Tightening a Tri-Clamp the easy way

[Hank Reardon]

For those of you that have not worked around these fittings much, there is a quick and easy way to tighten them that beats busting up your knuckles or giving yourself carpal tunnel syndrome. It was shown to me years ago by an old dog that worked in a food factory that moved a lot of fluids. All you need is your 2 fittings, your ptfe gasket, your clamp, and a set of channel locks.

I'm sure a lot of folks use this method, but for someone who doesn't, or someone who hasn't worked around them before, it makes life pretty easy.

[stony2289]

Or you could use a cresent (shifter) as well.

[rubber duck]

I'm cave man, I use a screw driver in the hole.

[stony2289]

I'm cave man, I use a screw driver in the hole.

Haha, when I screw I always try to get it in the hole.......

[rubber duck]

You must be a young guy if you still get to do that, I remember those days.

Back to the topic that hole in the clamp screw wasn't put there on accident, it's there to leverage.

[stony2289]

You must be a young guy if you still get to do that, I remember those days.

Back to the topic that hole in the clamp screw wasn't put there on accident, it's there to leverage.

You blokes must have different triclamps. The insides of ours are so the threaded part can pass through. A screwdriver ain't gonna do nothing to them, but they have wings, so they can fly presumably.

[Hillbilly Popstar]

How friggin tight are you guys tightening these things?

I have never tightened mine more than what I can do with my fingers and don't have any leaks.

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[Hillbilly Popstar]

They are triclamps, not gasket crushers.

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[Bushman]

I also use a screwdriver, if I don't where the boiler and column connect it will leak after it has had a chance to heat up.

[still_stirrin]

Mine look look this...

TC clamp

But like popstar said, I don't have to torque the clamp so tight. The teflon gasket makes the taper joint snug and leakproof with a simple finger twist.

But my TC's are 2". Larger clamps may need more torque. Also, those with wingnuts like you show in the photo may need more torque too.
ss

[Hillbilly Popstar]

I didn't think about that. Mine are 2" as well. Larger ones may require a bit more effort.

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[Hound Dog]

My clamps look like the one SS pictured and using hard PTFE gaskets I use Rubber Duck's caveman screwdriver method. If I still get a drip going during a run, I go Neanderthal and tap the clamp into the ferrule with a hammer while tightening it. Some of you may remember Primitive Pete from shop class who could do anything with a hammer and a screwdriver!

[Bushman]

I have 4" and it just seems like during heat up it is easier to rotate once things start warming up but it makes it easier with a screwdriver.

[gflower1]

I like the screwdriver method but if you want to reinvent the wheel, maybe get you one of the tools they use to tie wire on rebar.
Has a little hook and spins freely... No resetting your channel locks or crescent

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[Hound Dog]

I have ordered some of the high compression clamps that have a bolt on each side rather than a hinge and thumbscrew. I will give them a shot on my next run. Having a fill and drain port makes it less important to have quick and easy setup and breakdown.

[InvertedSpin]

Hey, guys. I work with these things all day, every day. If you're tightening them any more than finger tight, you're doing it wrong. If you're getting leaks, take it apart, seat the gasket right, and try again.

EDIT: At work we test these to 250 psi with the clamps finger tight.

[Hank Reardon]

The idea of the original post was an easy way for a person to get a clamp tight without using their thumb as the lever.

I also work with them all day every day, and in an industrial environment things are imperfect, which operators tend to compensate for by over tightening. There is no need to crank them down with all your might, but if you want to squeeze the clamp and tighten with your pinky finger, it is possible. [WINKING FACE]


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[jedneck]

Another thing to remember is that some are using home made flanges. That might be harder to seal.

[Hound Dog]

Another thing to remember is that some are using home made flanges. That might be harder to seal.

And beating the stainless flanges into type L pipe with a sledge hammer distorting them a bit

[ericrichards420]

I also use a screw driver, most of them I get tight with my fingers but I go back and snug them up. I run a 2" VM, My 2" X 1" reducer coming off the T is a lil bit out of round because I welded a fitting to accommodate for a 1/4" thermometer for my still head. Its not too bad but it dose require a bit more force to make the connection.

[Kegg_jam]

Only a couple times I felt the need to go beyond finger tight. Screw driver through the hole was sufficient.

[Saltbush Bill]

Glad mine only ever need to be finger tight

[thecroweater]

Must be those Asian ones with the hole that need 5,000 psi mine need to be no where near as tight as I could get with two fingers .

[InvertedSpin]

The idea of the original post was an easy way for a person to get a clamp tight without using their thumb as the lever.

I also work with them all day every day, and in an industrial environment things are imperfect, which operators tend to compensate for by over tightening. There is no need to crank them down with all your might, but if you want to squeeze the clamp and tighten with your pinky finger, it is possible. [WINKING FACE]

Ok. I made the mistake of taking for granted that it does take a fair amount to practice to place these with one hand.

Another thing to remember is that some are using home made flanges. That might be harder to seal.

Ah, yes. Good point. I hadn't considered that.

[ericrichards420]

I just have the one ferrule, slightly out of round that needs a little extra tighting.

[BentJar]

If your stuff is right, finger tight.
or
crush and bend, stretch and bite.

use a tool and be fool

[Hank Reardon]

If your stuff is right, finger tight.
or
crush and bend, stretch and bite.

use a tool and be fool

I am certain your cliche sounded good when you wrote it.

I can't help but wonder how you ever changed a tire without a tool, such as a jack or a lug wrench?

BentJar, how were you able to install your element in your electric keg without a tool? Did you use some dykes or a nema4x box, a wrench, wire strippers, or any sort of electronics tools? How about tape? I'm sure your screwdriver that tightened that screw was a fools tool.

We could talk fuel cells for steam engines, and anything other than your opposable thumbs required for such work if you like.

It appears you have even used ketchup as a tool.

Now, I could go on all night about things that are beneath the dignity of the site based on your post ...such as the tool used to post your wit, or I could say that I hope you never have a leak in your pursuit of the perfect union. Godspeed in your endeavors toward perfection.

Best of luck.

[rubber duck]

Someone has been drinking tonight..... lol

Edit.... is this some kinda gay joke that I don't understand? There seems to be a lot of stretching, biting, tool, and pissed off people.

Not trying to get off topic but I'm at a loss.

[Hank Reardon]

Someone has been drinking tonight..... lol

Edit.... is this some kinda gay joke that I don't understand? There seems to be a lot of stretching, biting, tool, and pissed off people.

Not trying to get off topic but I'm at a loss.

The burning question will be who is gay, and who is drinking ?

I'm fine with the feedback on the only thread (outside of day 1) I started. I get that folks have opinions and want to offer theirs. Sometimes, it just seems like people want to pile on with their pithy statements that run counter to most every post they have ever written. Had the offender simply said, my tri-clamps require thumb tightening and this is how it did it..., I would have stayed silent. His problem is he has used most modern tools to accomplish the things he posted, and then disparaged the use of tools. We have a name for that where I come from...

So, I'm not meaning to go off-topic. But folks should also at least attempt to be consistent.

edit: I did a quick search on bentjar's posts. He's used a tool or two along the way.

[rubber duck]

I've got to tighten my clamps down pretty tight to a sank keg, as a keg is flat and doesn't have a nice groove. I think I have a tri clamp with a butterfly end, I've never used it because I'm a cave man.