Does anyone use those spring clamps on their glue ups? They seem priced right and hold their strength.  Just curious.  I have not experienced great luck with C clamps.

justin

I have used them many times in conjunction with C-clamps. They work fine for me.

I've used them with good luck. I do use screw clamps for risers and near the fades but I use 14 or more spring small clamps on each limb, half on each side of the limbs. For me, screw clamps have a tendency to loosen in a hot box(maybe the wood shrinking) but spring clamps seem to hold well. I do use a metal pressure strip over the back of the glue up.

I like using the smaller ones for gluing on the limb tips, seems to work pretty good for me.

Mike

Pat,

I have experienced the same thing with screw clamps in the hot box.  They were fairly loose when they came out.

What is the best way to secure laminations and glass near the fades?

justin

I have had a copuple screw clamps that were loose when I took the bow out of the oven but the glue lines have always been fine. I think that by the time the clamp gets loose the glue has taken its set. It is my opinion that most of the limb has set within the first hour or so on a fiberglass bow because there is not as much mass and the heat can sink in quicker. The riser section probably needs the additional time to reach high temp in its core. I think it is important to have good rubber strips under the pressure strip and on top of the form so loosening clamps are not as much a problem. On my last build I also put pegs between the clamp holes and laces rubber tube bands between the clamps for added security.