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Anyone seen/tried this? http://www.tonetechluthiersupplies.co.u ... clamp.html

Expensive! I use a big f clamp and scrap wood...

there are much cheaper alternatives that's for sure. I have a couple of simple wooden homemade clamps. They work perfectly well.

Yep, same thoughts here. Couple of deep reach c clamps and done.


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I also think there are better and less expensive ways.

I use 3 of the Stew Mac soundhole clamps and love them. The best part about them is they have the adjustable foot that allows you to have them set up and ready to go. You just slide them off to the side of the bridge, apply your HHG and in just a few seconds have them in place and clamped. I have tried all kinds of different clamps but these are the easiest to set up and are very light and sturdy.

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Clamps/Soundhole_Clamps.html

But then everyone had their own favorite way to do things. The best way is to try different ways until you find one you like.

Cheers,
Bob

You could always do it the way the Spanish builders have done it for many years. All it takes is some twine and two pieces of wood. Cost effective (to say the least) and quite easy. Make sure that the contact surface of the bridge precisely fits the contour of the top and you should have no problems. This photo is courtesy of John Ray, an accomplished builder and member of this forum residing in Granada.

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Peter

I agree. These are light and work very well. I also have the Ibex clamps but they are too shallow on the bottom and tend to damage the x braces.

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Alain
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It looks nicely made which would account for the high price but the design looks like a Fox style bridge clamp (mine is made from wood) and a deep reach clamp from StewMac.

http://www.lmii.com/products/tools-serv ... dge-clamps
http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Ty ... lamps.html

Just my $0.02

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

Couple of deep reach clamps and a home made wooden "fox-type" bridge clamp here since I started.
Last time round (no. 6) I graduated to a slightly more sophisticated method, using a block of sponge to support the inserted clamps on the soundboard after the dry run, much less fumbling about.
Took long enough....

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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.

I'm of the opinion that 3 separate clamps on the bridge is the way to go, to ensure hassle free even pressure. I use something similar to this item for gluing bridges on ukuleles sometimes because often a sound hole wont allow for the clamps I would rather use. I find that when I tighten the wings, I lose a lot of pressure on the center of the bridge.

Some of the Summit tools from Sever Custom Guitars are quite interesting - I was particularly intrigued by the fret tang nipper, fret cutter, fret puller. Unfortunately, Sever is in Slovenia, so it may be a while before we see these things locally.

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Cheers,

Frank Ford

FRETS.COM
HomeShopTech
FRETS.NET

I agree. Unless you have a very rigid center clamp on the StewMac device, tightening the wings can cause a loss of pressure in the center.

I have tried a lot of the systems but always seem to come back to separate center and wing clamps for the most even pressure.

I guess everyone has to find what works best for them. If your bridges aren't coming off whatever you are doing is right.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Hi Nils, not sure if it was my post which prompted this reply.
Just to be clear, I use 2 clamps over an 18 mm birch ply bar, threaded 8 mm each end for a bolt which bear down on separate small cauls on the wings.
The 2 clamps go over the central area of the bridge.

_________________
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.

It's quite easy to do it with just a single clamp - a flexible batten with two pads at each end, giving three points of contact. You need very little pressure when gluing a bridge. In fact if the soundboard is stiff enough I don't bother using a clamp at all, just use light finger pressure for a few minutes.

I use what works if it holds it down while the glue dries it will work.

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I made mine from scrap wood. Same general design. Works great. If you can build a guitar, you can surely make one.

IT looks like a very well made and well designed tool for the job but like others have mentioned there are many ways to skin this cat.

I've never seen that Spanish method pictured above, interesting. Instead of bolts at the end of the beam to push wings down you can also just use wedges.

I use 3 clamps and on pinned bridges bolts.

Mine is maybe a bit overkill then.
Guess I'm a just a bit of a belt and braces kind of guy.

_________________
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.