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The first guitar I build in the course I took last summer, we build on a workboard, and used threaded rod spool type clamps for clamping the top and back.

The second guitar I am building is being done using a body mold. I have the Frank Finocchio videos for guidance and inspiration. When Frank glues on the top and back, he uses about 3 dozen cam clamps to do the job. I only have about twenty cam clamps, and really don't want to build any more.

Given that I am using a body mold and not a workboard, how many cam clamps are really necessary for gluing on the back and top? Can I use some very small gluing cauls to distribute the pressure and thus reduce the number of clamps necessary?

I could really use some expert advice!Matt H38961.6708680556

Matt ;
you are right!
use the cauls!
Mike
www.collinsguitars.com

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Mike Collins

Mike,

What should these cauls look like? I think I saw some that were about 2 to 3 inches long by about an inch wide that only contacted the top or bottom near the ends of the cauls. I don't know if they were cork faced or some other pads on the ends.

Matt;
Hes
h is correct about the go -bar deck.
But if you do not have room use the cauls and remember a proper glue joint is most important!
Take your guitar and clamp the end blocks with camclamps
and turn it over to check for centerline and hold the back to the sides and look for gaps!
If all is O.K then glue that puppy up!
It's always a great feeling for me when I complete the body of a great guitar!!! Even after 30 years of making them!!!!
Mike Collins

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Mike Collins

cauls
They only have to be wide enough to cover the joint area In other words DO NOT CLAMP to far into the back or you will break loose the braces!-BE VERY CAREFUL that you only clamp the edge of the guitar------ Why?
Because if the clamp in to far from the edge you can loosen braces!!!!
Only make the cauls long enough to do their job!
In other words make cauls for the curve parts and for the srtraight parts!

Mike Collins

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Mike Collins

I use the roping method for mine but would agree that go bars are the easy and great way to do it!!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Go-bar deck. And...'not have the space'? Go-bar decks collaplse down to nothing at all, and are about the least storage-intensive clamp I can think of...

[QUOTE=peterm] I use the roping method for mine but would agree that go bars are the easy and great way to do it!![/QUOTE]

Thought I was the only person in here using rope!

[QUOTE=Hesh1956] Matt a go-bar deck is the best way to go and if you plan on building more guitars it would serve you well to build one.[/QUOTE]

I don't have a go bar deck.   

Cam clamps here. I just have a truck load of them.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I used the spool clamps, the cam clamps, and on my last I switched to go bars. I really like the go bars.(CHEAPER than cam clamps)

Just make sure you keep things aligned before glueing



BTW, I didn't build a deck per se, Just set up a cafe table that's easy to walk around, and put a 2' X 2' chunk of MDF on the ceiling joists to recieve the ends of my 4'go bars from HD. I think I have 32 of them, stored up in the joists, outa the way when not in use. Later the cafe table goes back to holding up my cheesy table saw.

Terry Stowell38963.707349537

Cam clamps with cauls work great. Always best to check center line but not bad idea to use location pins to keep things from moving around and if do tucks well those should also keep top and back from moving around

I like using clamps. The great thing about clamps that you miss out on when you use the go bar is that you can turn it over and clean up the excess glue before it is dry.

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

Matt, I use cam clamps too. I guess it's because that's the way I learned it from Frank.

Seems to me that 20 cam clamps should be plenty to do the top or the back. If you have some of the spool clamps you could fill any gaps with them. If you don't have spool clamps, they are pretty trivial to make and would be a lot easier than making more cam clamps.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

[QUOTE=stan thomison] Always best to check center line but not bad idea to use location pins to keep things from moving around[/QUOTE]

Hi Stan! Long time no hear. Yes alignment is important. I had a very lovely sapwood centered back that got off center a bit. Learn and live!

Go-bars, rope, cam clamps ... thanks for all the advice. I guess this just proves that there are many ways to do this.

Since I have the cam clamps and like the idea of being able to turn the guitar over to clean up any excess glue, I will probably go that way for this guitar.

I will dry clamp the unit with the cam clamps and some cauls before I commit to glue. Perhaps I will have to build another dozen cam clamps in the future. I wouldn't think that spool clamps would have a deep enough throat to be of use around the body mold.

Terry, Thanks for the photo as well, it helps me to see how others are doing it.

Anyone have any photos with cam clamps?

Gluing on a back rope up style.kiwigeo38963.4012037037