CAMVATE C-Clamp with 1/4 and 3/8 Thread Hole for Camera Monitor(Red T-Handle) – 1687

I purchased this vise with the intent to modify it to adapt it to a custom, clamping application, and it has proven to be a highly adaptable and tailorable design.

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1. The clamp head on the threaded bolt is a 1.00” diameter, 0.25” thick, steel disk with PVC vinyl cap. I was able to separate the clamp head from the bolt by punching out a c-clip. This modular design enabled me to replace the clamp head with a custom one I machined. Other camera clamp designs I tested do not have an easily replaced clamp head. +1 to Camvate for modularity / versatility.

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2. I drilled the vise frame for a custom guide rod for my custom clamp head. I drilled through the top one of two, lateral, 1/4”x20 threaded, accessory-mounting holes in the frame. The accessory-mounting hole then became a convenient hole for threading in a 1/4”x20 1/2” long cross-bolt to lock the guide rod. +1 to Camvate for modularity / versatility.

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3. The vinyl, clamp-jaw cover on the fixed side of the clamp frame is removable with modest hand pressure. The cover is friction and contour fitted to the v-groove and not glued. This enabled me to remove the stock, jaw cover without hassle.

I then proceeded to machine a custom, square, slot in place of the v-groove. The aluminum of the clamp frame is unusually hard for aluminum alloy, but machines cleanly with high-speed steel end mills at ~6,500 rpm with no galling or chipping.

I fabricated a custom jaw cover and drilled and tapped a 1/4’x20 accessory hole at the top of the strut to match the lower, accessory hole already in the clamp frame on the same strut. I used these two holes to mount my custom jaw cover.

+3 to Camvate for modularity / versatility on all the above.

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4. I didn’t need the full length of the threaded clamp rod, which is 3/8”x18. I was able to remove the T-bar by loosening the two, opposing, hex screws in its base; clamping the threaded rod into a padded vise; and then manually twisting off the T-bar to overcome the thread sealant and locker.

I then used a cut-off wheel to trim the threaded clamp rod to the desired length, and reattached the T-bar by threading it back onto the trimmed rod. *** The set screws are all that are needed to secure the T-bar to the threaded rod. There are a number of product reviews here criticizing the T-bar handle as coming loose. I did not find this to be a problem at all before or after my modification. I did not even have to drill locking notches into the threaded rod or use thread locker. I only used a hex wrench with 10″ drive with maximum torque from my hands / arms on BOTH set screws. Under considerable clamping pressure (~1000 psi) and repeated loosening and tightening of the clamp, the T-bar has not worked its way loose ***

The T-bar is cast and beautifully machined from a high-strength, aluminum alloy and finished with an attractive and durable, metallic-red anodize. It gives considerably more leverage and has much greater strength than the plastic knobs used on other camera clamps.

+3 to Camvate for material and build quality on all the above attributes.

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5. I squared the rounded, inside corners of the “U” shaped frame on this clamp to accommodate my special application. Again, I was amazed at how hard and tough the aluminum alloy is — it must be heat-treated (T6) 7075 — but how cleanly it cuts with carbide cutting tools and hardened-steel, hand files.

*** With all the metal I cut away from the frame by opening-up the clamping notch and squaring the inside corners of this clamp, I was concerned that the frame would fail under extreme clamping pressure. To my amazement, even with over 100 ft-lbs. of torque on the T-bar and over 1000 psi clamping pressure there are zero signs of metal fatigue or stretching / bending in the frame. Also, there are zero signs of the frame threads for the clamp rod deforming under the massive torque. The aluminum alloy frame on this clamp is EXCEPTIONALLY STRONG! ***

+2 for Camvate for material and build quality on all the above.

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6. The black finish on the clamp frame does not appear to be anodizing, but it is extremely hard, durable and scuff resistant. It appears to be a Cerakote-like coating and only my diamond files can easily scuff it. +1 Camvate for material and build quality.

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7. I like how the mounting frame is below the clamp frame and with a horizontal, reinforcing strut between them. This, no doubt, is why the clamp frame can withstand huge psi without bending or buckling.

The mounting frame has three mount holes: a center hole that is threaded 3/8”x16, flanked by two, side holes threaded 1/4”x20 each. I Installed a 1/4”x20 thread adapter into the center hole to gain three positions for mounting the clamp depending of offsets needed to balance / balance on the object being clamped. Again, the hardened aluminum alloy allows for considerable torque to be applied to these mounting screw / bolt holes without risking stripping them out.

+2 to Camvate for material and build quality on all the above.

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In conclusion, the Camvate camera clamp has exceptional modularity and versatility (+5 points) and extreme material and build quality (+8 points) far exceeding the requirements for a clamp for camera / photography gear, and which is highly amenable to modification and adaptation to other mechanical tasks and applications.

This combined with the very low price ($16.90) and one-day delivery via Amazon Prime makes the Camvate clamp an outstanding value.

Très bon serre-joint pour de multiples applications.
Solide, belles couleurs, efficace dans toutes les positions pour reflex et Gopro.

If you never move this thing, it’s probably great. I use it, or I should say, wanted to use it, for things I move around. Unfortunately, the red handle that you turn to loosen and tighten the clamp just keeps coming loose every time. There’s a small screw that needs a hex key/allen wrench (fortunately I have a multi-sized ‘swiss army knife’ kind of thing with a bunch of them, so one of them fits) and it holds the handle onto the ‘screw’ of the clamp.

I have to tighten it every time I want to turn the handle. I have no idea how just three or four turns can loosen the thing, but apparently they can! This feels like a fairly critical design flaw to me, and I’m actually not entirely sure why the handle is attached with a screw in the first place.. this doesn’t seem like the standard for this kind of thing, or at least, my other clamps aren’t that way. If it’s meant to be so that if it comes off or something it’s not ‘broken’ you just screw it back on… well it’s way too loose or not fit properly and it’s actually just an annoyance.

Once you get it tightened and all, it’s fine. It’s an adequate little clamp, it’s not stellar or anything. I wouldn’t try to clamp it onto a round pole, like some other clamps can. The holes to screw things on seem to be sized correctly (I have another clamp where this is actually not true, so I suppose it wins for that), but… I would definitely prefer this if I wasn’t moving it around.

If you want to move it often, take a hard pass (or plan on having a hex key handy every time). If you’re leaving it in one place or moving it rarely, sure, why not, it’s not going to do anything special, but it’ll get the job done.

Finally writing the review after tightening it a few too many times and realizing “I can… but why SHOULD I keep doing this?”

Well constructed