What are the parts of seaming pliers?
What are the parts of seaming pliers? |
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Handles of seaming pliers |
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Most seaming pliers have handles which must be manually opened and closed with every bend or fold to provide the leverage needed. | |||
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Some seaming pliers have an open latch movement (scissor-like) which is provided by the tension produced by the linking of the jaws to the handles with a rivet mechanism or linkage.
They are durable, easy to operate and allow for one-handed bending and folding of sheet metal. |
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Some seaming pliers have handle stops or moulded protrusions on the vinyl/plastic covered handles, for added comfort and easy operation. | |||
Jaws of seaming pliers |
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Seaming pliers have jaws which grasp and hold metal. The jaws are also known as the blade.
Manufacturers give the jaw width as the main measurement for the user to identify which seaming pliers to buy for maximum efficiency, for example, 60mm (2.36 inches) or 80mm (3.14 inches). Wider jaws are able to cover a greater area of sheet metal and this in turn allows more of the sheet metal to be bent and formed at a time. |
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Textured jawsThe inner surfaces of the jaws of some seaming pliers are textured, or have teeth to maximise the grip on the sheet of metal. |
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Non-marring jawsSome seaming pliers have vinyl covered, non-marring jaws, which do not mark sheet metal when it is being bent. |
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Depth marksSome seaming pliers have incremental depth marks on top of the jaws. These marks help the user to make a standard fold of the lead sheet each time, to achieve a uniform look. |
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Vee-notched marksSome seaming pliers have vee-notched graduation marks along two of the outside edges of the jaws. These marks serve the same purpose as the incremental depth marks and are a visual aid for the user. |
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Pivot of seaming pliers |
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Most seaming pliers are solid-joint pliers which have a solid pin or rivet joint at the pivot. The pivot is the point where the handles move to open and close the jaws of the seaming pliers. A joint is simply the point where the parts of a structure are joined. | |||
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Lap joints vs. box jointsSeaming pliers have either a lap joint, which is an overlapping joint between the two pieces of metal (the handles)…… |
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……Or they have a box joint, also known as a staked joint, which is a set of complementary rectangular cuts in both pieces of metal which, when they are joined together, form the box joint.
A box joint is stronger than a lap joint and adds to the aesthetic appeal of the pliers. |
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