Unfortunately, no one is insured against depressurization of the pipeline in the apartment, so in an emergency it will be necessary to find a damaged area as soon as possible and the ability to independently eliminate the defect. During emergency work, a self-made pipe clamp will be indispensable. The products will help, if not completely get rid of, then at least weaken the resulting leak.
Pipe clamps, do you need to do it yourself?
Of course, the clamp is on sale in the range. Factory made clamps, made of either stainless steel or flame retardant polymer. They are used both for connecting different parts of pipes, and for fixing whole products in different positions. You cannot do without them when arranging heating systems, sewerage systems, as well as laying gas and water supply.
It is not bad to have a clamp on hand, for pipes professionally made at the factory, but if they are not there, or the size does not match, then it will be useful to learn how to design the simplest clamps with your own hands from scrap materials. Manufacturing will not take much time and effort, but at the right time they will help out a lot.
Metal clamp for pipes for compression
General scheme of the device
Any clamp consists of a steel band designed to compress the pipe and a rubber seal that covers the damage, ensuring the tightness of the area. The seal is usually made of corrugated rubber. In addition to sealing itself, it serves to dampen vibration and noise in the pipe, and also protects the pipe section from deformation during compression with screws for fasteners.
The procedure for making a homemade pipe clamp
For work you will need:
- A strip of galvanized steel or iron, no more than a millimeter thick
- 3mm rubber flap
- Bolts M6, M8 or M10 - your choice, whichever is available. Enough 2-3 pcs.
In addition to materials, you will need tools:
- scissors for metal (jigsaw, grinder)
- hammer
- spanners
- calipers
- pliers / vise and
- drill, drills (M7, M9, or M10, M12)
The first thing to do is measure the pipe diameter with a vernier caliper. But if the pipe is of large diameter, then it will be more convenient to measure with a ruler with a corner.
Then you need to cut a metal strip with a width of 4 to 8 cm. The chosen width depends on the thickness of the pipe and the size of the damage. Here you will have to tinker a little with the length of the strip, calculating it according to the rules: the pipe diameter obtained during the measurement is multiplied by the number Pi - 3.14, then 3-4 cm are added to it, after which the piece can be cut off. This margin of centimeters (“ears”) is needed so that in this place the band can be fastened with bolts and nuts.
In the "ears" you will need to drill two holes for the bolts, taking into account the size of the latter, however, the holes may be slightly larger to make them easier to screw. If the pipe has a large width, then it is better if there are not two, but three holes. Then the ears are bent at a right angle using pliers, you can just use your hands, if the tin is thin.
The next step is to try on - bending around the tin strip around the pipe. And the finished “ears” are brought together until their opposite holes coincide. If the strip does not fit snugly, then with a hammer it is lightly tapped. When the clamp takes the desired shape, then it is lifted and a rubber gasket cut out in advance is inserted under it.
Installing clamps on pipes
Final product installation
The rubber gasket must be in place of damage, completely covering it. Then the bandage is taken, its "ears" are spread widely to the sides, and it is neatly put on the pipe over the rubber. If everything was calculated correctly, then in a loose form there should be a distance of about 3 cm between the ears. Then bolts are inserted into the holes on the ears and they are gradually, almost simultaneously, tightened with nuts to failure.
The leakage that has arisen in the heating system or water supply is quickly eliminated with the help of such a homemade clamp. In the process of its manufacture, the water, of course, should be shut off, but during the installation itself, the water supply must be present - this will allow immediately, on the spot, to evaluate the effectiveness of the repair being carried out. After completing the work, it is necessary to carefully wipe up the place of the former leak and wait a few minutes in order to make sure that it has been completely eliminated. And strongly protruding bolts can be shortened with a grinder.
A well-made and correctly seated clamp can serve for more than one year. But if the pipes are too old, then they can break through in other places. Therefore, if possible, they should be replaced with new ones or at least soldered problem areas with welding. It is clear that if the pressure in the pipes is high, then the welding will hold more reliably than any clamp.
