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Hi Ron The latest method I have seen uses Neodium magnets. You use a flat sheet of steel as the base and triangular shaped pieces of 3/4 inch ply in which the magnets are sunk into and glued. The magnets come in various sizes but are very strong and do clamp well. For hull work you can use two magnets, one on each side of the part that needs holding. I used cocktail sticks to hold the planks on my schooner-you drill a small hole at each former and tap in a glued stick. Once dry you can sand flush. If you don't want anything to show make your own pins from a plank offcut. Happy New Year Dave
I found scrunched up aluminium foil worked well to hold parts in place while i soldered them. The aluminium doesnt take solder readily. It would also work for gluing if you are careful not to glue the parts to the foil Les
Hi Gramps 😉 So far we're a bit Off Track! 🤔 I'll photo tomorrow a selection of what I use, including a good quality masking tape or similar! As Dave says Neodymium mags are also good for some items but I've never tried 'em for hull planking. I use a variety of types and sizes of wood clamps from traditional G clamp screw types to the spring loaded type (what you call alligator clamps?), even various sizes of Bulldog clips for smaller items. More tomorrow, cheers Doug 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
PS: for soldering I use a small machine vice (Proxxon or similar) or jigs cut into close grained wood blocks with masking tape to hold parts down; e.g. for railings or complex mast and crane jibs etc. Doug 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
Aha! Metal and much smaller than the spring clamps I mean. Pics tomorrow. Sometimes use croc. clips as heat sinks when soldering small parts. Time now to go 'Up the apples and pairs to Bedfordshire' 😉 All the best Doug 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
Hi Ron I forgot you build small models in balsa. My choice would be elastic bands 1/4" wide as used to hold the wings on model planes or similar. Protect the open bottom with a solid plank and wrap the bands all round every few inches. Get some scrap balsa and put between the band and hull planks, add just enough to hold the joint. Leave to dry then remove and get a box to keep your bands etc for next time.
On larger models I have used luggage straps tied to length and packed with scrap wood.
Very good for holding planks etc on hulls as the bands/straps can be made with the packing to give pressure in more than one direction at the same time.
Don’t forget the old cloths pegs. Clips on trousers cloth hangers,bull dog clips,all different sizes,elastic bands are useful too. To name just a few ideas.
Ken please post pictures of these clamping ideas. You builders in the UK haveterms of things that are different than us in Canada. Such as theearlier post on Baseboards. Here in Canada baseboards are what is found along the bottom of a wall, an architectural trim. Thanks.
Hi Doug, The wooden set are original cork faced cabinet makers clamps I bought when I was an apprentice about 50 years ago. Have only had to once replaced the faces.👍
2nd Jan 2018 13:58
