Building Clamps

I use a mix of small bar clamps and spring clamps depending on what i am doing.

In addition to spring clamps and bar clamps, I keep a supply of wood clothespins.  I will occasionally tape parts together with masking tape if I am using gel CA, but even with the gel, the glue can wick out and damage the surface, is this is only very occasional.

In addition to the regular clothespins I keep a supply of miniature ones.  I got mine from Model Expo, but Michaels has them now.

I liked the old Berna clamps but a number of the rubber feet have cracked and come off and I cannot find replacements. 

What are these?? can you show a picture?

EJ

My fingers and patience.

Clamps have routinely caused me trouble. I think I need to take clamping lessons.

I found this pic on the net. It gives the general idea. They used to come in several sizes.

https://goo.gl/images/fpFHUq

I know what you mean, Greg. I have the same problem and hence my question. I have picked up a number of alternatives over the years but none seemed to do the trick. Like I said, the Berna clamps came closest to being useful for me but over time the rubber ”feet” have degraded. I thought there might be something out there I was missing. 

I use a variety of clamps. 

This a P-38. I used plastic clamps with soft tips, laundry pins and a small adjustable bar-clamp. Sometimes I also use rubberbands.

JohnnyK

I use a variety of clamps. 

This a P-38. I used plastic clamps with soft tips, laundry pins and a small adjustable bar-clamp. Sometimes I also use rubberbands.

 

That looks like some of my builds.  I use all those types of clamps.  The bar clamp with the orange pads looks like the clamps from Harbor Freight. I have some of those, plus some Irwin versions I got when my local Menards had them on sale.

JohnnyK

I use a variety of clamps. 

This a P-38. I used plastic clamps with soft tips, laundry pins and a small adjustable bar-clamp. Sometimes I also use rubberbands.

 

Thank you JohnnyK. I think your pic shows there is no magic bullet. 

The cork may be better than the formed rubber pads. The rubber pads are slippery.

No complaints so far. The cork grips pretty good but I had to re-glue them all to the frame, no biggie

Hi Jay Jay. That cork idea sounds pretty good. I may need to try that. Would you be able to post a pic of what they look like? Thank you. 

Right now, I can't post pics, I got a new computer with an unfamiliar ops, but I'll try and work on it.

I have been using spring-loaded clothespins, and those plastic clamps shown in the picture above.

Clothespins have worked pretty well for me, but I think they cause the open seams or gaps that I've been getting on airplane wings.  I think the springs provide too much pressue, and they squeeze the wings enough to open the seams while the glue cures.

Those plastic clamps slip off too easily.

I think that for that particular application, gluing upper and lower wing parts together, I can get away with using rubber bands.  That should be just enough pressure to keep the parts in place, but not to open the seams, as the glue cures.

I also use clothespins and those plastic clamps as ad-hoc handles for parts or figures as I work on them.

Be careful with liquid cements and rubber bands.  The bands will promote wicking of the cement onto the exterior surface.  Highly cambered wings do present a problem.  You cannot clamp easily near the edges, but clamping in the middle will warp the parts leading to gaps in the edge.  Those mini-bar clamps are nice for this because of the fine adjustment.  You can apply just enough pressure to hold the parts together, but not enough to warp the parts.

Not a clamp answer, but on some wings I do, I wedge them between books. Go to the bookcase and wedge them in. Manipulate the books so there is equal pressure. Works for me!!

I use Tamiya extra thin cement on the wings and fuselage which works quickly enough to negate having to clamp.

This is something else that can be done with clamps and rubber bands. The wings on my B-24J  were warped. I clamped  an architect's scale to the wing while the glue cured. Worked great. An architect's scale is always super straight and will not bend under pressure.