fidleir Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 http://www.stringrepair.com/images/vn3/VN_DeRosa_012.JPG Does anyone know where you can buy these circular type clamps for gluing cracks. I have done a search to no avail I don't know their proper name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 i believe that they are pieces of plastic pipe that are cut and spread, at least thats what they look like. Oded posted some pics of white ones made of pvc plumbing pipe, but I could be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berl Mendenhall Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Hyslop Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 I seem to recall the name Calamari clamps. Maybe this was Oded's name for them. Yes here is the thread. http://www.maestronet.com/forum/index.php?/topic/321018-lining-clamps/ r. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinkMan Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 Some interesting crack / pillar clamps Started by apartmentluthier, Sep 13 2006 03:34 PM "I posted this design years ago, so some may have missed it. It's a variation of my 'calamari' clamp.This clamp can be made for less than a dollar. The plastic pipe material can be had for free from plumber's cut offs.If you republish this design please give proper attribution." - Oded Kishony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oded Kishony Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 Yes, if you try making these clamps which I use mostly for gluing linings be sure to use a heavy duty PVC pipe. These have worked very well for me. I also used a variation as a crack clamp (such as pictured above, see below) Oded Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathan slobodkin Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Pretty darn clever Oded! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oded Kishony Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Thanks Nathan! I no longer use the large circular clamp with the towers. Photo of my current fav is below. Oded note: the leveling wedge should be slanted rather than vertical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBurns Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Thanks Nathan! I no longer use the large circular clamp with the towers. Photo of my current fav is below. Oded note: the leveling wedge should be slanted rather than vertical. Nice clamps. They are available at Lee Valley as Machinists Clamps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert MacPherson Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 If I understand what I am seeing, Oded.... You are gluing the (semi-disposable) bars of the clamp directly to the work... and you will cut them away when the repair is dry? That's fiendishly clever. Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain Luthier Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Very handy for clamping cracks on big instruments. I was introduced to them on Bresque Basses photostream on flickr. His have a bolt bolt to tighten them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff White Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 If I understand what I am seeing, Oded.... You are gluing the (semi-disposable) bars of the clamp directly to the work... and you will cut them away when the repair is dry? That's fiendishly clever. Mac Yes, that's what he is doing. Maybe someone more adept with searching this site (than I)can provide a link to the thread where he states the source and thread size for the brass screws (and of course, his special wood for this ). Very clever indeed. jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Dorsey Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 ... Maybe someone more adept with searching this site (than I)can provide a link to the thread where he states the source and thread size for the brass screws (and of course, his special wood for this... http://www.maestronet.com/forum/index.php?/topic/326617-tower-clamps/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oded Kishony Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Tower clamps is not an original idea of mine. I believe that the person responsible for it originally was Peter Moes. One of the most creative and innovative violinmakers around. Search for "tower clamps" Nor am I the only one to adopt this clamp design, IIRC Bruce Carlson uses a very similar tool. I bought the hardware from MSC Industrial supply, I used 8/32 X 1 " Knurled brass thumb screws and 8/32 knurled nuts and 1" 8/32 brass studs and I also bought an 8/32 tap. This together with some scrap maple resulted in about 20 clamps at a cost of about $1.50/clamp + about an hour of my time. The thumb screw is at the top of the clamp, drilled and tapped on one side and is used to spread the towers apart The bottom is composed of the stud screwed into the tower, an oversized hole drilled into the opposite tower, with the nut used to bring (clamp) the towers together. In addition a wedge ( which should be placed corner to corner and not as shown) can be used to help level the crack. I should also add that there is paper between the tower and the plate to facilitate later removal. You can do it for even less money if you choose to use plastic hardware which is cheaper and also has the advantage of being lighter in weight but somewhat less durable and attractive (IMHO) Oded Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Dorsey Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 ...a wedge ( which should be placed corner to corner and not as shown) can be used to help level the crack... I'm not sure that I understand how the wedge works. Does it span the wood on both sides of the crack to force them into alignment by being wedged under the lower screw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oded Kishony Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 The wedge, which should be 'catty cornered' ie diagonally placed over the part that's raised (on the inside which, of course, will be the lower side on the ouside of the plate) This will help push it downward to correct for a raised 'step' in a crack repair. BTW this method is used on all sized instruments, not just large ones. But is usually reserved for more problematic cracks. Oded Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff White Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Oded, I had missed before the fact that you used maple. I figured you made these, and cut them off after use, making them usable for maybe 3-4 times. I guess you just keep using these indefinitely. jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert MacPherson Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Oded, How to you remove the tower clamps after they have served their purpose? Do they readily separate from the plate on account of the glue not holding as well on the end-grain of the towers?.... Or, do you have to cut them off with a saw? Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainhook Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 Mac, in post #14 he mentions gluing paper between the posts and the plate for easier removal. It was easy to miss. I do that with bass bar-fitting blocks, then just use a tiny hammer to knock them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert MacPherson Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 Thank you, Cap'n! I did miss that. It makes me wonder what else I miss...... Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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