Hey there, my name's Cam and welcome back to another episode of Gear up with Gregg's.
Today were going to tighten up and buckle down with BAND-IT's line of clamps and lock systems.
BAND-IT clamps have been used in a variety of applications,
from giant clamps on the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.
Which is the suspension bridge that connects Staten Island and Brooklyn.
To tiny clamps on the Mars Rover Curiosity.
Now, why are these clamps so important?
Couldn't you just use rope or plastic zip ties to bundle something together?
Well, for some applications, like bundling small electrical cables, sure.
But what if you were driving over the Verrazano Narrows bridge and saw that it was held together with plastic?
The tensile strength of the strongest zip tie is only 250 pounds,
where the BAND-IT ties boast an impressive 400 pounds of tensile strength.
So, you know that when you're using a BAND-IT clamp, your hold is secure and safe!
Lets start with the BAND-IT Band System. These bands are made using 201 stainless steel,
which offers good resistance to oxidation, or rust, and many types of corrosion.
With these bands, youll be clamping and fastening with great strength AND a quality appearance.
Lets go down to the shop where one of our shop guys, Ryan, will show us to set one of these up.
To create a completed band, we first need a buckle. These clip, or EAR style buckles,
slide right over the tail of the band, so you can use it to create a complete loop,
bend at the end of the band, on the inside diameter, beneath the buckle, to keep it from moving.
Bring the end of the band around the object you want clamped,
then bring the tail of the band through the buckle again, creating a double layered band.
Double banding provides more compression, and more tension, than a single band,
which is why its the recommended application of the BAND-IT clamps.
Now, there are two tools that can be used with the BAND-IT band system.
Theres the Bantam Tool or theres the Standard Banding Tool.
The bantam tool is great for access in tight areas and light duty banding applications such as sign hanging.
But if you're looking for strength, and the best tension in a manual tool,
look no further than the Standard Banding Tool.
Starting from the head of the tool frame you'll find the slotted entrance for the band,
the gripper bar, the cutter bar, and the cutter bar handle.
To use the banding tool, make sure the cutter blade is facing down and out, not against the object being clamped.
Slide the tail of the band into the opening at the head of the tool,
lifting the gripper bar to allow easy movement of the tail, and move the tail in
as far as possible to avoid the buckle slipping into the head of the tool.
Tighten the band clamp by turning the tension handle clockwise. Be careful, if you tighten your band past
the maximum tension, the band will stretch and, ultimately, break.
Thats the last thing you want to do at a job site!
So, how do we find the maximum tension? Well, there are two ways to find out.
The first way is called the Three Line Test.
Using a felt tip marker, place three lines at quarter inch intervals away from the buckle and tool.
As you continue turning the tension handle, keep an eye on these lines in relation to the buckle.
When they stop moving, you've reached your maximum tension!
The second way to determine maximum tension is by placing your finger on the band just past the buckle.
While tensioning with the handle, you will feel the BAND-IT band stop moving when it's reached its max tension.
Once you've reached the maximum tension, roll the tool over the buckle, winding the tension handle counter clockwise.
Failure to unwind the handle, or back off the tension, may result in the band breaking.
The cutter bar should now be facing up.
Secure the tool with one hand and pull the cutter bar back with a quick, strong force.
Remove the tool and you will be left with a band tab on your clamp. Push the tab down between
the ears of your buckle and hammer the ears down over the tab of the clamp.
This locks your clamp in place and gives you a completed band clamp. To remove the leftover tail from
the tool, push up on the gripper bar and pull the excess band from the tool. Thats it!
Next up we have the Ultra Lok bands and electric tools. This series is fast, powerful, and
easy to use. This system, designed in 1995, is the strongest band clamp system ever produced
in a portable tool.
The Ultra Lok bands come in two designs. The Pre Formed version and the Free End clamp.
Both versions include the smooth inside diameter and come in half inch and three quarter inch widths.
BAND-IT's Ultra Lok Pre Formed clamps range from one half inch to nine inch internal diameter, or 'I.D.'
The Free End Ultra Lok clamps are typically used for anything that requires more than nine inch outside diameter, or 'O.D.'
Making a clamp from the Free End roll is easy. Simply pull the band out until you see the
seam of the next clamp and bend it at the seam until it breaks. Now that we have our
clamp broken off, we want to attach the buckle to the clamp. You do this by sliding the buckle
on with the indicator arrows facing the same direction and with the same side up.
Slide the buckle down the band until it stops between the two dimples at the end of the Free End clamp.
Here at Greggs, we have the Ultra Lok 4000, which is a cordless, rechargeable tool.
At the front of the tool, the HEAD, then we have the sliding entrance for clamp insertion,
a cut off handle,
speed settings of 1 and 2,
torque settings,
reverse settings and forward settings,
and then the trigger.
This tool can be used in a number of applications, such as hose assembly and municipal signage.
In order to demonstrate this tool, were going to use this piece of 3 inch pipe.
Take the tool and make sure that the sliding block, or gripper guide, is all the way at the head of the tool
before we insert the clamp. If its not, set the motor to reverse
and push the gripper guide to the head of the tool.
With the cut off handle down, we want to insert the clamp tail into the head of the tool. Push the tool all the way until
Push the tool all the way until it touches the buckle.
Now were ready to install. Remember, the tool will stop on its own when it acquires the
right amount of tension. Once the tool stops and provides an audible clicking sound,
release the trigger and push forward on the cut off handle with a strong, hard stroke.
Now that the clamp is installed, we want to make sure the lock is completely secure, so hammer down
on the buckle casing to make sure that this clamp isn't going anywhere.
Last, we want to remove the remaining clamp tail from within the tool. Push the sliding block all the way
forward by reversing the drill. Once the block is all the way at the head of the tool,
you can pull the excess Clamp Tail free.
Remember when we mentioned that you can use these clamps to install traffic signs?
to do that, you need a little help from these guys. These BRACK-ITS are additions to the
BAND-IT clamps that are used for mounting traffic signs, security devices, and enclosures.
They come with either half inch or three quarter inch slots, depending on the BRACK-IT type.
These little pieces of hardware are designed to withstand stress and wind vibration,
so you know your sign or security camera isn't about to be blown away.
Other products from BAND-IT include an ID tagging system, which you can use to print
your own ID tags, as well as a center punch tool and clamps which are essentially a simple,
manual version of the electric tools. Or, if you're looking for something a bit more
vibrant, or to match an existing fixture, BAND-ITs COLOR-IT line supplies clamps in various colors.
These COLOR-IT bands have a polyester coating and offer the same superior performance
and durability as BAND-ITs other clamps.
Pipe and hose fittings arent the only things these clamps are good for. They can also be
used for cable bundling, protective sleeving, and labeling. Several different industries
including construction, manufacturing, food and beverage processing, automotive, aerospace,
marine, municipal government, and the military, all rely on BAND-IT clamps for their quality,
durability, and diverse fastening capabilities.
Well, if that wasnt enough to get you onboard the BAND wagon, or if you have any other questions,
please dont hesitate to call us. Or you can visit our website at greggdistributors.ca.
If you liked this video, let us know in the comments, and if you want to see more, hit
that subscribe button! Again, Im Cam and thank you for watching another episode of Gear up with Greggs.