Official Luthiers Forum!

I was looking for a good vise to hold the guitar while working on it and I
need to compliment one of our own. I have always struggled to hold the
guitar etc.
Well I stumbled on Sylvans guitar vise...it is up in the online resources
section, not the jig section above.
How simple and awesome. 2 pipe clamps some flanges and your done!!!
I highly recommend it to anyone who is struggling to hold a guitar.

Here is a direction link
Sylvans
Awesome Guitar Holder/vise


Bravo Sylvan Wells!!!azimmer138875.837025463

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

That is awesome, I'm building one ASAP, thanks for the heads-up.

Greg

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Gwaltney Guitars

Ditto, I'm using one just like it

Yeah,This is one of the easiest jigs to make and
it works great.I use mine all the time.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Hmm...
Should the cauls be radiused so as to not pop any braces loose? Looks like something I should be using.
Thanks, Gang

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Give me 50 cents worth of regular.
Check my oil too, if you don`t mind,,,

Sylvan is chock full of great ideas. He once offerd a class of "jig making" here on OLF. I don't recall exactly what happened but i was the only attendee. It was a Fabulous Class! I learned so much from Sylvan...and continue to learn, just looking back at my photos and notes. Guys...get together and see if you can't convince him to hold another class...you will be amazed!

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

[QUOTE=Cocephus] Hmm...
Should the cauls be radiused so as to not pop any braces loose? Looks like something I should be using.
Thanks, Gang[/QUOTE]
Coe, The plywood with cork lining is only 1/4 inch so it bends around the body shape.I never had any problems with poping braces.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Mine has the same blue cushiony material i lay my guitar on when working on my bench, it's also 1/4" thick and works really well.

Yup! Found this a while back and built two of 'em - used 1/4" masonite lined with 1/4" cork - nice and flexible. Don't think I have more than $20 into both of them, and they get used all the time.

Great idea!

-MarkMark Tripp38875.9709375

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Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

trippguitars.com
OR
Find me on Facebook

Yep, I've got one too. It really comes in handy when sanding the sides.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

I built one not long ago, using three pipe flanges, so I can equally grip a guitar across its width or along its length, with 1/4" ply and carpet. Works really well.

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

I really appreciate everyone's praise for the holding jig. I just want to
mention however, that it was originally not my idea, that I got it from
someone else many years ago. Probably from the Guild of American Luthier's
magazine sometime in the eighties. But, it does work great!!

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Sylvan
http://www.wellsguitars.com

Yup... What a great, yet simple device. I put on a couple of mounts at different locations in my small workspace. The only difference w/ mine is that I downsized the pipe clamp size...to the next size below what Sylvan used...so it's not quite as massive.
Thanks Sylvan!

I just bought pipe clamps like this at Harbor Freight to make one of these, they were on sale for about $4 each I think, for 3/4" pipe clamps.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

just a word of caution to those using these for the first time -- it is easy to overtighten the pipe clamp and crack a side... be gentle!!!

I use a setup similar for archtops but am very carefull to make it so the grandkids can't come along and see how tight they can get the clamps.

I just made one too! Thanks for the idea - cheap and effective - just like I like em!
Cheers
Charliewood

I like it alot! Thanks Andy

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

There was an article that spanned about 3 issues in the GAL magazine* on jigs and fixtures than none other than “Mr. fixture” himself Charles Fox. It has loads of great stuff in there and I am pretty sure that is what inspired my take on the guitar holding vice. I think he used Veneer Press screws, to apply clamping force but I had the pipe clamps hanging around, so I used those. Hopefully from the 2 pictures it should be fairly self evident.

In this shot I just did a coat of pore filler the guitar and needs a little cleanup before I do the second coat. I have some fairly rigid “foam” in vice that grabs the guitar pretty well and makes-up for discrepancies in the radius of the MDF clamping face. Carpet would probably work too.



Here is shot looking up from the bottom. You can see my sling. This prevents the guitar from falling on the floor, should I open the clamps without a good hold on the guitar. It has save me from a repair more than once. (I think that suggestion also came from the GAL article.)



* Let me jump on my soapbox for a second; I am a strong advocate of both the GAL and ASIA. Join em both. Lots of the wisdom in these forums came from the folks that took the time to publish their ideas or present their knowledge at one of the conventions. Don’t get me wrong … I love the guitar forums on the net, but lets keep those originations strong through our memberships.

John, you've probably used your vise for a long time without incident, but those building one for the first time, I'd suggest some foam pipe insulation on the pipes between the jaws. That way you won't scratch or dent your guitar when it inevitably bumps a pipe. The foam is cheap and readily available in the plumbing section of your local hardware/home center.

Carlton

Yea I saw that foam in one of the photos above. That is a good idea. I am sure I got something around here, or I will pickup some of that insulation at the home center... An ounce of prevention.