Clamps made of scrap lumber and string
Ive been planning a Bolger Windsprint, but Ive hesitated at the prospect
of buying as many clamps as I would need for mast and gunwales, seldom to
use them again. The other day I stumbled across a picture-book showing
Vikings building a lapstrake longboat with unusual clamps. I tried them
out tonight.
I tried boards of several dimensions but had the easiest time working with
the following:
two 4 1x4s (the sides),
a 3 ½scrap of 2x4 (the fulcrum),
a 6 piece of 1x4 (the wedge), and
4 of braided nylon string.
A scrap of 2x4 was chosen as the fulcrum because I wanted to try setting
up to glue together two 2x4s for the mast. The fulcrum and wedge should
vary with width of items to be glued.
To set up the wedge, use the fulcrum as a spacer between the sides, a
few inches from the business end, then wrap and tie the sides around the
fulcrum with string. (The string becomes the real fulcrum.) Pinch
together the boards to be glued in the business end by pulling apart on
the long ends of the sides. Drop in the wedge to keep the sides spread,
align the clamp, and push or hammer the wedge into place. Because placing
the clamps is a two handed operation, Ill use a few normal clamps to
align pieces before placing all the clamps for a long joint like a mast.
Now I dont need to buy clamps!
--Matthew Lawson
of buying as many clamps as I would need for mast and gunwales, seldom to
use them again. The other day I stumbled across a picture-book showing
Vikings building a lapstrake longboat with unusual clamps. I tried them
out tonight.
I tried boards of several dimensions but had the easiest time working with
the following:
two 4 1x4s (the sides),
a 3 ½scrap of 2x4 (the fulcrum),
a 6 piece of 1x4 (the wedge), and
4 of braided nylon string.
A scrap of 2x4 was chosen as the fulcrum because I wanted to try setting
up to glue together two 2x4s for the mast. The fulcrum and wedge should
vary with width of items to be glued.
To set up the wedge, use the fulcrum as a spacer between the sides, a
few inches from the business end, then wrap and tie the sides around the
fulcrum with string. (The string becomes the real fulcrum.) Pinch
together the boards to be glued in the business end by pulling apart on
the long ends of the sides. Drop in the wedge to keep the sides spread,
align the clamp, and push or hammer the wedge into place. Because placing
the clamps is a two handed operation, Ill use a few normal clamps to
align pieces before placing all the clamps for a long joint like a mast.
Now I dont need to buy clamps!
--Matthew Lawson