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HI! Does anyone know where I can get plans for making shop made cam clamps. I would like to make at least 40 of them. I realy dont want to spend the 10 to 15 dollars each to buy them. I have searched the web for plans but couldn,t find any . I am willing to pay for full size plans. Can someone point to a site. Thanks
                                       Mike

Paul Woolson made some....he may be able to help.

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Mike, 40 is an adventureous project. Doable but keep in mind that it will take a long time. I did two runs: the first was 78 and the second was 167. I'm totally jigged up and it still took me two weeks of 8 hour days to get them done.
Let me know what size you are going to build and I'll set you up with some sort of plans.

You can buy plans here.Don A38854.8854861111

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

Irving Sloan's book, Classic Guitar Construction, includes plans for making cam clamps. Dunno about his book on steel string acoustic construction.

I modified his plans to build a couple of long ones. 24" with 9" jaws. My others, I'v just bought at Woodcraft for $15 a pop. It took me several hours to build those two clamps. Undoubtedly, if I built a bunch of 'em, I'd be able to drastically reduce the time spent per clamp, but still my time has a certain value, and I think it's better spent building guitars than making clamps. Just my 0.02.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

Here's a plan, just change for the depth you want.

Rod True38854.9964814815

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

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Hey Rod! thank you thats what I was looking for.
                                    Mike

Thanks Rod! Ditto here.

Rod, about your drawing -- I'm thinking the cammed jaw is still gonna need a couple of pins, staggered, on each side of the bar. Or else it will probably slip. I used roll pins on the ones I made.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

Not to hijack the thread but I want to tell PaulW again "Thank you for the fine clamps you made for us" they are my favorite clamps in my shop. I know that a lot of time and effort went into them and I doubt you made any money on the project. I know it took major time away from your build schedule and other work. So once again

[QUOTE=Michael McBroom] Rod, about your drawing -- I'm thinking the cammed jaw is still gonna need a couple of pins, staggered, on each side of the bar. Or else it will probably slip. I used roll pins on the ones I made.

Best,

Michael
[/QUOTE]
I agree. That's really where you get the "power" of the clamp. If your camming action causes the bar to dig into the wood, you've sort of lost the functionality.
MP. My pleasure.

I keep wondering whether I should jig up and build some, but keep coming back to the fact I'd spend about 30% of the cost of a Klemmsia on materials, and some of the construction seems annoying without a table saw at your disposal. Kudos to those who make 'em, but I'm sticking with buying one or two every time I order stuff from places that carry them (Klemmsia's cost between 10 and 15 bucks here, depending on size). I've told all my family that they make great stocking stuffer type gifts. Don't know what to get me? Extra clamp or two is always welcome :-)

[QUOTE=Mattia Valente] ... Extra clamp or two is always welcome.[/QUOTE]

As the saying goes, "We all have the same number of clamps--one less than we need."

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John Cavanaugh
Saint Paul, MN
"What could possibly go wrong?"

[QUOTE=MichaelP] Not to hijack the thread but I want to tell PaulW again "Thank you for the fine clamps you made for us" they are my favorite clamps in my shop. I know that a lot of time and effort went into them and I doubt you made any money on the project. I know it took major time away from your build schedule and other work. So once again [/QUOTE]

I'll second this. Thanks you, Paul. The more I use them the more I like them. I find that they are the clamps I reach for first now.

[QUOTE=John Cavanaugh] [QUOTE=Mattia Valente] ... Extra clamp or two is always welcome.[/QUOTE]

As the saying goes, "We all have the same number of clamps--one less than we need."[/QUOTE]
You know, I've heard that as well as "you can never have too many clamps". But when I had 167 of them in my 250sq ft shop, yes, I had too many clamps.

Paul you know there is a second line to that addige

"till you go to pick them up"

Just so you all know, I've never built a cam clamp in my life and the drawing I found on the net somewhere a long time ago, it's not mine .
But I'm sure it will be a good start.

So... Please edit the drawing as per the real pros here.

That would be Mr. Paul Woolson.

So like this you guys?

Rod True38855.6740162037

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson