Edge clips

So, any time I ask about something specific it seems to be unobtainium.

Is there such a think as a stock line of clips for various thicknesses of material?

I'm looking for something shaped like this (view in fixed-width):

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Ideally the throat of the clip would be 5/16" wide; the depth is quite negotiable. Even more ideally, there would be a variety of clip sizes and gauges available. Even more ideally yet, the clips would be available in stainless steel, or some other metal that can stand salt water.

Your thoughts appreciated, although "Tim! You're crazy!" won't get you far -- I'm already aware of that.

Reply to
Tim Wescott
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I do not know of a source, but I think you should give us an idea of what y ou are trying to do. I have some stainless banding material and it would b e no big deal to cut some lengths and bend to shape. But I doubt if the cl amping force would be enough. Regular steel banding material is stiffer. You could probably go to Lowes or Home Depot and get some free used banding .

If you took the arms off , would a clip for papers work?

Dan

Reply to
dcaster

Tim Wescott prodded the keyboard with:

I've seen them used on washing machines for joining two thin flat sheets of metal together. They usually have a dog on them that digs into the sheet that stops them from coming loose or being removed. All the ones I've seen have been plain spring steel. There is a company in Birmingham UK that makes them, I can't remember the name for the moment... Try "Lee Springs"

Reply to
Baron

Hi, Tim:-

You may indeed be crazy, but have you checked out Tinnerman U-Type fasteners?

Here's a distie catalog, PDF page 537+, for example.

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Reply to
Spehro Pefhany

What? Why?

I want to clip two fiberglass panels together, compressing a gasket that's in between. Then I want to put a rubber edge seal around the whole shebang.

In theory just the rubber edge seal would do, but I don't want to try to explain that thinking to an unhappy customer.

Almost, yes. The typical rolled edges of that sort of paper clip would be a bit of an issue, but not much.

Reply to
Tim Wescott

If I could get them in stainless I'd be a happy camper.

The instrument needs to work on the sea shore, so I'd rather not use spring steel for the job.

It should give me some search terms, though.

Reply to
Tim Wescott

Without knowing your use or if it is a clip you need, my first thought is aluminum channel. Cut it to the length you want for each clip. It also comes in different widths, so your throat can be what ever you can find available. Lowes and HD stock some sizes. Mikek

Reply to
amdx

That almost sounds like making thermopane windows.

Dan

Reply to
dcaster

Are there clips available for thermopane windows?

Reply to
Tim Wescott

If this will need a finished look, look at some of the push on windlass trim used on vehicles. Basically U shaped rubber channel with a long spring clip inside it. Push it onto the edge and it grips and locks in place.

Reply to
Steve W.

Not that I know of. But Thermopane windows do not have any clips on the finished window. They rely on the sealant to hold the pieces together.

You could probably just use c-clamps to hold the pieces of fiberglass together. And apply sealant except right at the c-clamps. And after the sealant hos set up, remove the c-clamps , and apply sealant where the c-clamps were.

Dan

Reply to
dcaster

Does it ever! I had quite a time removing the old lower window (beltline) rubber sealing strips from my truck.

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

Or just apply the sealant- pop the two peices together, and clamp them untill the sealant has set.. Or just butter the joint with resin and microballoons and pop it together. (But I assume the reason for gasket and clips is to allow future dissassembly??)

Composite aircraft and fiberglass auto bodies are fabricated by this method all the time.

Reply to
clare

Clips of that general type are used by (picture) framing shops. They're used to hold a poster, drawing or other art on paper between a sheet of foamcore board and a sheet of clear plastic.

Reply to
Mike Spencer

Nice resource!

Reply to
Tom Gardner

Extremely fair pricing and shipping. Some places gild their prices for any kind of body clip. It truly sucks. C&F is great.

Saved for future purchases!

Reply to
Larry Jaques

I'm trying to come up with a plan B in case we decide that gluing things together permanently is a bad idea.

Reply to
Tim Wescott

On Fri, 26 Jun 2015 13:35:22 -0500, Tim Wescott wrote: ...

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Spring-steel paint-can clips are available in several sizes with various finishes. I haven't seen any in stainless.

Reply to
James Waldby

Gee, how could permanent glue, duct tape, bubblegum, or baling wire _ever_ be a bad idea, Tim?

The engineers at SouthCom, Int'l. (ca 1972) solvent-glued lexan windows into the lexan front panels of their manpack radios. As a QA inspector, I bounced dozens and my boss OKed only slightly fewer. (I mean, who needs to see the state of the battery charge or the xmit power out on the battlefield, anyway? I'm sure the (Paki) soldiers were perfectly happy with cloudy windows.)

P.S: I personally believe that Crom invented o-rings for a purpose.

Reply to
Larry Jaques

I paid $5 at AutoZone for a little package of clips just so I could get the one for my tailgate actuation rod.

You betcha!

Reply to
Larry Jaques

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