Dual Screw Multi Ratio Geared Clamp With Various Jaws

This is a design that I first did several years ago that I thought I'd dust off and come up with some new applications for the Printables Clamp-On contest. The design uses a central drive gear with a knob that turns two screws to open or close the clamp jaw. This gives the clamp a more balanced grip than relying on a cantilevered design of a typical clamp.

The original intent of the design was to slowly squeeze down a plastic bottle so that you could just turn the knob and squeeze out just the right amount of what you were trying to dispense without always having to squish out the air. I know, it was a pretty specific purpose as a lot of my Pre-Printables designs were. However, it's a neat design and when I saw the Clamp-On competition, I thought I'd dust it off and re imagine it with some other options.

It is now available with a variety of clamp jaws and also three choices of gear ration.

In order to make this, you will need to print two of the same screws and a matching drive gear as well as your choice of jaw1 and jaw2.

Instruction Update: After having messed with making this on my Ender 3 some, I recommend printing it without support on the threaded parts (I set my support to 80 degrees). Once printed run the tap tool through the threaded holes a few times to clean them up and smooth them out before assembling the parts.

To assemble, follow these steps:

• Insert the drive gear into the center hole in jaw1. • With the knob perpendicular to Jaw1 insert one of the two screws. • Now, insert the second screw, but it is important to make sure that before you engage the second screw with the drive gear it must be aligned exactly the same as the first screw. If you haven't engaged the correct tooth it will thread wonky. Use the little holes on the outside of the screws to ensure proper alignment. If the first screw is aligned at six-o-clock then the second screw must also be aligned at six-o-clock when viewed from the same perspective. • Simultaneously start both screws threading into jaw2 by turning the drive knob clockwise (screws will thread counterclockwise) being careful not to let either screw disengage with the drive gear. Once the threads are started it doesn't seem to have a tendency to disengage anymore.

If you use support and struggle to clear out the threads use the tap tool. Print it at 100% infill and remember that it threads counterclockwise.

I designed this using Solidworks.

Design and description by nightfox90 , licensed CC-BY.