It is worth mentioning that besides the usual ones, there is a mortise clamp. They are used when connecting a house to a central water supply. Such clamps are installed by any locksmith using a milling machine and wrenches. But this type of work should be carried out only by a person with a special education, therefore, employees who maintain the local water supply system are engaged in it.
After familiarizing yourself with these recommendations, a possible leak will not catch you by surprise, because in such a situation every second counts, and accurate and timely actions taken will reduce its negative consequences to a minimum, and wait for the arrival of specialists without unnecessary excitement.
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How to make a temporary pipe clamp correctly?
Oleg, Yekaterinburg asks the question:
Please help me to solve this problem. At the dacha, the plumbing pipe began to leak. Overhaul with replacement of pipes is planned for the spring. It is necessary to somehow temporarily eliminate the leak. We need detailed instructions on how to make a pipe clamp. I would be very grateful for good advice.
The expert answers:
Various breakthroughs in pipes began to be repaired with clamps a long time ago. The technology of such work has been tested, simple and reliable. To complete, you will need the following materials:
- a piece of tin;
- a piece of rubber;
- bolts;
- nuts;
- washers.
The clamp consists of a metal crimp - a band, as well as an internal rubber seal - a cuff. Absolutely any tin will do, but it is better to try to pick up galvanized one. Such a band will be more resistant to corrosion. The thickness should not be less than 0.5 mm. The cuff can be cut from an old boot, a piece of a car or bicycle camera, or a thick mitten. Any rubber will do. The number of bolts depends on the clamp width. If it is narrow, then one is enough. For a wide one you need 2 or 3. Diameter from 6 to 10 mm. Nuts and washers are selected on them.
Prepare your tools first:
- Hammer.
- Pliers. A vise will do too.
- Calipers. Can be replaced with a piece of some lace.
- Scissors for cutting metal. A jigsaw or grinder will do.
- Hand or electric drill.
- Drills for bolt size.
- Wrenches.
- Sandpaper.
Clamp installation
Use a vernier caliper to measure the pipe diameter. So you will find out how long to cut a strip of tin. To do this, the number "pi" is multiplied by the value of the diameter. As a result, we get the circumference. Anyone who does not like geometry or does not have a caliper can use a lace or something similar.
Wrap this string around your pipe and make marks on it, for example with a felt-tip pen or chalk. By measuring the distance between the marks, you get the same circumference. Add 3-4 cm to the ears. The width depends on the damage on the pipe. The rubber patch is cut in the same way.
Only its size should be without "ears". Tapping with a hammer, bend around the pipe with the cut strip, and bend the "ears" at a right angle with pliers. Putting them together, drill a hole for the existing bolt. If the width is more than 4 cm, then drill 2 holes, or even 3. Clean the place under the clamp with sandpaper.
Put the middle of the cuff over the leak, put a bandage on top of it and tighten it with a bolt and nut. Now you have detailed instructions on how to make pipe clamps yourself. Such clamps are very reliable and durable, and they can serve no less than the pipe itself.... So your temporary renovation may well become permanent.
People who at least sometimes are engaged in repair and installation work know that a clamp may be needed at the most unexpected moment. This is the first thing that comes to mind when you need to quickly fix pipe leaks. Indeed, the imposition of a clamp is a temporary measure, but sometimes necessary. It is possible that, due to circumstances, it cannot be bought right now, besides, even a simple wire clamp is suitable for solving the problem. Hence, you need to do it yourself.
Leaking pipes
Product design features
The clamp is a simple and effective device that has a lot of typical variations, but, in fact, they all have similar design characteristics. The difference is presented in the form of forms, fasteners. Their use is most common in the field of installation and repair of piping systems, this leads to another characteristic design feature. For better fixation and tightness, the product often has a rubber gasket.
With regard to the practical use of the products under consideration, we can say that without them it is practically impossible to carry out high-quality fixation of the pipeline, both horizontal and vertical.
