Clamp alternative for small assemblies
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- This topic has 14 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 4 months ago by Gene Duckett – USA, Georgia.
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28 November 2014 at 4:14 pm #121594
I’m making a few pencil boxes for christmas gifts. Clamping these has always been a bit cumbersome. All of my clamps are the bar type and my shortest is two feet long. While watching some videos of Japanese craftsman I saw them using some sort of cloth strip to bind small drawer assemblies while the glue dried. I did a little research and found cotton twill tape, sold in sewing supplies, and gave it a go. You simply wrap the tape, cloth ribbon really there is no adhesive on it, around the assembly. You can apply a good deal of pressure with this system and it works great. It takes about twelve feet to wrap a pencil box. So for just over $6 I have enough material to “clamp” four boxes at a time.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.28 November 2014 at 10:58 pm #121599Great share Greg, how do you “tie it off” at the end to keep it from slackening?
28 November 2014 at 11:14 pm #121600This shows how to secure the ends much better than I could explain it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_sGwQ3bMv8&feature=youtu.be&t=2m31s29 November 2014 at 12:24 pm #121613Strips cut from as inertube. Bike tubes work best the rubber is thin and can be cut easy.
Cut off the valve and split it long the seam. I have a few and use them often.
Frankj30 November 2014 at 4:54 pm #121643Blue Painters tape, I have always used blue painters tape and have made many small boxes without ever having a problem.
Kirk
1 December 2014 at 8:06 pm #121683How about a length of surgical tubing? I’ve used it for a lot of things.
Also, an interesting video Greg. What is the box the gentleman has made? Is that considered a tansu? Looks like a useful thing to have around the shop.
Cheers
1 December 2014 at 11:04 pm #121697I’m sure surgical tubing would work as well. The point here is that there are options to clamping beyond clamps. I did a lot of research and found the option above to be the most cost effective if starting with nothing.
Inner tubes would be a good option too I think. Back in the day we used to cut inner tubes to make heavy duty rubber bands. Those were used to attach equipment to packs.
The painters tape would work in a pinch.
Make use of what you have, but the twill tape is a good cost effective solution if you don’t have anything to start with.
Tansu is the Japanese term for cabinet. In Japanese there is normally a descriptive word used in conjunction with the term tansu that specifies the cabinets use. Much like we say kitchen cabinet.
3 December 2014 at 4:14 pm #121772Greg thanks for sharing, I will have to look for some of that as most of my projects are small. Like you said clamps for small piece’s can get cumbersome.
Steve
5 December 2014 at 4:28 am #121842Thanks for the information Antonio.
Your welcome Steve. I hope that you found the idea useful.
5 December 2014 at 12:57 pm #121853To tie off the loose end, simply pull the loose end underneath one of the other layers of ribbon. The video should also show the Japanese Craftsman doing the same.
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