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reverse clamp/spreading tool?

35K views 19 replies 9 participants last post by  mrhines 
#1 ·
Is there a tool that does the reverse of a clamp - spread apart? Like a sort of Vice Grips in reverse? I can see that coming in very handy during this whole floor pan/brace expedition.
 
#4 ·
You could take two pieces if two inch flat stock about a quarter inch thick, about three foot long, put a bolt and nut in the center of the two, then take a piece of rope or wire and tighten them up by the old twist knot method.

Rob
 
#5 ·
How about a two by eight about ten feet long, block of wood and have your wife stand on the other end for leverage. :)

Mine will always say how long is this going to take, and I will stop and look at her, and say, like you have something really important that you have to do. Then when I finally get her out there to help, she will start suggesting, why don't you do it this way.:clonk:

Shes only called when its an emergency, then a guy doesn't have to listen to that ta ta ta ta.:)

Rob
 
#7 ·
Well putting these floor pans and braces on I'm trying to get pieces of sheet metal together in various places. One place that comes to mind is the braces where they meet the inner rocker. I can use a cat's paw or small crow bar to hold it using the frame for leverage but have you ever tried holding 5 things and a welding shield while trying to weld something? I "reverse clamp" thingy would work really well there. Something small like a vice grips that you can lock into position and take your hands off. Is there such a thing? Good suggestion about the wife but she complains too much to be useful for that sort of thing :)
 
#8 ·
Sounds like you need to have a son. Mines only 8, but he's actually helpful, I'd pick him over the wife any day of the week. He slows things down some, but its good time and he is actually helpful, just slow.
 
#9 ·
well my daughter would be all into helping, but her 22 month old brain just doesn't quite have the attention span I'm looking for :) (ooooh look at the pretty bright light from the welder I want to touch it and take it inside and give it to my Barney doll. Yeah, that'd go over well with the missiz :D )
 
#13 ·
That was the first thing that came to mind. That would work if the tips were long enough and they were made of metal. I can only seem to find them made of pvc or plastic - not a good combo with molten metal nearby :)

I can picture it in my mind - a vise grip pliers but instead of the jaws coming together at the end, they cross over each other and extend, so that when you clamp it down, the jaws are actually forcing out away from each other rather than together (yeah like a snap-ring pliers). Alternately I'm thinking of perhaps like a t-shaped deal with a screw shaft out the long end and when you twist it the two sides of the "t" get longer. Surely I'm not the first person to have a need for something like this??
 
#14 ·
#18 ·
tie rod end is a good idea...i usually just custom cut a wood wedge(s) whatever size and shape i need for whatever i want spread apart.
 
#19 ·
Andy, this idea may or may not be helpful. How about a set of pipe clamps? You can turn the ends around and use it as a spreader and you can weld any other kind of extensions to the ends if you needed to. I've used these things with all kinds of projects. You know how it is, you do what you have to do when you are working by yourself. Good Luck!
 
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