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| Bridge Clamps http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=26664 |
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| Author: | michael wise [ Tue Mar 23, 2010 9:18 am ] |
| Post subject: | Bridge Clamps |
hey guys, i've hit a bit of a tooling problem. As I wait for my finish to cure I started thinking about how in the world I am going to clamp my bridge on as all my clamps have a maximum throat depth of about 3" and I don't have a Go-Bar system. I looked at Lowes, Home Depot and Lee Valley and they all have nothing and to order 3 clamps from Stew-Mac would cost the same as the clamps in shipping. I know there are alot of luthiers in southern Ontario on here. where did you get your soundboard clamps?? Thanks guys Mike |
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| Author: | woody b [ Tue Mar 23, 2010 9:30 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Bridge Clamps |
I use the Stew Mac clamps now, but I used to use a plywood block which I bolted on through the bridge pin holes. It had bolts on the ends I'd use to press on the wings of the bridge. I don't have a picture. I hope my explanation is good enough to make one. |
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| Author: | JohnAbercrombie [ Tue Mar 23, 2010 10:42 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Bridge Clamps |
Michael- Woody's suggestion is a good one for pin bridges; I've used it and it works well. The 'standard' clamp for bridges has been (3?) wooden cam clamps which you can make fairly easily. You can also cut a 'U' frame out of plywood and just use bolts for the 'screw' part, but they tend to be a bit clumsy to use. Another possibility is some strong rare-earth magnets in pairs- epoxy the magnet discs to short sections of broomstick so you can grab them easily. I learned this one at Sergei deJonge's and it does work. You mentioned go-bars- any clamping set-up that just 'pushes' on the outside of the 'box' will be a problem unless you arrange a supporting 'prop' under the soundboard. With supports, there are several ways of clamping on a bridge that will work. Finally, with hot hide glue, you can hold the bridge in place with your fingers until it 'grabs'. Some of the older books like Sloane and David Russell Young (check your libraray) tend to have lower-tech (and cheaper) ways of doing simple jobs like this, and are worth a read. If you go to Google books and search for 'Sloane classic guitar' you can find a preview of some of the pages from that book (he also did a steel-string book) and in the 'Tools' section are plans for building those cam clamps. Cheers John |
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| Author: | Ed Haney [ Tue Mar 23, 2010 10:57 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Bridge Clamps |
I use the Stew Mac clamps. You can also get deep throated clamps from Grizzly for about $10 each plus reasonable shipping. Ed |
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| Author: | JohnAbercrombie [ Tue Mar 23, 2010 10:57 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Bridge Clamps |
Sloane cam clamps- I don't know how legible these pics will be.... BTW, it's less work to make a 'skinny' cam in the center of the clamp (like the Klemmsia), but Sloane's is nicer-looking. |
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| Author: | Jim_H [ Tue Mar 23, 2010 11:03 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Bridge Clamps |
I Haven't used one, but you might be able to make something like what Kathy is using here. http://home.comcast.net/~kathymatsushit ... atc36.html |
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| Author: | Alan [ Tue Mar 23, 2010 11:22 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Bridge Clamps |
I use the Fox steel string bridge clamp from LMI, but it would be simple to build one of these out of wood. http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproduc ... dge+Clamps |
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| Author: | TonyKarol [ Tue Mar 23, 2010 1:50 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Bridge Clamps |
Yep .. mine is essentially the same as Kathy's .. you dont need clamps for a SS pin bridge .. use the two E holes for 3/16 ths bolts, and then add some bolts and cauls for the bridge wings .. wax the two bolts going thru the body, and mine thread into 1 inch dowel pieces with threaded inserts in them . I have one made of aluminum for my std bridge shape, adn pryamids, and made a fast and dirty one for a custom bridge shape out of birch ply .. even threaded right thru it, worked fine. If your bridge is sitting down tight all round with minimal hand pressure, you dont need excessive clamp force to glue it down at all .... |
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| Author: | Howard Klepper [ Tue Mar 23, 2010 2:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Bridge Clamps |
About six years ago I experimented with bolts and had a couple of bridges come loose. Back to three cam clamps, no problems. |
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| Author: | Pat Foster [ Tue Mar 23, 2010 5:10 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Bridge Clamps |
Harbor Freight (gasp!) has some cast iron deep-throat clamps that work. Heavy, but cheap. Pat |
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| Author: | Terence Kennedy [ Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:23 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Bridge Clamps |
The problem I've seen with the StewMac clamp is that you really need a rigid clamp to hold it down. When I tried a Wood cam clamp it gave a little when tightening the wing cauls and relieved the pressure on the center of the bridge. I like Todd's idea of two Ibex clamps. TJK |
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| Author: | stan thomison [ Tue Mar 23, 2010 8:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Bridge Clamps |
Vacuum mine for last 3 years and love it. when don't as have 3 or so going one time, 3 of the newer little stew mac cam clamps. Hold bridge in place with pins at E's |
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| Author: | old man [ Tue Mar 23, 2010 10:07 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Bridge Clamps |
I gave my Stew mac clamp away. I use three cam clamps with no problems. Ron |
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