Definition

Noun: A pipe clamp is a type of clamp specifically designed to securely hold a section of pipe in place. Its primary function is to immobilize the pipe during tasks such as cutting it to a specific length or threading its ends to attach fittings.

Usage

A pipe clamp is an essential tool in plumbing, metalworking, and construction. It is used to stabilize a pipe, preventing it from rotating or moving, which ensures precise, safe, and accurate work when using tools like a pipe cutter or a threading die.

Examples

• Before cutting the galvanized steel pipe, the plumber secured it firmly in a pipe clamp.
• For a clean thread, always use a pipe clamp to hold the pipe steady.
• The workshop manual instructed us to mount the section in a pipe clamp before proceeding.

Advanced Usage

• In a professional/industrial context: Pipe clamps are often mounted on workbenches or integrated into pipe threading machines. They may be referred to by more specific names indicating their mechanism, such as a chain pipe clamp or a yoke-vise pipe clamp.
  • The technician attached the chain pipe clamp around the large-diameter pipe.

Variants and Related Words

• Pipe vise (noun): This is a common synonym and often a more specific term. A pipe vise is typically a bench-mounted clamp with jaws shaped to grip cylindrical pipes.
• Clamp (noun): The general category of tools used to hold objects tightly together or to prevent movement.

Synonyms

• Pipe vise
• Tube clamp (though "tube" often refers to thinner-walled material)

Notes

The term "pipe clamp" can sometimes be confused with a different tool: a clamp made from a piece of pipe, often used in woodworking as a long bar clamp. However, in the context of plumbing and metalworking, its meaning is distinct and refers to the tool used to hold a pipe.

Noun

1. a clamp for holding pipe that is to be cut or threaded