Thanks guys.
Dave, I've thought of getting in to the luthier's tool making business, but
it's just not my trade. Part of the reason I post things here is in hope of
others making them for sale, because quite honestly I only make my own
tools when there's nothing available to do what I need. If someone like
Watkins, StewMac, LMI, etc., were to make things like this I would
probably buy them before making my own.
Peter, I originally wanted to use some straight DeStaCo clamps for the
end, but made the tool over a weekend with just what I had laying around
the shop. Once I got used to the screw clamps I never got around to
retrofitting it with inline toggle clamps. Unlike the main clamps with the
rubber tips however, think I would like to use hard clamping faces. It
seems clamping in this axis is more position-dependent than pressure-
dependent for accuracy. With hard faces I would still have to make end
cauls, but tracing on a chunk of 3/4" pine, band saw and spindle sander
takes perhaps 3 minutes. By now I have a good drawer full of various
headstock shapes on hand anyway.
If I were making a new one I may use the straight line action
clamps you recommended, but for now if it ain't broke I've got plenty of
other projects to keep me busy  . Now I just mark the position of the
handle with a piece of tape, then loosen one full turn from the dry
clamping.
I should also note I made this before I had any milling machine, and it's
all band saw, drill press, router and files, so it's a very doable home shop
project.
A few things I didn't realize may not be obviously apparent from the
photos;
The toggle clamps are mounted through slots in the plate, about 1
1/2"-2" long for adjusting position.
There is a 1/8" clear plexi plate over the the aluminum base plate. I
screwed it down with nylon screws to be careful to avoid anything that
could scratch, although if the heads are properly countersunk this could
be redundant.
The cradle that the neck sits in is a piece of corian (why, I don't recall)
with two strips of 3/16" stiff rubber as rails toward the edges. It also has
a layer of cork over these, although it really doesn't need it. The
important part is that it slides toward or away from the headstock. The
reason is that changing the angle of the plate for different headstocks will
change the position, and I wanted to be able to keep the underside
supported as well as possible. This need could probably be eliminated by
putting the axis on the plate closer to the nut.
The next important update to the tool will be some more adjustable
clamps. Occasionally I will find a cracked headstock that needs a bit of
pressure from the sides at the heel. For this I will probably make some
clamps that just attatch on to the edge of the plate rather than mounting
holes - the needed position varies too much to justify a dedicated
location. It will probably be a screw clamp (out of size/space
considerations) mounted to an arm with a ball joint base. I'll probably just
tear apart a few ball joint swivel vises for this out of convenience.
|
