Cardellini Clamp
Cardellini Clamps are a versatile clamp with a 5/8" baby pin. They can be used to clamp onto flat or round surfaces and come in different styles. They were originally created by a San Francisco Key Grip, Steve Cardellini.
Uses
- End Jaw Cardellini
The End Jaw Cardellini is the standard. It does not work very well on round surfaces if you are doing anything besides a dead hang, because the clamp only relies on friction from the pads, it cannot bite very hard onto the pipe. For those applications, a pipe hanger or baby cheeseboro are better suited for the work.
- Mid Jaw Cardellini
The Mid Jaw Cardellini is very similar and there could be a number of reasons to use a mid-jaw over an end jaw. Either needing a lower profile for the clamp, needing the pin to be on the opposite side as where your screw is or just want your light to put less leverage on the clamp and keep a lower center of gravity.
Troubleshooting
Two things usually happen with Cardellini's:
- Missing or Slipping Pads: The pads will often times start to fall off over time. Replacement pads can be purchased.
- Stuck Jaw: If you are not clamping all the way onto a surface, screwing it down tight will bind the jaw onto the screw side. The only way to fix this is to hit the backside of the clamp with a hammer. It is preferred to use a piece of cribbing to soften the blow and not dent the clamp. The clamp will unbind itself and slide freely again once you do this.
Substitutions
- Baby Pipe Hanger
- Mafer Clamp
- Baby Cheeseburrow
- 4in C Clamp