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I want to turn an old, solid, laptop desk on wheels into a go-bar deck, and I like the idea of the easily adjustable LMI one. So I need some 12mm round bar and some plywood, the only thing I'm unsure about is how to connect them....

LMI use these...


Anyone know where I could get something similar to them?

I know this isn't what they were designed for, but I'm hoping that these inexpensive CNC rail shaft supports could be an alternative.


Two bolts though the plywood decks and tighten around the bar with an allen key? Maybe they would slip under pressure? Maybe there would be too much wobble? The bar would be supported a bit by the decks, and I was thinking of mounting these CNC supports all diagonally to reduce wobble.

Would appreciate if anyone could offer some advice. Maybe there is something I'm overlooking.

Cheers,
Nick

Kathy Matsushita's website has details for an adjustable go-bar deck using the movable ends of 1/2" water-pipe clamps.
It is a nice design.

Bob

Are they Pony Clamps? Maybe I've gone blind but I can't find that page on her site.
I've seen people mention them but the only ones I have seen on sale here are relatively expensive.

Any Brits tried this?

I used 1/2 black pipe and the non adjustable end of a 1/2 pony clamp, infinitely adjustable, works great

Thanks, Clinchriver.

May I ask of you how much the black pipe and pony clamps cost?
And may I ask of a fellow Brit, what on Earth is black pipe called over here, and where can I get something like a Pony clamp?

This is what I'm seeing... http://www.axminster.co.uk/pony-pony-no-50-pipe-clamp-prod20335/
A hundred quid for 4 clamps? Not in a million years! May as well ship something over from the states at that price!

These CNC things that, to my eyes, seem to be doing a similar thing to the LMI clamps, will cost me 12 quid for 8!

I had found some cheaper Pony-type clamps, and used some of those, along with some older Pony clamps I had on hand. It is a little bit expensive, but worth it in the long run, because of how easy it makes it to change the height of your deck....
http://home.comcast.net/%7Ekathymatsush ... ueback.jpg

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Kathy Matsushita
San Jose, CA USA
http://theamateurluthier.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathy.matsushita

Many thanks, Kathy, it is a great setup. I wish I knew where to find them for a decent price.
Do the LMI-style clamps not work remotely as well? Like $140 less well?

I just used 12 mm threaded rod to connect top and bottom of a go-bar deck, nuts and washers above and below the boards.
Shielded the threaded rods with plastic pipe to protect the guitar body as I worked.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

How do you fix it at the bottom end?
I'm going to be making one too, so I'd be interested to see how you do it.

_________________
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

Everything was well under $100.00 three years ago. I'm a pipe fighter by trade and black pipe is steel schedule 40 water pipe, you can weld, groove or thread. Replacement "tail stop" is $7.30

http://www.adjustableclamp.com/replacem ... xture.aspx

Nuts and washers above and below top and bottom boards. Feet for space for the bottom nuts.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Colin,
Plastic around the rods seems a sensible idea... how come I didn't t think of it back then?
Now it would be too much hassle to change it, I guess.

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member of the guild of professional dilettantes

I used the same set up as Colin. 18 mm Birch Ply top and bottom, threaded rod with Nuts, bolts, washers. I didn't bother covering the thread but it might be a good idea. I used spring loaded go bars.
It was all neat and compact and worked very well. I took it all down though. The thing just kept accumulating all sorts of things: books, chisels, varnish and every tool under the sun.

Does no one think the LMI style clamps are any good?
No one think the CNC thingies can clamp around the bar suitably? With a long allen key, it would be just as quick. I know it would be good to have a third fixing point rather than just the two but people seems to deal with a little wobble on the LMI one.


So, Michael, do you not use a go-bar deck anymore?

You could try using foam pipe insulation, Miguel. It must be available every where. http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6 ... ?locale=en

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Kathy,

What are the inserts in the top and bottom plate that your pipe ends are threaded into?

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Thanks Alex.

Nick, I also use a similar setup to Michael and Colin. If I need different heights I just use different length gobars. Rather simple, IMHO.

Best,
Miguel.

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member of the guild of professional dilettantes

It's much easier to just make it full height and use spacers at the bottom. I made my first one out of all scrap. No moving parts. cost about $0.

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Pat

I use wing nuts. Makes adjustment easy.

I'm afraid I don't have any scrap. Were the shaft supports I suggested just a really bad idea?
It seems to me like the easiest possible way of doing it...
£10, ten minutes, few holes, couple of drill stops (or jubilee clips to be even cheaper) = fully adjustable with no spinning of nuts, spacers, or different length gobars.

I'm tempted to gamble and try it.

Do report when you finish. Good luck!

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member of the guild of professional dilettantes

Nick, I wouldn't bother making the go bar deck supports adjustable, just use a raising block to go under your dishes when bracing top or back. I use a block about 75mm thick when gluing (or carving) braces.



When gluing plates to the box, I just remove the raising block and have the dish straight onto the worktop.

As you can see the top of the deck is fixed to the wall, to give me full access to the work without support rods in the way, this makes life much easier for me.



Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

So, a non adjustable deck is;

1 Easier to make
2 Cheaper
3 faster
4 Easier to use (if you go armless)
5 Better performance ( because it keeps the working contact point at your optimum height)

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Pat

Hmm, I don't agree with that. Actually my deck is adjustable and I also use raising blocks. So if I don't have a block of the right thickness I can have the ability to move the deck's top plate. Sort of the best of both worlds.

I'd much rather have it on the mobile trolley than mounted on the wall, but I'll have a think about it.

1 Easier to make - minor, few extra bolt holes
2 Cheaper - minor, £10 cheaper?
3 faster - minor, not by much
4 Easier to use (if you go armless) - can't go armless
5 Better performance - but I can mark positions with drill stops and slide back and forth, testing on scales for pressure. As long as the supports didn't slip.

Thanks for the input though, much appreciated.

Just one last try, does anyone think four of these, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230828226412, would slip with 30 go bars pushing up on them even if fully tightened with an allen key? I reckon I could attach them to the decks as stably as the LMI version.