Ruber Bands for Clamping

[fjimp]

Happy Fathers Day. So far I have been blessed to hear from two of my four children.

On occasion I make or repair an item that is challanging to clamp. Today I needed to re-glue joints on a wooden toilet seat. The almost flat egg shape has always been a challange to get any standard type of clamp to work. I used bench dogs on my workbench/vice and managed to get the joints secure. I always wonder if rubberbands might work better. Has anyone had success with rubber bands? If so where do you find nice heavy ones? If not how do you deal with gluing unusual shapes? Jim

[greitz]

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there!

Jim- I've used these Rockler web clamps, but I think a ratcheting hold-down (used to tie stuff to your vehicle's luggage rack) would work as well. If the link doesn't work, just go to http://www.rockler.com and search for band clamp.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page ... nd%20clamp

Gary

[fjimp]

Gary,

Thanks I actually have that strap clamp and have found it usefull on rectangular or multisided boxes. On the curved surface today it slid around when I attempted to tighten it. Someplace I remember seeing a picture of rubber straps or bands being used on a curved surface.

Thanks again I do appreciate your guidance. Jim

[cincinnati]

I use some large rubber bands I got some time ago from who knows ?????
Rockler has a set available just for that purpose.
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page ... ber%20band

[fixit]

Why pay an exorbitant amount for large rubber bands? Just buy a tire inner tube for either car or truck sized tires (if you can find one:D ) and cut circles out of them with a pair of scissors! There you have it. Instant rubber bands.

[a1gutterman]

I have knot used inner tubes, but I have thought of using them like Leonard is suggesting; I think they wood work well. I HAVE successfully used rubber bands, but only on small things...things that all of my clamps are way too big for. I have also used plain old masking tape. It works well, but you can knot put too much pressure on the joint of course.

Jim, I wonder if these clamps wood knot work for your toilet seat? SS number 555162 (pg 82 of the Father's Day sale catalog). http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/MasterInside_4-28-08r2.pdf

Also, as to your inquiry about clamping odd shapes, Nick and Drew addressed just that very problem in a recent Sawdust Session: http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Archives/SS120/SS120_Clamping_Odd_Assemblies.htm . I hope this helps.

[charlese]

Happy Fathers Day. So far I have been blessed to hear from two of my four children.

On occasion I make or repair an item that is challanging to clamp. Today I needed to re-glue joints on a wooden toilet seat. The almost flat egg shape has always been a challange to get any standard type of clamp to work. I used bench dogs on my workbench/vice and managed to get the joints secure. I always wonder if rubberbands might work better. Has anyone had success with rubber bands? If so where do you find nice heavy ones? If not how do you deal with gluing unusual shapes? Jim

And a happy father's day to you too, Jim!

The Rockler bands look good. You also might try Office Depot. In the old days we used to slice 1 " rounds from auto inner tubes. They proved to be multipurpose rubber bands.

[Ed in Tampa]

I use inner tubes also, they come is various sizes, bike, garden tractor, auto, truck and mud buggy sizes (floation tire). However I also use something no one has mentioned yet.

I go to Harbor Freight or Flea Market and buy the cheap electrical tape. I don't know what it is made from but it is stretchy plus it grips. The more wraps increases the pressure and I know you can get enough pressure to squeeze out all but the thinnest layer of glue. To remove it I simply slice across the wraps. Also if you let it set too long you can get a sticky residue that you must remove so I make sure I remove the tape as soon as the glue joint is bonded.

I guess good electrical tape would work also but that can get expensive using the good stuff when you can use the junk and as far as I know that is all the junk tape is good for. I would never use it in an electrical connection since is becomes so unstable with time.

Ed