The range of types of this device begins with the simplest single-sided products, which are a threaded stud. Further, it continues with variations that differ not only in the greater complexity of the design, but also in size (this should be understood as the maximum diameter of the pipe for which this or that product can be used) and the intended purpose.
Clamps The most common problems that clamps can help solve are:
- Elimination of cracks in piping systems. Depending on the type of product, even large damage can be covered.
- Fractured pipes are not common but serious problems. For the most part, it is faced by those who are engaged in the installation and repair of pipelines professionally.
- Also, if it is necessary to eliminate the "fistulas" of water pipes, clamps are again widely used. In such a situation, it is necessary to use a soft substrate.
Note! If the pipe being repaired serves as a means of transporting corrosive liquids, then it is necessary to use a type of fastener that is able to withstand such specific operating conditions.
- Specifically for steel pipes, the product can help reduce the risk of leakage due to corrosion. It is not uncommon for situations to arise that it damages the metal so much that a leak can occur at any moment.
The market is saturated with all kinds of clamp configurations from different manufacturers. Factory production, in addition to professional workmanship, also gives a quality guarantee. After all, products are manufactured in accordance with GOST. Such government regulation of quality is associated with a high degree of the role of clamps in maintaining the integrity of the structures in which they are used. Based on this, the question arises whether it is worth making a clamp on a steel pipe with your own hands.
The emergence of a question Is it worth making clamps with your own hands, and what mistakes can be made
The clamp is, at first glance, the simplest device that does not differ in any characteristics that are difficult to understand. The presence of the risk associated with the manufacture of homemade clamps depends on how confident a person is in his abilities, and whether the clamp can be used in the given conditions.
For example, a fairly corroded heating pipe is leaking. The area of corrosion in the damaged area has a fairly wide area. If the clamp is made incorrectly, inappropriate to the required size, then after trying to install it, the situation can only worsen.
Rust streaks from under the clamp Based on this, of course, it is better to always have on hand clamps of various modifications and sizes of factory production or in case of problems with the pipeline, immediately contact the repair service. Unfortunately, neither the first nor the second option is often not feasible. No one plans a leak, the time of its occurrence is not regulated, and it is not possible to have clamps of all configurations available.
If a leak occurs, take immediate action. And it is for this purpose that you can make a clamp with your own hands, which will give time to solve the problem in full.
The simplest clamp
In the absence of specialized tools and materials, such as a grinder, a drill, sheet metal, and the like, you can resort to the simplest, but temporarily problem-solving option - to make a clamp from a piece of wire. It will help to eliminate the leak as quickly as possible and calmly wait for the help of specialists:
Leaking pipes - The first thing to do is find some duct tape or duct tape, a piece of wire that is soft enough to bend but strong, and a piece of rubber (like a tourniquet).
- Next, a piece of rubber should be applied to the pipe in the place where the leak occurred, after which it is pressed as tightly as possible by the wire by winding it.
Important! When wrapping with wire, special attention should be paid to the edges of the future clamp.
- The resulting patch, for greater reliability, is tightly wrapped with adhesive tape (tape or tape).
Such a hand-made product will not require a lot of time and at the same time will help to avoid possible big problems.
Semi-professional option
The previously described example of making a wire clamp is "urgent". But if the manufacture of the product does not require much rush, and there is a tool available, then you can independently build a fairly good version of the product. This can already serve for many years.
Required tool
First, you need to understand what tool you need:
- Hammer or light sledgehammer;
- Drill and drill (Ø 6 - 8 mm);
- Bulgarian or special scissors for cutting metal;
- Measuring instruments - ruler, vernier caliper;
- Wrenches, pliers.
Materials (edit)
To make a clamp capable of carrying significant loads, you will need:
- Metal plate of moderate thickness, preferably up to 1 mm. You should not use thicker steel, since it will not only be problematic to bend it, but it will not allow you to make a sufficiently tight connection;
- Rubber strip, its thickness should be about 3 mm;
- Bolts, nuts (Ø 6 - 8 mm). It is desirable to have washers for them.
