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| Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10117&t=23895 |
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:57 am ] |
| Post subject: | Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
Here is a plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp I made. The bottom needs to be sealed with a good vacuum gasket tape. I used two rows of the 3/8" x 1/8" size from http://www.veneersupplies.com/default.php?cPath=60_46. The rest of the drawing should be self explanatory. Attachment: BridgeVacuumClamp.pdf
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Thu Sep 24, 2009 6:30 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
Here's a few photos: You can see I left the membrane a little loose so it could get down around the bridge as good as possible. Attachment: DSCF0187.JPG Here is a photo from when I did the initial testing. Since then I have used it with hot hide glue to put a bridge on my walnut/sitka OM and it worked great. Attachment: DSCF0189.JPG Closeup Attachment: DSCF0190.JPG
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| Author: | LRegnier [ Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
Hey Steve, Great Stuff ! Thanks - Luc |
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Sun Sep 27, 2009 12:40 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
verhoevenc wrote: Estimated project cost? Material sources? Chris Chris, cost depends on how much and what you buy, most of this I had laying around. The callouts on the drawing will show the part#/sources used except for delrin which is available at McMaster Carr and other industrial suppliers. Thanks Luc! |
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| Author: | Kim [ Sun Sep 27, 2009 2:04 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
Thanks for making the effort to share Steven. Cheers Kim |
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| Author: | woody b [ Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
Great tute Steve. I've been putting off making one, but you've pushed me over the edge. How long do you leave it on with HHG? Do you take it off momentarily to clean glue squeeze out during the process? Thanks |
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Sat Oct 24, 2009 5:05 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
Woody, I've only used it on the one, so far. I left it on for 10-15 minutes, cleaned up the squeeze-out then put it back on for 30 minutes. Probably overkill but so far it seems to have worked well. |
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| Author: | Rene [ Mon Oct 26, 2009 3:04 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
Hi Steve, Isn't there a foam gasket that would be attached to the bottom delrin ring? I don't see it on the plan and it seems to me that similar rigs I've seen have some sort of gasket. It appears that your plan would have the hard plastic contact the top, am I wrong? Rene |
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| Author: | Bob Garrish [ Mon Oct 26, 2009 3:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
Rene wrote: Hi Steve, Isn't there a foam gasket that would be attached to the bottom delrin ring? I don't see it on the plan and it seems to me that similar rigs I've seen have some sort of gasket. It appears that your plan would have the hard plastic contact the top, am I wrong? Rene SteveSmith wrote: Here is a plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp I made. The bottom needs to be sealed with a good vacuum gasket tape.
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| Author: | ClintB [ Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:44 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
Thanks for the drawing, Steve. Even gave us the screw numbers from McMaster! 1 Question: I have some UHMW kicking around that's plenty big. Does anyone know if UHMW is suitable for vacuum fixtures? |
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| Author: | Rene [ Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:00 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
Oops! Sorry, I don't know how I missed that. Thanks Bob! Rene |
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| Author: | Bob Garrish [ Wed Oct 28, 2009 9:08 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
ClintB wrote: Thanks for the drawing, Steve. Even gave us the screw numbers from McMaster! 1 Question: I have some UHMW kicking around that's plenty big. Does anyone know if UHMW is suitable for vacuum fixtures? Yes, given that you can deal with: 1-It doesn't glue to anything with anything, really. The contact adhesive on your sealant tape will hold the tape in place well enough to work, but it'll slide around if you put a side-load on it. 2-It doesn't hold screws very well when tapped, so you'll need to use more and deeper tapped holes to hold the top plate down and you'll have to be very careful about stripping the threads. Those two are annoying, but not insurmountable. If you have the option, I'd go with something like Delrin or Acrylic that'll hold a screw once it's tapped. |
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| Author: | ClintB [ Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
Thanks Bob. I think I'll pass on the UHMW. Plenty of other good uses for the stuff. I don't really have trouble coming across delrin. It passes through our shop now and then (I'm a machinist too). We have tons of aluminum lying around - just up for grabs. Would that be better or worse than delrin for vaccuum fixtures? My assumption is that the adhesion of the sealant tape would again be an issue. |
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| Author: | Bob Garrish [ Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:31 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
It'll stick to the aluminum, PSA works on it alright. Just make sure to clean it off with acetone or whatever to get any coolant off of it. Aluminum works as well or better than Delrin, and it holds threads best. |
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| Author: | ClintB [ Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:35 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
Thanks again, Bob. I'll go with the aluminum. Cheers. |
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Mon Nov 02, 2009 6:44 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Plan for a Vacuum Bridge Clamp |
Guess I need to check in here more often. Thanks Bob for lending your experience! |
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