"set" Clamps For Grippers

[Janne]

I know that I read somewhere that there is a device sold(I thought IM but could not find it there) similar to a washer that slides over the springs and holds the gripper at a set distance between handles. I have used a pipe wrench while trying to find these again. Any help, folks?

[Soilworker]

You are either talking about a PDA Choker or a plain old hose clamp I would assume.

[Bearcat 74]

Just go to a hardware or automotive store and get a good hose clamp to go around the very top of the handles. They are better IMO than the PDA chokers because you can adjust them to width easily.

[climber511]

It's probably just me but after the second time I got a piece of my skin under the darn hose clamp and pinched off a little piece of skin - I went back to my washers. I file notches in the washers for different widths - at least I haven't hurt myself with them - yet! The washers are about $1.50 each so you can afford a few different ones.

[gerryg]

If I remember right you will need a 1 1/2" inside diameter washer or buy a hose clamp.If you have money to burn buy a collar here.....

http://www.fractionalplates.com/cgi-bin/ed...&catalogno=9.17

[Bob Lipinski]

I have the PDA choker and a washer. It's kinda cool, because the washer will get some grippers very narrow that the PDA choker won't, and vise versa.

I've gotta try a hose clamp someday though. Seems like the best method, and you can also wrapa hose clamp around the spring to incrementally increase resistance. Works well from what I have heard.

[Soilworker]

I've gotta try a hose clamp someday though. Seems like the best method, and you can also wrapa hose clamp around the spring to incrementally increase resistance. Works well from what I have heard.

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Very well in my opinion. All these people are asking for easy #3s or hard #3s. Just put the clamp on the Super Master and you have an easy #3.

The downside to the hoseclamp to choke the gripper is that once you get past #3 they are a fight to get on.

[Bearcat]

I've got a hose clamp on my #2 right now that I'm working on, works great... and for under a dollar, it can't be beat..

[Janne]

Thanks, folks.

[Janne]

Are these the hose clamps that y'all are talking about? They seem to be a little lightweight to me. Do they come in varying strengths?

Edited December 15, 2005 by Janne

[Bearcat 74]

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The downside to the hoseclamp to choke the gripper is that once you get past #3 they are a fight to get on.

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Actually I find it is much easier to choke a hard gripper with a hose clamp then to fight one in a PDA choker. I have a hard 4 in a hose clamp right now, all you do is set it in and tighten it up with a screw driver or rachet while squeezing with the other hand. Much better than fighting the thing into the clamp.

Janne, yes those are the clamps. I was very skeptical too but after having them on some hard grippers for quite awhile, they will hold. Be sure to get good ones and ones big enough to fit the handles with room left.

[Mikulich]

I have a washer on my number #3 that I train with

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?act=mod...cmd=si&img=1155

It is almost parallel as you can see.

I figure with a hoseclamp you can work on a much narrower range of motion, but I'd be careful not to make it too wide a range because you might get some flesh caught under it during the opening up of your hand

[bigDman]

you can also stick big grippers sucha s the 4 in a vice to hose clamp it

[Left Side]

you can also stick big grippers sucha s the 4 in a vice to hose clamp it

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You can, but be careful with this method. If the #4 slips out of the vice while you are working with it, there is a lot of force generated by the handles flying open. Watch your fingers.

[dennisb]

I use hose clamp=Cheaper=effective only way to go.

[porkchop]

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Actually I find it is much easier to choke a hard gripper with a hose clamp then to fight one in a PDA choker.  I have a hard 4 in a hose clamp right now, all you do is set it in and tighten it up with a screw driver or rachet while squeezing with the other hand.  Much better than fighting the thing into the clamp.

I also use hose clamps and attach them just as Bearcat has described above. I have had a couple of stainless steel ones break on me with grippers beyond the #3 (luckily not when I was holding them or near them) so I ventured out to find some really strong ones. I found some that work great. They are manufactured by Breeze Industrial Products and are the Hi-Torque series, model HP2. I got them for just over $2.50 each. Kinda pricey compared to the hardware store ones, but significantly stronger than I could find off the shelf locally. If anyone is interested in picking some up, you'll need to check with the manufacturer (I found their contact info on Google) to find a reseller near you.

pc

[Michael86]

It can be really tuff to get those bastards on their.The only ones I have been able to find barley fit around the handles when they are fully open.it was hard to get that bitch on the #3.

[Jimmy74]

dunno if its any use to you, but i used a olympic sized fractional plate, partially shut the gripper then slide it over the very top of the handles ,keeps the gripper around 1 inch or so from closed. dunno though probably not good for the grippers health.

[denisbeck]

I went to Hardware store and bought a 3/4" U-bolt and put it in the grippers. I found it to be stronger and easier to apply the the hose clamp.

[Mikulich]

Here is a picture of a COC # 3 in a hose clamp to give you a visual of what everyone is talking about.

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?act=mod...cmd=si&img=3666

As you can see you can set it far deeper than the #3 I have in a washer:

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?act=mod...cmd=si&img=1155

[Geo]

As has been said before by others the use of a hose clamp on grippers can cause some wearing to the knurling where the clamp touches the gripper handles. This happened when I clamped my 3 to credit card width a while back. I have my Elite clamped right now and I changed the position of the clamp to around the spring. I used a piece of material over the spring ( I used a piece of cut up sock) to stop the metal clamp scratching the spring. Ive found this the best way to do it. Put it in a vice when you put em on the harder grippers and then wang up the nut.

[Bearcat 74]

How well does the clamp stay on when it is down to CC width? I have thought about that but I didn't know how it would hold.

[porkchop]

I've used clamps down to as low as 1/16" and out as wide as 2 1/8" (credit card's width). Once you get out past parallel the clamp wants to slide down the handles when you are closing it unless you hold the gripper horizontal to the ground. Beware of getting any skin caught between the clamp and the handles, or you are going to be missing a chunk of skin.. or best case a blood blister.

pc

[Geo]

How well does the clamp stay on when it is down to CC width?  I have thought about that but  I didn't know how it would hold.

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You can set the gripper using the hose clamp around the spring to any width you want and it wont come off. The clamp sits around the "base" of the spring so it is secured in place even when the gripper is in a wide position. Sometimes inbetween attempts you may need to just nudge the clamp down a bit so that its sitting at the base of the spring again but generally it stays where you want it.

[Bearcat 74]

Thanks guys