Manufacturing algorithm
For the successful manufacture of a clamp with your own hands, you do not need special abilities in this matter, but some basic skills are still needed. According to the advice of experienced plumbers, work should take place in the following sequence:
- The process begins by measuring the damaged area, then a plate is cut out of steel of the appropriate size. In the dimensions of the plate, it is necessary to take into account not only the length of the damaged section of the pipe, but also its circumference (after receiving the size, it is worth adding 5 cm to it).
Pipe measurement - On both sides of the workpiece, using pliers, the "ears" of the future fastener are bent (ultimately they should be perpendicular to the main part of the metal strip).
- In the "ears" you need to drill holes for the mounting bolt.
Homemade clamp - Next, a strip of rubber is cut, the width of which should be less than the circumference of the damaged pipe.
Consider! If the produced clamp has a small size (no more than 6 cm), then the "ears" can be with one hole in the center for the fastening bolt. If it is more, then it is preferable to make them more than 2-3.
Mounting
After the product is almost ready, you can proceed to its installation, which will be the end of the work.
- A metal plate with moderate pressure is bent around a pipe that has a similar diameter to the one that has damage to its integrity. Ultimately, the ears should match.
- Attention! If the bend is uneven, problems may arise with the installation of the fastening bolt.
- A previously prepared piece of rubber is applied to the place of the leak, after which a steel plate is installed on top of it. Before proceeding with the installation of the metal element, it must be slightly unbent. This is done in order to simplify the installation process on the pipe.
- And so, if everything was done correctly, then there will be a distance of a couple of centimeters between the "ears", and they can be pulled together with a bolt. When a sufficient pressure of the product on the pipe is reached, the flow will stop.
Clamp is a connecting unit for pipes, hoses, various tube-shaped structures.
Clamps are one of the most indispensable tools for attaching pipes and air ducts. As practice shows, fastening clamps are used in work with almost all types of pipes, from flexible to rigid. Also, the pipe clamp is used in the installation of sewer and gas pipes. The main task of pipe clamps is to secure the connection between pipes and seal them.
Metal and plastic clamps
Based on the material used for the manufacture of clamps, they can be divided into two groups: plastic and metal. A metal clamp has a much greater margin of safety than a plastic one, therefore it is considered truly universal and can be used for almost any type of pipe connection. Its cost is slightly higher than the cost of plastic analogs, but this is due to the extremely high reliability of the metal clamp. Plastic clamps can be used both for a rigid type of fixation of a pipe connection, and for a movable one (due to their characteristics, they cannot provide the relative mobility of pipes in the connection). Of course, the strength of a clamp made of plastic will be lower than the strength of a metal clamp similar in function and size.
Stainless steel clamps
Stainless steel clamps are made entirely of stainless steel, including clamp and clamp screw. By design, the clamp is made of three parts: tape, lock and screw. When buying, you need to pay attention to the material of these three parts. Clamps with stainless tape and with a lock and screw made of plain carbon steel are very common.
The material designation on stainless steel clamps differs from the fastening designation:
On the clamp W4 (A4) = Material A2 = AISI 304
Clamped W5 (A5) = Material A4 = AISI 316
Stainless steel clamps are used for mechanisms and flexible hoses operating in humid environments. In this case, it is necessary to remember about the electrochemical corrosion of stainless steel with various metals. Accordingly, a structure with a galvanized screw and lock can cause intense corrosion and destruction, which can have very sad consequences for critical components.
Worm gear clamps
A feature of their device is a strong worm lock with a one-piece stamped body, in which there is a gap and an optimal thread angle together with a screw-tape, which provides a uniform compression force around the perimeter, a large ultimate torque when tightening, high vibration resistance and MTBF.
Worm gear clamps are used for fastening and sealing the connection of hoses and elastic pipes, for connecting gas lines in cars, as well as for connecting pipes, for example, in refrigerators, stoves and other household items, in sanitary systems, technological equipment, etc. Clamps are often used to connect hoses in machine-building plants in the production of special equipment, where high mechanical stress on the connections is expected.
