Pipe clamps are usually used in connecting and sealing two round pipe pieces.
They come majorly in two styles.
1.
Traditional pipe clamp - It is a horse shoe shaped round stock piece featuring threads on the ends and another piece of a half-round flat stock containing holes on every end.
The threaded ends of the first piece are designed to pass through lock nut pairs and they can be tightened.
2.
Flat band clamp - The style is primarily used on the exhaust pipes of stainless steel and is usually extended to seal joints without distorting the shape of the pipe.
The soft stainless steel flat piece is wrapped round the connecting pipes and a bolt is used to tighten so that the two pipe clamp ends are fastened together to achieve a connection seal.
Tips to Use Pipe Tube Clamps When using pipe clamps on exhaust pipes on vehicles or plumbing applications, it is not advisable to over tighten the clamp.
This could lead to pipe distortions leading to leaks that cannot be sealed.
It could also lead to crushed pipe creation making separation impossible in the future.
For a clamp that is properly sealed, it is advisable to apply equal amounts of pressure on both clamp sides and then turn the nuts a full turn using a wrench when they are finger tight.
For plumbing pipes, it is suitable to use the band type clamp.
This is because it is not prone to cracks and they do not crush the plastic pipe.
The flat cradle clamp will on the other hand be perfect for supporting or hanging plastic pipes.
This is because it does not end up surrounding the pipe, but creates a cradle support type suspended from a long threaded rod that is attached to a ceiling joist or floor joist.
When using pipe clamps on high heat areas such as exhaust pipes of a vehicle, it is best to install them with an anti-seize compound that can be applied to clamp threads.
This helps in ensuring the clamp will be easy to remove in the future if the need arises.
It is something that will be particularly helpful with a chrome exhaust pipe of show type vehicles.
The anti-seize application can also be done under or inside the clamp on mating surfaces of exhaust pipes to aid easy system removal whenever necessary.
Choosing Pipe Clamps The fact is that there are so many Camlock fitting manufacturers today offering all sorts of products including Camlock couplings, pipe and tube clamps.
To get the best value for your money, it is advisable to select a reputable and reliable manufacturer.
This will ensure that you get high quality products.
When looking at the available pipe tube clamps, consider the efficiency as far as your application needs are concerned.
The dimensional accuracy is also of importance since a lack in the same will give you sealing issues when you really want to keep leakages at bay.
Durability and the reliability of the pipe clamps are other factors to consider before making the final solution.