I had to make changes and add a 3/4" dowel, a 3/4" mortise, and a t-nut for the handle. Now the F-clamp works. The SU Model shows the changes in the scene with the handle parts. The parts are small and have the small edges problem, but … Oh well, everything works for the shop made F-clamp.
F-Clamp, 24_ (1).skp (206.9 KB)
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I remembered to assign tags to the new parts and changes. I then added a small grip to the square peg that holds the base to the arm, because that’s the way I made the actual clamp. I didn’t even bother to check for small edges but I’m sure it has them.
F-Clamp, 24_ (1).skp (254.6 KB)
Since making this model, I made four of these clamps. I changed the model, because I needed to correct nested components. I also had one of the clamps fail where the end is pegged into the arm. I no longer peg this joint. That takes too much material out of the tenon where the failure occured.
F-Clamp, 24_.skp (255.8 KB)
You would probably find it useful to create the bar and the moving jaw parts as separate components. And also correct the face orientation on the bar.
I made the component “arm” for the bar, pad for the top jaw part, and base for the bottom jaw part. I tried to explode it so they would separate when I clicked … but. It was in my attempt to fix nested components that I jungled all that up. I tried unnecessary things, I found out later.
Explode removes the component/group wrappers. It doesn’t create an exploded view. You have to do that with the Move tool.
I had made a group that I wanted to explode so I could get to the arm which would not be recognized as a component (even when I edited the group). Anyway I did a bunch of stuff that had it all messed up. I could work on the arm if I went to the scenes but not the assembled f-clamp. I can’t imagine why. Finally, the nested groups went away when I analyzed each part with inspector and equity info. I also had wild geometry out in space from when I scaled a copy of the F-clamp up to try to fix the nested components. (I found out that was unnecessary.) I erased the geometry and hope I got it all. The next, smaller f-clamp I modeled went smoother and I had no nested components, I think it was because I had learned to be careful using guides to align as I made the parts. Like you told me early on back in April, I think, when things get that messed up, it’s better to start over from scratch.
F-Clamp, 24_ (2).skp (241.6 KB)
I erased the assembled F-clamp and reassembled it with the solid components up in the scenes. I think it is all straightened out now.