Manufactured as one piece, assembled with the tape form a stepless revolving surface that ensures reliable sealing of the connection.
Material:
- Cink Steel,
- stainless steel,
- combined: bolt - carbon steel, yellow passivated; lock and tape - stainless steel.
Dimensions: Galvanized steel hose clamps for hoses with a diameter of 6–260 mm. Stainless steel hose clamps for hoses with a diameter of 8–320 mm.
Plastic ties (cable ties)
Recently, cable clamps have found sufficient popularity as one of the fastest, most convenient and economical ways to bandage, fasten and mark cables during electrical work.
Cable clamps (cable ties) can vary in size (length and width), colors and materials, according to the maximum load they can withstand. The wide range of colors offers the opportunity to satisfy both the individual electrician's taste preferences and the aesthetic design of the room.
Also, clamps are divided into the following types:
The material is distinguished:
Clamp plastic
- stainless steel clamp (stainless steel clamp)
- steel clamp
- galvanized clamp
By purpose they are distinguished:
Metal pipe clamps
- clamp for steel pipes (DIN 3570 U-shaped clamp)
- quick-detachable clamps
- universal clamp
- plastic clamps
- plumbing clamps
- fastening clamp (DIN 3016 Clamp with lining made of steel with rubber band)
- repair clamps
- construction clamps
- mounting clamp
By design, they are distinguished:
Clamp worm
- screed clamps
- band clamp
- mortise clamp
- clamping clamp
- double clamp
- clamping clamp (DIN 3567 Clamp)
- flexible clamp
- reinforced clamp
- spring clamp
- swivel clamps
Description of the way to make the clamp yourself from the wire
Spring, as usual, came when no one was expecting it. And our whole street began to sink.
In this regard, I purchased a motor pump. And to the motor pump - a bundle of hoses, both suction and exhaust.
In the process of collecting all this into a single whole, I discovered that since I selected the worm-gear clamps for the suction hoses, they did not fit for the exhaust hoses, because the latter have a wall thickness, and, as a result, the outer diameter of the pipe is noticeably smaller. But I foresaw something similar, and just in case I bought a skein of galvanized knitting wire with a diameter of 2 mm.
As it turned out, it is not an easy task to securely fix the hose into which water is supplied under a pressure of 500 liters per minute with a wire. After suffering with a screwdriver and pliers, it turns out something like this:
It holds about the same as it looks - i.e. poorly. Once the sleeve was torn off and water was poured over me. Okay, no injuries. After re-bandaging, the hold was still poor, despite all my efforts. Well, it flowed, of course, through all the cracks.
I remembered that last year I saw an excellent video clip of the well-known in the circles of folk craftsmen Lawyer Yegorov about a device he made himself called "clamp".
Lawyer Yegorov is wonderful, and at first I even thought of repeating his entire device. But laziness got sick, and I began to look for simpler versions of the same device. And in the end, after going through several options, I settled on the one that I liked the most - on the version of Alexander Dorovikov.
Immediately I went and bought a 12 hexagon and a spanner wrench with a ratchet, also 12.
As you can see, the horn part was sawed off from the flat key, the tip was slightly sharpened, and a groove was sawn at its end for fixing it to the wire.
Rip cuts were made at both ends of the hexagon, where the wire should be inserted:
In addition, on the advice of Alexander, I marked the direction of free rotation of the tappet part with a permanent marker:
After these simple steps, we try to knit a collar.
To begin with, we bend a piece of wire of sufficient length in half, and slightly squeeze the place of bending with the handles of the nippers, because it is no longer very convenient to bend a 2 mm wire at such a radius with our hands.
Then we throw on the first turn of the clamp, threading the free ends through the loop:
And we make another turn, again threading the ends into the loop:
We attach our device with the sawn groove to the loop:
And we insert a hexagon into the hole of the ratchet, simultaneously grabbing the free ends of the wire with a cut. And we twist it a little to create at least a little tension.
