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I read somewhere how normal cam clamps can exert over 300 lbs of clamping pressure, but it seems like the mini cam clamp I have doesn't exert nearly as much pressure compared to a C clamp. Is there something I need to do to exert the maximum amount of pressure with a cam clamp?

I tried looking for C clamps that has a longer depth but most of them tops out at about 3 inches... before I start ordering special (therefore expensive) clamps I think I am going to try and find some more clamps or else I will have to try and make my own...

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

If you want them for brace gluing I'd suggest using Go Bars.

I thought about go-bar but the problem is I would have to buy the special fiberglass rod (like from luthier places that would cost some money plus shipping and customs) that doesn't cut well... then I thought about using spring loaded go bar that is made from a dowel and a section of tubing, except that I can't find tubings yet. Besides I can't clear out a space for a go-bar deck.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

I thought that the most pressure you can get from a wooden cam clamp is about 75 pounds.

6" throat C clamps are widely available from woodworking suppliers.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

I was just wondering how come everything I buy in America is made in China or Taiwan and when you're in Taiwan you cant get that same stuff?

Seriously though, Harbor Freight deep throat C clamps for $4. I'm not a big fan of much they have there, and I make it a point to not buy anything from them that has a spinning blade or that must support weight over my body parts. You should be able to find something like it in local store.

And as far as the go-bars, I ordered mine from a kite supplier, made like 36 go-bars for $22 or so. Certainly you should be able to find a kite supplier within Taiwan.

If you're going to try making your own clamps, there is a tutorial on how to make the wooden cam clamps at the MIMF. www.mimf.com

Darrin

Why do you "have to" use fiberglass or spring loaded go bars? They never had fiberglass or springs to make go bars 200 years ago. They just used wood

Do you have a kitchen with a countertop? Is there a ceiling above it? You have a go bar deck. Anything will work as a go bar deck, don't think inside the box so much. Go bars are just as easy to come by. Go cut some small branches off a tree, heck that would be the simplest and probably close to what would have been done in the past. Just find some scrap wood and cut it so it is 1" longer than the distance between the top side of your "go bar deck" and the piece being clamped down.

I remember seeing a picture of Lance Kragenbrink building his first guitar where he used the underside of the upper cabinet in his kitchen for his go bar deck.

Just think outside of the norm. Don't restrict yourself to the "luthier" tools. Most of them are to expensive and there is usually an easier alternative, you just have to find it.

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I know... its weird that just about everything from Harbor Freight is made in Taiwan and I ask the same tool store in Taiwan if they have it they said they never heard of it. I suspect a lot of the stuff you buy from HF is made by export only suppliers who won't sell to me unless I wanted a LOT of it, thats assuming that I even know who the supplier is. There isn't too much demand for woodworking since just about all buildings here are made of concrete so any wood/woodworking tools you buy here are for concrete forms. I managed to find some steel bar stocks I will start making my own "camless clamp". I could make a cam clamp but then I like the extra control a thumb screw provides and I don't have the tools to cut the slot for the cams. I also found some steel tubing but I will be making expanders for my form out of that.

_________________
Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Why do you think you need so much clamping pressure? Normal cam clamps should provide more than enough pressure for braces, if they are well fitted. Too much pressure can lead to brace imprinting, which means the braces will show as faintly dimpled areas on the face of the finished instruments. I would be more concerned about spreading the clamping pressure more evenly along the length of the braces. I use go-bars and concave dishes and probably use about twice as many go-bars on a x-brace compared to your clamps in the picture. I don’t carve the braces before gluing, as the extra height and stiffness also help spread the clamping pressure.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

Tai Fu,
You don't need a special go-bar deck if you have a shelf loaded with some books or other. Just place your back or top beneath it and build your wooden gobars to the needed length. Here is an easy tutorial.
http://www.infinity-guitars.com/tutGoBars.php



Chris

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Chris Oliver
Infinity Luthiers
...in the shop.

live every minute...

I would put something on that top to protect it from marks from the go-bars.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

I never thought of wooden bars, I always thought it had to be fiberglass rods because it flexes well. Wooden bars are easy enough to find here (they're everywhere, usually used for trimmings and etc) just hope they are flexible enough. Would probably help alot to attach the top/back.

I still need to make a few cam clamps though... they're useful for other things anyways.

_________________
Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com