Hose clamps are primarily used in car repair, plumbing, and home repair to attach and seal hoses to various equipment. As the equipment varies, so does the size — ranging from standard to extra wide hose clamps — and type. There are three main categories of hose clamps: worm gear clamps, spring clamps, and wire clamps.
Worm Gear Clamps
No actual worms are involved in the making of worm gear clamps. Instead, the name refers to how the clamp moves when a screw is turned. These clamps are also referred to as screw clamps because of that function. They are stainless steel clamps and consist of two parts — a band of metal with a screw pattern pressed into it and a single screw sitting at one end of it. When the screw is turned, the band will worm its way around the hose until it is tightened. Worm gear clamps are used in attaching sections of water piping together and in the transmission of small amounts of power. Any job in which the piping being worked on needs a more flexible connection is suited for worm gear clamps.
Spring Clamps
A clamp made from medium carbon steel, spring clamps are able to return to their original shape after manipulation. One end of the clamp has a single narrow point on it while the other has two narrow points. When the band is rolled into a ring, often with pliers, the protruding pieces intertwine with each other. As they are pressed together, the ring widens, allowing the clamp to slip over the hose to secure it. Once the pressure is released, the ring tightens and stays on the hose. As they can transform in extra wide hose clamps and then tighten instantly, spring clamps are often used on large, high-pressure hoses, such as automotive cooling or vacuum hoses.
Wire Clamps
Wire clamps are made of heavy pieces of steel that are bent into a ring shape and folded over so that the ends overlap one another. These clamps have holes cut on the ends. While one end is attached to a captive nut, the other is attached to a captive screw. Once the clamp is placed around a hose, the screw is tightened, and the ends are pushed apart. This causes the wire loop to effectively tighten around the hose. Wire clamps are typically used to secure the radiator hose on automobiles.
While these are the official uses for various types of hose clamps, they can also be used in DIY projects like jewelry making and as wall mounts for mason jars or hanging plants. If you have any standard or extra wide hose clamps around the house that are not needed for repairs, have some fun and use them in creative decor projects.
