sandwiched relationship one or more o rings 131 will also be seated on either side of the sealing ring 127 with the sealing assembly 120 thus placed the brace 60 is clamped to the component c to be tested with the plate 121 and the ring 127 therebetween to provide an hydraulically discrete chamber for testing in clamping the brace 60 to the component c the number of clamps 100 required to maintain the sealing assembly 120 in hydraulically discrete contiguity under the test pressures to be applied to the heat exchamber component c is calculated the calculated number of clamps 100 are then mounted at intervals in the slots 79 in the brace 60 at a radial distance from the center of the brace greater than the radius of the plate 121 but at as short a radius as possible to maximize the grip of the clamps 100 on the flange f of the component c to be tested with the bases 101 of the clamp brackets seated against the brace 60 the shoes 109 are abutted against the component c to be tested the clamp linkages 105 are then moved to draw the shoes 109 toward the brace 60 so as to firmly grip the plate 121 and the ring 137 between the base plate 61 of the brace and the flange f of the component c to be tested it should be noted.