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New Spring Clamps for Stripping !!!
- Thread starter Jim Dodd
- Start date
Spring Clamps in use.
Cruiser named them "Jimmie Clamps"
They are so easy to use. One hand.
In this pic they are being used for a Stapleless build. I even use them when I staple strips, as they hold the strip in place, allowing me to use both hands stapling.
Zip tying a piece of 1/4" plastic tubing, works great to protect the coves on the strips.
Cruiser named them "Jimmie Clamps"
They are so easy to use. One hand.
In this pic they are being used for a Stapleless build. I even use them when I staple strips, as they hold the strip in place, allowing me to use both hands stapling.
Zip tying a piece of 1/4" plastic tubing, works great to protect the coves on the strips.
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I used these on my last build and they will be a "go to" item for me in the shop from now on. I bought about 36 on sale.
The nice thing is that the mod is reversible, so when you are doing a build, make up the "Jimmie Clamps" and they are very useful. When you finish, reverse the mod and you have several dozen clamps for routine shop use ... I have always had a couple of spring clamps around, but having dozens of the larger ones really comes in handy and I use them generally a lot more, as they are sitting right there.
Brian
The nice thing is that the mod is reversible, so when you are doing a build, make up the "Jimmie Clamps" and they are very useful. When you finish, reverse the mod and you have several dozen clamps for routine shop use ... I have always had a couple of spring clamps around, but having dozens of the larger ones really comes in handy and I use them generally a lot more, as they are sitting right there.
Brian
I made up 36 of these before starting my current, 1st build. They work really well! It's been unusually hot here this summer and the Jimmie Clamps have made it easy to quickly place full length strips before the glue tacks off. It's not often that a specialty tool is so inexpensive, an added bonus.
You will like them, where you use staples or not. To me ? They take the place of another set of hands, when laying up the strips !
I bought new tubes. They were the smallest diameter I could find at Walmart.
Be sure to leave the plastic tips on the clamps. When you stretch the tubes over the ends !
I hope to build this Spring. Can't hardly wait ! I picked up a bunch of Kevlar, pretty cheap.
Jim
No pun intended?
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Super psyched to see these. Sounds like staples are an issue with more passionate debate than I realized? Not sure what toes I might be stepping on when I say I reject the concept of them, figuring out a way to avoid them has been a wrench in the works for planning a cedar stripper build in the future. I think this'll be the trick.
Hi Max, The concept of staples is to keep the strips tight against the forms while also keeping them snug against the previous strip until the glue dries. There isn't really much of a debate since people who use staples do so for reasons, and people who don't, avoid them for reasons. All reasons being dependent on the builders preference.
Mark
Mark
Thank you for the reply to clear things up, Mark. I am aware of the purpose of staples: holding strips against form and glue line until glue bonds. I intend to avoid their use because in my personal opinion: the finest quality artwork shows no evidence of tool marks.
A finely concealed tool mark, or even a artfully accentuated tool mark, can tell it's own story, have it's own beauty. When I see the former I know the builder did a lot of work, when I see the latter I add the builder used a lot of creativity. For my own crafts, I accept extreme lengths to create an appearance which allows a feeling the object simply happened.
If staple marks are obvious, I do not deride the boat or the builder. Sometimes getting the project done as well as a second is more important. Or other reasons I don't know, and don't need to know in order to not belittle their effort. For my own stripper built canoe, I do not want staple marks, and knew the bungie cord method would not function properly in the process I intend to build in.
A finely concealed tool mark, or even a artfully accentuated tool mark, can tell it's own story, have it's own beauty. When I see the former I know the builder did a lot of work, when I see the latter I add the builder used a lot of creativity. For my own crafts, I accept extreme lengths to create an appearance which allows a feeling the object simply happened.
If staple marks are obvious, I do not deride the boat or the builder. Sometimes getting the project done as well as a second is more important. Or other reasons I don't know, and don't need to know in order to not belittle their effort. For my own stripper built canoe, I do not want staple marks, and knew the bungie cord method would not function properly in the process I intend to build in.
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I use staples where needed....
I love these clamps. They are like an extra hand. They hold the strip in place, so I can place a staple in a strip, that doesn't conform to the station.
