Panel glue up "jigs" and ideas ~

[tribalwind]

well,ok this is kind of a 'flute' inspired thread,but ties into panel-making techniques...

i havent made many flutes(native american style flute) for a while now,so lately been prepping to get back to it, the way i typically make them is a 1.5x1.5x24+/-" blank split in half,fluted out with a core-box bit then re-glued. i'd use a whole bunch of spring clamps ,bout 8-10. it'd take every tiny clamp in my shop to clamp a few of them...

i think there are a few better ways to skin this cat. ganging a bunch together and glueing like a panel seems like 1 way to go.

i have a set of these (from HF though i think)
theyre sort've heavy duty for glueing flutes which have 1/4 to 3/16" thin walls.

another similar idea is veritas' panel clamp which i really think has potential
i love the stackable idea for saving space.


then i came across another thread here where a guy fabricated some pretty Spiffy ones himself (look down the page). i think the stainless steel studs are overkill but really nice work!

one mod i'd do to the above solutions i think would be a good improvement would be instead of a hand grip to tighten,using a hex bolt,or 2 hex-nuts on the end of threaded-rod,then we could use a matching socket on a drill/driver and set the slip for desired pressure, ensuring even pressure on each set of "clamping cauls" and would be faster too,which is a concern since glueing all the faces takes time and they really tack up quick with yelly glue....
also could use curved cauls for the tops and between ends ,like "bowclamps",to distribute the clamping pressure so wouldnt need to use like 4 or 5 sets of the regular clamps.the ones on horizontal/side clamping part would have to be a hair under 1.5" (thickness of flute-blanks) in one dimension to not interfere with top ones.

this one is basically the same thing,in a shop-made version.. it was in "WOOD" magazine, but i dont have that issue (2/99,#112,pg.48) also in WOOD's book "build your own jigs and fixtures" found few pics from guys who made one...same hex-nut idea would work too.


Ha! ok guess i wasnt the first to think of using hex bolts and a driver in this sort of rig! these are expensive,but almost same idea(reversed kinda). check the videos. these are the systems sold at rockler,lee valley etc... seems like someone could fabricate this easy enough?,overkill for my needs though. http://www.rrclamp.com




and one more made out of metal. http://www.stackclamp.com/ for some reason this site is listed as"reported attack site" ,i braved it,seems fine,maybe soemone hacked him,or industrial espionage .
could sorta do soemthing like that with aluminum barclamps,might bend with too much pressure though.. here is their youtube vid if ya dont want to visit that site.


whew, ok, think i'm done there!

[shoottx]

How many flutes are you going to be making at one time?

[tribalwind]

hi mike,
well for standard flutes, im doing the flute-blanks in batches,like 2 or 3 dozen,maybe more.
it's easier to set up for each operation once and run a whole bunch,
then the next ,and so on. glue-up is like a middle step.so cant do other things till theyre all glued/dried.

a "blank" = bored,undersized starter holes,sound mechanism started,and edges rounded...
last steps are what get all the individual attention.i want to spend the most time in the tuning, and then aesthetics(carving,painting,burning etc) to make them more unique.

hey y'know i was just thinking, those RRclamps with the thread-rod running under the panels,wouldnt the threads and channel get gobbed up with glue squeeze out ??? you;d have to tape along the bottom side of all your glue-lines each time... where-as with wood rails they could just be shellaced waxed for easy cleanup.

[Tom Miller]

hey y'know i was just thinking, those RRclamps with the thread-rod running under the panels,wouldnt the threads and channel get gobbed up with glue squeeze out ??? you;d have to tape along the bottom side of all your glue-lines each time... where-as with wood rails they could just be shellaced waxed for easy cleanup.

YES! Good catch. Like a dope, I didn't wax the bars of my Besseys or my Cabinetmasters, and now I have a project ahead of me to scrape a bunch of glue off THEN wax.

Anyhow, to how many blanks do you think you could apply glue before getting them in a clamp? It seems like that sets the limit for what size clamp setup.

Regards,
Tom

[tribalwind]

hey tom'
yes thats the limiter i guess.
my old way was running a thin bead from the bottle on 1 piece.all round and spread it a bit by finger.
need a better/quicker way..i read one guys method is using a small paint roller. i like that idea, i'd use a really short nap/pile. he keeps it in a jar of glue with the rolller handle going through the lid,so its ready all the time.
im going to try that way too,looks to be fast,accurate,consistent.
i think i could glue up plenty enough this way,before they start tacking.
i could always just pop a spring clamp on each end while getting them all ready.think this'll work out well, ill letcha's know how goes,gonna be some time before i get the router n jigs all set.

[Tom Miller]

...i read one guys method is using a small paint roller. i like that idea, i'd use a really short nap/pile. he keeps it in a jar of glue with the rolller handle going through the lid,so its ready all the time.

Oh yeah, that really sounds like the way to go. I think you can get small foam rollers, too, which might give more consistent results. Or not.

BTW, thanks for showing the different panel clamp options -- been thinking (re-thinking) about that myself lately.

Regards,
Tom

[shoottx]

hi mike,
well for standard flutes, im doing the flute-blanks in batches,like 2 or 3 dozen,maybe more.

If you are doing that many you will need something like you have outlined.

I was envisioning building a clamping system using a Flat base(light blue) fith sides fastened at a 90 degree (dark blue) then after gluing the flute bodies together you would place the wedges against the other side and tap them to togther to create the pressure to set the glue. I would put wax paper on the base and between the flute bodies. Pressure would be applied by the driven wedges. Would work for a one at a time or a very small number probably not 2-3 dozen.

[tribalwind]

thanks mike that's a fine idea too. good alternative to buying clamps (which i jsut bought more of yesterday,10 36" alum barclamps.) . ive seen wedge setups like that for small panels,
that idea could be stackable too. the top layer could keep the lower one flat by adding threaded rod round the perimeter through the edging pieces.
hm, think im gonna play with this in sketchup.
figuring a blank is 1.5"x24, i could fit 15(+ wedges) in a 2x2' layer.3layers = 45, Plenty sufficient,though maybe thats too many per layer.

how precise do the wedges/angles need to match to give equal clamping
across the full length? would careful freehand on bandsaw suffice?

p.s. this is exactly what my typical way of glue-ups looked like (not quite as neat looking since mine wer mix-match clamps)
these are the same fella that had the roller trick..

P.P.S///just saw this jig on woodsmithshop.com,talk about coincidence?

[tribalwind]

i've only used sketchup 2 or 3 times , but the more i do the more i LOVE it.
been a cad draftsman/designer for years using autocad,but this is just way more fun.

anyhow, here's mike's jig taken a lil further,
was having fun so i added in the thread red/bolts,nuts,washers,and star handle options. dunno if this is the way i'll go with the flutes but it's a neat idea, all the blanks would have to be perfectly equal size or might have misalignment issues...i guess a pieec of waxpaper top/bottom would keep it mostly clean of squeeze-out,which should be minimal with the roller application. anyhow. heres soem views
heres the link to the sketchup model

[shoottx]

Dang

I was real impressed with my version of it for a quick concept until I looked at your drawing. Great design

Of course I have to admit I have had little to no luck with sketch up, after spending time with the tutorials..

how precise do the wedges/angles need to match to give equal clamping
across the full length? would careful freehand on bandsaw suffice?

I thinc they should be fairly accurate, since all of the clamping pressure will be generated through their contact. You may need to make a taper jig for sawing the wedges. Look at this thread for a jig http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=40110