pneumatic clamping system

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DSJ
Posts: 49
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 8:54 am
Location: Thessalon, On.

pneumatic clamping system

Post by DSJ »

I came across this clamping system for building a laminated bow while wandering around the interweb.
http://americanwoodworker.com/blogs/pro ... e-bow.aspx

It would work for stems, but what about for a staple-lesss system?
Retired firehose can be had at just about any fire station if you show up with doughnuts.
wood plugs for the ends can be turned on a lathe and shrader(tire) valves could be epoxied into the plugs. A hose clamp could secure the plugs.

A clamp could be secured to the strongback at each station, set so a strip can be slid into place when uninflated, then inflated to hold it firmly while the glue sets. A clip-on tire inflator http://www.princessauto.com/pal/product ... r-Inflator could control the inflation with one hand while holding the strips in place with the other. Move the inflator to the next station and continue.. Fire hoses have a working strength of around 300 psi, so 100or so psi would probably make very strong clamp.

I'm not planning to build a canoe at the present, but I'd like to hear opinions.
alick burt
Posts: 255
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2005 2:41 am
Location: united kingdom
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Re: pneumatic clamping system

Post by alick burt »

Hi DSJ
I think it would work fine for stems but it would be a lot of hassle for planking as you would possibly have to deflate between strips making it time consuming.I recently completed a staple-less build using 5 minute p.u . glue bungees and bits of tube see another poor man's staple-less build(in tips and techniques section).You have to be quick getting your strips in place but it worked well in the end once I got the knack for it.
Cheers
Alick
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