Since I came up with these clamps ? I've not built without them.
Yeah stapleless takes longer ! The most viewed place of a hull, in my opinion, is the side. Go stapleless there, and you have half the battle won. Again, My view.
I'm also a solid Bead and Cove fan. Enough said !
I have learned to conceal my staple marks, to a degree. One by padding the bottom of the stapler, so it doesn't drive the staple deep, into the strip, causing a real scar. Hard to hide, without a lot of sanding.
Two, after the first rough sand of the hull ? I apply wood glue to the staple holes, with my finger. Doesn't take as long as you might think. My favorite glue for this is Elmers MAX.
I love these clamps. They are like an extra hand. They hold the strip in place, so I can place a staple in a strip, that doesn't conform to the station.
Since I came up with these clamps ? I've not built without them.
Yeah stapleless takes longer ! The most viewed place of a hull, in my opinion, is the side. Go stapleless there, and you have half the battle won. Again, My view.
I'm also a solid Bead and Cove fan. Enough said !
I have learned to conceal my staple marks, to a degree. One by padding the bottom of the stapler, so it doesn't drive the staple deep, into the strip, causing a real scar. Hard to hide, without a lot of sanding.
Two, after the first rough sand of the hull ? I apply wood glue to the staple holes, with my finger. Doesn't take as long as you might think. My favorite glue for this is Elmers MAX.
The holes are what I was thinking of not dents and maybe I was thinking of screw holes because I know I was thinking of toothpicks to fill them. Staples holes would be hard to see close up even left alone.
Bead and cove fan? Is there any other vaguely rational way to do it? I do recall reading someone who did it otherwise, can't remember if they said they thought it'd be cheaper and it wound up being only minimally so but enormously hard to hide gaps. Or maybe they didn't read any books or forums before they started, just went by trying to duplicate what they saw across the lake a few times. And then wished they'd done more research. I don't remember why they did it, but do remember they regretted it.
If there are fans of non bead-cove, what reasons or benefits do they see? For the stripper I'm thinking of, I'd like to avoid them. My cedar stash is 3rd growth: light and weak. So I'll slice it thicker. Sanded smooth, a fat planked large radius bead-cove joint line might wander.
If I knew some of the reasons why others don't go bead-cove it might help me accentuate some other positives.
Bead and cove fan? Is there any other vaguely rational way to do it? I do recall reading someone who did it otherwise, can't remember if they said they thought it'd be cheaper and it wound up being only minimally so but enormously hard to hide gaps. Or maybe they didn't read any books or forums before they started, just went by trying to duplicate what they saw across the lake a few times. And then wished they'd done more research. I don't remember why they did it, but do remember they regretted it.
If there are fans of non bead-cove, what reasons or benefits do they see? For the stripper I'm thinking of, I'd like to avoid them. My cedar stash is 3rd growth: light and weak. So I'll slice it thicker. Sanded smooth, a fat planked large radius bead-cove joint line might wander.
If I knew some of the reasons why others don't go bead-cove it might help me accentuate some other positives.
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I love ideas and applications like this. Thanks for sharing the diy method! These clamps look awesome and I do like the idea of building stapleless. As someone with a very limited shop space and no router table I am debating the robo-bevel from Guillemot, and doing a rolling bevel when my first build comes around. I imagine these clamps would still work well in a rolling bevel scenario, although maybe just without the piece of tubing on them, and just leaning on the friction between the rubber and the strips?
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They'll work just fine without the tubing. I've been building with bead & cove and using these Jimmy clamps without any tubing to protect the coves. They work great and, honestly, I haven't seen much, if any, damage to the cove edges.
Yes. I liken them to a third hand, for hold strips.
The biggest two advantages to bead and cove.
One strip alignment. Bead and Coved strips, stay in place. Hand beveling, or Robo beveling, doesn't. The strips will often slip. This causes a lot of excess sanding, and thin spots in the strip joints.
Two ? The glue required to hold strips in place, with B&C, is far less than a Robo beveled joint. Believe me ! Excess glue is a pain to remove, on the outside, but 10 times worse on the inside !
Jim
