Clamping parts together without too much pressure

[DrumBum]

 

I often use wooden clothes pegs to hold parts together but in many applications I worry the pressure is too strong and I risk damaging the join or forcing the parts out of alignment while the glue dries.

I would love to find a hobby clamp, similar function as a clothes peg, that can hold items together at a much lower pressure.

Many applications I find require very little pressure, generally way lower than most clips and pegs.

Does such a thing exist?

 

Cheers and thanks.

 

[Rabbit Leader]

I agree about the excess pressure from dedicated hobby clamps and clothes pegs. I actually have quite a few around the work bench, however admit that I rarely use them for the reasons you mention. I find lengths of cut masking tape strips work quite well for most applications and the force exerted can be modified by the pressure you apply when placing them over the glued joint. This doesn’t work for all areas and applications, but I find it good for over 80% of what I bind together. 
 

Cheers.. Dave. 

[Pete in Lincs]

Depending on the items to be held together, Tape or elastic bands can do the job. 

I've never tried. but there must be a way to weaken the spring on the clothes peg? Or disable the spring & use tape to hold closed.

You can get tweezers that work the other way around, You squeeze to release them. the grip isn't too hard, usually.

Small woodworking type clamp that you aqueeze a trigger to close the jaws. Ratchet bar clamps is the name. link below

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61RToA-P1LL._AC_UL320_.jpg

[Mr_Sworld]

I use these from Rebell Hobby.

 

 

Made for modellers and perfect for soft pressure.

Edited January 24 by Mr_Sworld

[Troy Smith]

12 minutes ago, DrumBum said:

I worry the pressure is too strong and I risk damaging the join or forcing the parts out of alignment while the glue dries.

Tack with tiny drops of superglue, applied with needle or toothpick, which you can easily adjust pressure on, and sets in seconds. Easy to clean off if wrong when happy with alignment, use capillary action of liquid glue to finalise joint is one way. 

 

There are adjustable clamps often seen used in here, not sure of the proper name.

@CedB  liked buying tools and may remember?

1 minute ago, Mr_Sworld said:

I use these from Rebell Hobby.

No pic or link showing 

[dogsbody]

The 3 clamps on the right I bought in a craft store a few years ago. Not too expensive,

The black unit on the left, I found on the bottom floor of the extraction plant I worked in. A maintenance dude must have dropped through the grating from the machinery level above.

 

 

 

 

 

Chris

[KevinK]

3 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

There are adjustable clamps often seen used in here, not sure of the proper name.

 Possibly the Berna Multi-Clamp?

 

I have used them since the late 1970's and highly recommend.

[dogsbody]

My full collection:

 

 

 

 

Chris

[Troy Smith]

18 minutes ago, KevinK said:

 Possibly the Berna Multi-Clamp?

 

I have used them since the late 1970's and highly recommend.

Thanks Kevin

I'd forgotten the name

For the OP this is what they look like

 

Cheers 

[dnl42]

37 minutes ago, KevinK said:

 Possibly the Berna Multi-Clamp?

 

I have used them since the late 1970's and highly recommend.

Those just don't work for me. 

[Chuck1945]

4 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

Thanks Kevin

I'd forgotten the name

For the OP this is what they look like

 

Cheers 

I have those, liked them, but for me at least, seldom used, preferring tape or clamps such as Irwin’s bar or grip clamps, no springs, you can adjust the pressure

 

I tried unsuccessfully to link pictures 😕

[DrumBum]

Hey all,

 

thanks for the replies, some great suggestions there for sure.

 

for info I was trying to gently clamp the trailing edge of a 1/48 scale wing and actually had reasonable success using a wooden clothes peg with a rubber band wrapped around the back end. 