After that, we begin to twist, simultaneously straightening the wire around the entire perimeter, making sure that the turns do not overlap. Do not twist to madness. When there is already a feeling that everything has dragged on enough, we bend our device through the loop like this:
After that, all that remains is to bite off the "antennae" and bend them so as not to cling to and scratch nothing.
Well, now - we dance for joy, the connection is ready. If I explained something incomprehensibly, go to Alexander's video, to which I gave the link above, everything is explained in much more detail.
What we have in the end: the piece of iron is simple, relatively inexpensive, and the benefits are a wagon. Under the hood, of course, you can't use it because of its rather large dimensions - but for a wire of a smaller diameter, you can make a smaller pepyak without any problems.
Why is it needed? - the caustic reader will ask. - After all, there are inexpensive worm clamps!
No, dear reader, they are not always there and do not always fit the situation.
First, good worm gear clamps are rare. Moreover, it is not cheap.
Secondly, there are often no clamps at all in the required diameter, not to mention good ones.
Thirdly, the wire tie, according to my feelings, fixes much more firmly, and above all - due to the fact that it tightens with a uniform force around the entire circumference.
Fourthly, an existing connection can be strengthened with a wire without severing it. This will not work with a worm clamp (P.S. In the comments I was already convinced that it would actually work, I checked - indeed, it works, but not with all clamps). Therefore, it can be used not only for pipes and hoses, but also, for example, for collecting structures from poles, for promptly repairing broken handles of axes, screwdrivers, chisels and much more.
And fifthly, no one bothers a real paranoid to have both in stock. There is a clamp - you put it on. No clamp - you wind the wire.
The tool cost me more than I expected - because I didn't make it to the car market before it closed, and I bought the keys in the "1000 little things" section, where the twists for all this nonsense are quite large. A ratchet wrench cost me 260 rubles, and a hex key - 220. But 500 rubles for the resulting pribluda is not a pity. It's nice to hold in your hands a tool that you have partially made yourself.
Did you have such that you urgently need a clamp, but you don't have it at hand, if so, then this article will help you solve this problem very quickly.
I suggest that you make a very simple device for tightening wire clamps with your own hands, which will allow you to replace purchased clamps with homemade ones from wire.
Materials for making
To manufacture the device, we need- steel strip 200 mm long, 25-30 mm wide, and 2.5 mm thick;
- steel bar 10 mm thick;
- pieces of sheet iron 6-10 mm thick;
- any material for the handle of your choice.
Manufacturing process
We make the base of the clamp of such dimensions 200 mm x 30 mm x 2.5 mm by cutting it out of a steel strip or a piece of sheet iron, as shown in the photo below. We also need two pieces of iron with dimensions of 40 mm x 30 mm x 8 mm, which we will weld to the base for thickening. The collar can be made from a steel bar with a thickness of 10 mm, welding it in a T-shape, or made from an automobile stabilizer post with a rod thickness of 10 mm.
Now we weld the pieces of metal to the base and drill with a 10 mm drill.
For the convenience of using the tool, we make a handle from wood or other material that you like best (plastic, textolite, plexiglass).
In the stock, we make a cut with a width of 2.5 mm with a grinder, for the diameter of the wire that we are going to use.
Our clamp is now ready to use, and its length after finishing is 180 mm.
The clamp itself is made of steel wire 2-2.5 mm thick, bending it as shown in the photo.
Next, we insert the wire into the slot of the knob on both sides and, while scrolling the knob, pull the clamp together, then bend the clamp handle away from ourselves, thus fixing the clamp.
We bite off the excess wire, and bend the ends with a hammer.
Thanks to such a non-tricky device, you can make clamps of any diameter. Of course, such single-use clamps, but they come out strong and durable, and their cost is really a penny, even if you have to buy several meters of the required wire.
Video from the author
Good luck to everyone, and the implementation of all plans.