clamping alternatives

Steve Kendrot · February 24, 2007, 09:54:00 PM

I am trying to amass the tools needed to attempt my own BBO. C-clamps seem to be the preferred alternative for the glue-up stage. Has anyone tried the spring clamps? I saw them in home depot for .99 each and the 2" ones seemed to apply a fair degree of force. I noticed DT uses them in his BBO video to hold the piece while he's working on it, but not for the glue.

Bowchef · February 24, 2007, 10:08:00 PM

Go to Staples and buy 3 packages of spring steel binder clips. Line them up side by side down both sides during glue-up. They create good even pressure and I haven't had any problems with excessive glue lines. Less than $15 for three packs.

Steve Kendrot · February 24, 2007, 10:18:00 PM

Dang...office supplies. I never would have thought of that. Thanks for the tip!

Pat B · February 24, 2007, 10:47:00 PM

I have used spring clamps and they work well. I use about 15 for each limb. Don't buy the plastic ones if you are useing a hotbox. I have found that with screw clamps they seem to loosen during a heated cure time. The spring clamps self-adjust for wood srinkage...but now that I know about the binder clips, I'll get a mess of them to try. Thanks. Pat

wingnut · February 25, 2007, 09:07:00 AM

Dang you can buy 3" C clamps for a song at Harbor Freight. I have over 100 of them and use em every day. Think I paid $2.99 last time I bought them.

Mike

Sneakypete · February 25, 2007, 11:01:00 AM

Not that you don't already know this, but the primary danger with C clamps is applying too much pressure and squeezing out too much glue/expoxy. After 3 dozen bows, I'm still trying to learn this lesson, as there's always this irresistable urge to tight just "a tiny bit more." Big spring clamps have worked well for me. The bowyer to taught me uses inch-wide strips of bicycle innertube to wrap the full length of the bow. But that's with glue and straight longbows only.

Steve Kendrot · February 25, 2007, 11:59:00 AM

All I could find at Harbor Freight were variety packs and 6 inchers. So three inch c-clamps are big enough? Most of the pics I've seen looked like bigger clamps.

wingnut · February 25, 2007, 12:31:00 PM

I use both 4" and 3" to do bbo blanks. I just drive to HF and get mine. They don't show everything on the website.

Mike

Steve Kendrot · February 25, 2007, 01:20:00 PM

Thanks Mike. Long drive for me. Maybe I'll call them.

Java Man · February 25, 2007, 04:04:00 PM

1 1/2" clamps are big enough for the limbs. You can get more of them in there, the smaller they are.

trh1 · February 25, 2007, 05:02:00 PM

I know very little about bow making. Would a torque wrench be helpful on how tight to clamp asuming that you can get clamps that a socket would fit. Sorry if its a dumb question.

Big Dave · February 25, 2007, 06:33:00 PM

Bowchef, do you use 2 clamps(1 on eachside)as you go down the limb or just 1 in the middle? :confused: :confused:

Bowchef · February 25, 2007, 07:45:00 PM

One on each side