 

cheers for now

 

 

 

 

[rayprit]

We would be lost without women on this site?  Answer to your problem is aliminium double prong hair curlers what women use for styling there hair.....I have single and double prong...make sure that your clips have one side with a bar across the prong.  You can bend them to contour whatever your doing.......I use them when soldering metal loco kits and they are ideal as a heat sink when soldering..........I have used them for about 50 years and they are very handy........50 for about 8 quid, prices vary.....Lady Jane are the best but they stopped making them about 20 years ago  so the upgraded versions are being sold now........thanks to the women for there sanding sticks, nail files, manicure brushes, miniture scissors, nail varnish, storage divices for there lipstick ideal for vallejo paint bottles.............list is endless......................heres your link   https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/335661623325?_skw=double+prong+hair+curling+clips&itmmeta=01JJZ18V5EA2SX8PD3DT25XTCZ&hash=item4e26fde81d:g:ovoAAOSw2uNnLU0p&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKkFsV2N4ZM5ZaOT7dL58oHokuj%2F8qIHQJZmWmTfflJ%2F0rpP4ewCmgb3PSjKSubdyALOBBh%2F0u6pg0fiEuR1BsmwdmanZMl5oIjyEGP706YoyvJ39LeU7VwluHQFb6tMlKUIpG3MIBxhAYitWojgyisPNJ841HIv93ReEje1ukKM8ZKPzvnOzvQ6CB9nMrBZBeyhzHAq%2Bko6P5doA5jPHDey75Lp89AsHQWHBkZ5pMP3NCQD7hbL6e6xQIZWThiP%2FlDZtkO1uuPNhLa2PRste3Hw|tkp%3ABk9SR_Kyo-GXZQ

 

 

As you can see here, Lady Jane hair clips, very collectable............they are available, but at a cost.............newer version just as good

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226566670100?_skw=lady+jane+double+prong+hair+clips&itmmeta=01JJZ25VCE73XW7AE7B0QE0R67&hash=item34c06d0714:g:OwgAAOSwkwZnIRLw&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKmPzg%2F632yXAxkC7%2BVJ1nz11F7yleaZCRuhgifptBf2d4asbHcGSRcrSUvxJwt%2BJ31saNUsmBRsEqJ47k6JVKXus8szDyKesA9gkEpLc5h8HPdOl0%2Fa58rGqOwWDaj5SNgctkWPsGicP2djXipzAgek%2B8lHVb6lVy0LBv0q2iTLE1H25v7KPHtpyK0JL2bgZQ4nDJa1kiquI%2FhtHoVIotrFEYfb%2BJW9wcnS2T%2Bx--WfJwEpfdPPtf4JJE0mX1WUQiynRxndE%2Fl6SdoUZRjl8ZyT|tkp%3ABk9SR662l-KXZQ

[davecov]

As well as traditional clamps, I also use quilting/embroidery clips, used to hold material together before sewing. They give just enough grip without damaging or bending the plastic and much easier to use:

 

 

I find them particularly good for smaller parts, trailing edges etc. You can buy them from various places but here are some on Amazon.

 

Dave

[Steve McArthur]

Check out the tool section in your local hardware store. I've got a bunch of small Irwin clamps I bought locally in a couple different styles that don't rely on springs to hold them closed. 

 

I bought a bunch of these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081HY1VGB/ in different sizes. My only complaint is they really need a strip of rubber or something grippy to keep them from sliding off curves surfaces.

 

 

[dogsbody]

15 hours ago, Steve McArthur said:

Check out the tool section in your local hardware store. I've got a bunch of small Irwin clamps I bought locally in a couple different styles that don't rely on springs to hold them closed. 

 

I bought a bunch of these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081HY1VGB/ in different sizes. My only complaint is they really need a strip of rubber or something grippy to keep them from sliding off curves surfaces.

 

 

 

Go to the hardware store and look for thin gasket material. cut this to shape and superglue it to the clamps. That's what I did for a few of my clamps.

 

 

 

Chris

[DrumBum]

As always, thanks all for the feedback.

 

I just returned from Melbourne and visited Metro Hobbies in the city and found a set of magnetic clips that have rubber tips and actually work very well. $15 from memory.

 

Strong enough but not too strong and pretty much ideal, especially for airbrushing where you can set the part down on the magnetic tray without the need to return the airbrush to its hook.

 

cheers all.

 

[Tarby]

Paul Messy's video on how to make clamp cauls for modelmaking using masking tape and dowels might be useful.

 

 

[Malc2]

That idea for using tape and dowel is genius. So simple!

Have to remember that.

Thanks!

M.

[DrumBum]

genius