aircraft aluminum( 6061T6 is standard.) At roughly $65 per hour for machinist shop time and at least 2 hours to make the first prototype and probably 1.5 hours for each one after that (multiple set-ups on the machines) you can see the price is starting to add up. For the stand you are looking at steel tubing that has welded nuts on the tubing for the locking bolts, legs that have been bent on a tubing(conduit) bender so they don't kink, etc. Just the materials for this project will cost you $60 minimum.

If the interest is there, I will generate a set of CAD drawings that you could take to any fabrication house or do it yourself
if you want to. As a welder, machinist, mechanical designer, Motion Picture Special Effects Guy, and all around builder of weird stuff and cool things, I don't even build stuff like this and I have a full shop at my disposal.

Sharon Fraats · December 31st, 2003, 02:24 AM

This might help it's cheap and I do mean cheap.

http://dv.com/features/features_item...1/bjohnson0401

Bryan Beasleigh · December 31st, 2003, 03:34 AM

Patrick
Are you trying to accesorize your Smith Victor stands? As some of the other folks have said there are lots of cheap clamps out there. one thing you may want to look at for stuff that really needs to be secure is the Manfrotto Super Clamp. if your stands are a little tipsy you can always use a few sandbags to steady them.

Bruce's DIY article is a little scary, in my opinion anyway. He doesn't use that stuff himself.

Patrick Falls · January 4th, 2004, 02:08 PM

i didn't know that it would be that complicated to alter my smith victor stands. i may have to save up and get the real thing. thanks everyone.

December 29th, 2003, 09:01 AM	#1
Patrick Falls Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Augusta georgia 15min. from Aiken S.Carolina and 2 hours from Atlanta Posts: 105	i want to build my own c-clamp, does anyone know of any tips? i have some smith victor light stands and i want to know if anyone has any links to any do it yourself pages on building your own c-clamp?

December 29th, 2003, 12:34 PM	#5
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Hi Patrick, In terms of a C-clamp, I'm kinda curious why you'd want to build one instead of just buying one -- C-clamps are cheap and readily available at just about any hardware store, home improvement center or discount mart. As Don says above, you'll find a huge variety of sizes and price ranges. You can get a four-pack of "made in China" C-clamps for a couple of bucks at just about any place that sells tools. As for myself, I like the alligator-jaw-type spring loaded clamps, found a variety of tough plastic ones in different sizes at a Wally-World discount mart for under $10. However I wouldn't use plastic around hot light sources though. C-stands on the other hand are usually in the neighborhood of $80 to $100 apiece. I wouldn't mind seeing a do-it-yourself project for a C-stand, but these days for me, I'd rather buy something than build it, because in my own twisted life, time is more valuable than money. But it would be cool to see someone's home-built C-stand. Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

December 30th, 2003, 10:25 AM	#7
Patrick Falls Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Augusta georgia 15min. from Aiken S.Carolina and 2 hours from Atlanta Posts: 105	man someone must be slipping me drugs i meant c-stand, but for some reason i keep posting c-clamp.

December 30th, 2003, 10:44 AM	#9
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Searching for the terms "C-stand" and variations of make/build your own, etc. haven't turned up anything for me, so it sounds like this project is ripe for development, if anyone wants to take a shot at doing it. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

December 31st, 2003, 01:11 AM	#10
David Mesloh Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 94	c-stands A c-stand is going to run about $150 - $175 each. If you look at a stand the "Knuckles" that are the key parts are sandcast aluminum. Unless you have a backyard casting operation, you will need to machine the parts from billet aircraft aluminum( 6061T6 is standard.) At roughly $65 per hour for machinist shop time and at least 2 hours to make the first prototype and probably 1.5 hours for each one after that (multiple set-ups on the machines) you can see the price is starting to add up. For the stand you are looking at steel tubing that has welded nuts on the tubing for the locking bolts, legs that have been bent on a tubing(conduit) bender so they don't kink, etc. Just the materials for this project will cost you $60 minimum. If the interest is there, I will generate a set of CAD drawings that you could take to any fabrication house or do it yourself if you want to. As a welder, machinist, mechanical designer, Motion Picture Special Effects Guy, and all around builder of weird stuff and cool things, I don't even build stuff like this and I have a full shop at my disposal.

December 29th, 2003, 11:30 AM	#2
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	If you're referring to a standard adjustable "C" clamp, try any home improvement store and you'll find a hugh variety of sizes and price ranges. You'd really be better off doing that unless it's a speciality clamp of some sort and even then you'll probably be able to find something that will work for you. Don

December 29th, 2003, 11:53 AM	#3
Riad Deeb New Boot Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 9	kinda of curious if you meant c-stand?

December 29th, 2003, 11:56 AM	#4
Patrick Falls Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Augusta georgia 15min. from Aiken S.Carolina and 2 hours from Atlanta Posts: 105	i'm talking about the ones used for holding bounce cards and reflectors to stands. can you use the ones at hardware stores for this? i may be better off buying the real thing just for versatility. i'm sorry i did mean c-clamp. i really need to start proofreading my posts.

December 29th, 2003, 03:13 PM	#6
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Yeah, Metal spring clamps are sold at home improvement stores and are very inexpesive. I use them for many things around the house,office,keep a couple in my tool kit with my gear (along with my sewing kit)- I've used them to hold a mic in place on a drummers cymbol stand- I needed a quick mic stand and it worked fine. Don

December 31st, 2003, 02:24 AM	#11
Sharon Fraats Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: chicago, ill Posts: 190	This might help it's cheap and I do mean cheap. http://dv.com/features/features_item...1/bjohnson0401

December 31st, 2003, 03:34 AM	#12
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	Patrick Are you trying to accesorize your Smith Victor stands? As some of the other folks have said there are lots of cheap clamps out there. one thing you may want to look at for stuff that really needs to be secure is the Manfrotto Super Clamp. if your stands are a little tipsy you can always use a few sandbags to steady them. Bruce's DIY article is a little scary, in my opinion anyway. He doesn't use that stuff himself.

January 4th, 2004, 02:08 PM	#13
Patrick Falls Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Augusta georgia 15min. from Aiken S.Carolina and 2 hours from Atlanta Posts: 105	thanks for all of the help i didn't know that it would be that complicated to alter my smith victor stands. i may have to save up and get the real thing. thanks everyone.