Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello friends,

I am a newly registered member of OLF and a neophyte guitar builder. I've seen pictures of Go-Bar type clamping set ups for clamping braces, tops, backs, etc. It looks like it might be realtively easy to make, but I have no detail plans. Does anyone out there have plans for this type of set up?

Thanks and best regards,
Max Bishop

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Max Bishop
Brighton, Michigan

Max,
You don't really need any plans. Just take 4 pieces of 2' x 2' 3/4" ply and place 2 of them on the bottom and 2 on the top. Drill some 5/8" holes in the corners and get some 5/8" all thread with washers, and bolts for top and bottom. Should take you about an hour to screw it all together. My all thread is about 3 ft tall.

Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

I don't know if anyone has a set of plans but if you use the search feature you will find hundreds of post on building a deck and what to make your rods from.

I will give this bit of advice, laminate togather 2 3/4" ply or MDF sheets to make your top deck the rods put a good amount of force on the top deck and deflection could allow a rod to come shooting off the clamped object. most written plans I have seen ave called for a 3/4" ply or MDF top and bottom deck. This is not stiff enough.

I know StewMac offers a hardware kit and or plans

Welcome to the OLF!

There was a thread I started "Well here goes" a couple of weeks ago. Lots of go deck ideas there as well.

http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=7766& PN=3##109749

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

Stewmac has plans for free on their website.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Clamps,_support_tools/1/Go -bar_Clamping_System/Instructions/I-4733.html#details

They also offer a hardware kit, although it's nothing you couldn't pick up at your local hardware store.

Be aware that you can also just use an existing bench and put an extra heavy duty braced shelf above it. Here is a photo of my current setup



Go bars are just scrap wood, mahogany and maple, that came from the rippings pile from my local wood supplier for free. I make both 1/4 x 1/4 and 3/8 x 3/8 bars for different pressure on various parts. You can also just add in a spacer block over a part to increase pressure a bit, but that isn't often necessary.

Alan D.
dunwell38971.6815740741

My gobar deck...bottom deck has an adjustable floor to cater for varying heights of work being glued up.

Space saving foldaway design. Shelf over head is the top. Rods are pine ripped from a 1x12... 3/8"x 3/8".

Max, if you go with the all thread, don't forget to use something to cover the threads, like PVC or conduit.

Welcome aboard.

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Aoibeann

[QUOTE=ToddStock] The StewMac deck works well, and is very rigid, which helps prevent flying go-bars. Also think the Into-the-Wind 3/16" rods and caps work pretty well.[/QUOTE]


Todd, I must agree, I got mine in the mail yesterday for Into the Wind (a kite store in Boulder) 48" long fiberglass rods, sawed in half with a hacksaw to make 24" long rods. The caps are 10 Cents each and slide on the ends. Cheap and effective.   

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

Thanks to all who responded to my questions. I have started making my go-bar deck based on several of these.

Thanks again,
Max

Economical wood dowels for go bars just don't add up in my personal experience for this one reason. wood fibers loose elasticity over time and break. Many hardwoods will last longer than others. And they do a good job but at $.50/ft fiberglass will last much longer.

Wood dowels are fine as far as the job they do. Hickory is in my opinion the best hard wood for this task but may be hard to find. oak is ok but fatigues quickly.

I have 24 2' 3/16 dia fiberglass rods and 24 varying height rods from 20"-15" all with rubber tips. It has cost me less than $50 for all my fiberglass rods. If I bought 48 3/16 or 1/4" hickory dowels I would spend close to or more for less working life.MichaelP38973.4514814815