Kerfing Clamps

[watergunn]

Hi all.

I was wondering if I could get some replies as to what some are using for kerfing clamps.

I have always used clothes pins with rubber bands.

Sometimes the kerfing is not always flat against the side in some instances.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Rick Gunn

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Rick,
I use the same thing and if they are not positioned just so, sometimes the bottom end of the kerfing doesn't lay flat.....I think we need something with just a bit more pressure, but I like the narrowness of the clothes pins.

I've seen guys use the binder clips like we use in the office, but they are wider and exert alot more pressure. The same with the mini spring clamps you can get really cheaply at HF. They might be good around the waist area.

Kevin

[watergunn]

The smaller sized spring clamps is what I was going to try.

Maybe they will not cause too much glue squeeze out.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

$5 for 22 of them at HF, $20 worth would be enough to do a side

[johnnparchem]

I have a variety of mini spring clamps. I am finding even with the rubber tips the edges of the clamps leave impressions in the sides. Sure most of them are shallower than the bindings but it still bugged me. I noticed in John's class pictures he was using bigger plastic spring clamps. That is what I am going to be looking for.

[Ben-Had]

I use a combo (generally 1 spring clamp 3 clothes pins). When I'm done clamping up I use a mirror to check the underside to ensure the kerfing is clamped flush, if not I make the appropriate adjustment.

[ruby@magpage.com]

Tim B

If you find that a couple of the "pieces" of kerfing do not sit right, what do you do?

Ed Minch

[Ben-Had]

Tim B

If you find that a couple of the "pieces" of kerfing do not sit right, what do you do?

Ed Minch

Sometimes the clamping force isn't quite right and doesn't clamp the kerfing flush to the side so I re-position the spring clamp (or clothes pin as the case maybe) to ensure it is flush to the side. that may mean moving the clamp up or down to get it in the right position. Sometimes it takes moving 2 or 3 that are side by side to get it right. I use either titebond of fish glue for gluing in the kerfing so I have plenty of time to make the adjustments.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Yep, I do the same thing

[Dan Bombliss]

When I've had issues with kerfing, I found it wasn't so much the lack of pressure. It was always on the back of the guitar, and right at the waist. What I've zero'd that out to being when I'm building is the drastic bend of the contour in the back, from the neck block to the waist (Bend in the horizontal axis), makes it difficult (sometimes impossible) to get it to clamp tight around the waist, as it's pulling outwards away from the sides, when you try to bend the kerfing horizontally.

I started using a seam somewhere in that equation, so that's not an issue. It was especially a problem with reverse kerfing that was the full length of the side.

-Dan