Clamps?

[gk the builder]

Hello All! I am abeginning modeler and have found this forum invaluable! Thank you all for sharing your expertise, As a beginner, I am encountering all the small challenges that face us all in building these beauties. One of my biggest one right now is finding clamps. I have the basic Model Expo and Micro - Mark offerings buy am looking for more variety. Can anyone offer suggestions for a resource? It would be greatly appreciated! Thanks again for your help and Happy Holidays (Christmas in my case) to all!

I use an assortment of wooded clothes pins, alligator clips(electrical), hair clips with long ends, stay steady and be patient. Takes alot of time to do modeling , BE PATIENT and do it right the first time by asking questions like this .... Good Luck , you're in for a Big Surprise , by saying " I built this " !!!

 

[MM2CVS9]

These are some of mine. I know I missed a few. I scope out dollar stores, sewing stores, notions, woodworking stores, you name it, keeping an eye out for anything that might grip stuff. I've used weights, string, elastic cord, painters tape, wire, small zip ties and more, but still run into areas that I need to be inventive.

 

[spatz]

The Majority of clamps I use have been purchased from Harbour Freight you can buy a Tube full of different sized plastic spring clamps extremely cheaply they also have larger and smaller g clamps, I find the forceps type extremely useful and a host of others , you can never have too many because if you dream up a job to clamp then the more you have the greater the chance of finding a way to make it work

 

[Don Good]

Hello Gregory,

I don’t know if you’ll find any one resource for model clamps that will fulfill all your modelling needs. Hobby stores have many variations of clamps and sometimes it’s a matter of trial and error to see what works for a particular purpose. Many times you don’t need to buy those expensive clamps to meet your requirements, you can make them.

I have a box full of various clamps from the simplistic elastic band to the Berna type plastic pressure clamp and many others in between. I even use small velcro pieces that came something I found years ago. The ones I find most useful are the old fashioned wooden laundry pegs, inverted paper clips and long nose plastic clamps. The wonderful thing about those cheap wood laundry pegs is you can cut and carve the ends to shape for the job in hand. Being soft wood they provide mild pressure preventing marring of the wood model pieces.

I’ll attach a photo of just a few of the clamps I use to give you some ideas. My most used and versatile one is simply finger pressure .

View attachment 344123

Sir you nailed it !
I use small bungie cords too.

 

[Dave @W]

Until I get a chance to wander to the local Hobby Lobby or Harbor Freight stores, just ordered some low buck 3.5" clamps from AMAZON. I already have a bucket full of bigger ones for other things but ran out of small ones last night when the 1" ones were just a wee bit too small. I also have clotes pins, paper binder clamps and small to big (2" to 8") C clames

 

[Gregoryhoran312]

These are some of mine. I know I missed a few. I scope out dollar stores, sewing stores, notions, woodworking stores, you name it, keeping an eye out for anything that might grip stuff. I've used weights, string, elastic cord, painters tape, wire, small zip ties and more, but still run into areas that I need to be inventive.

View attachment 344911Thank you!

 

[Robmelbourne]

Another source is Facebook Marketplace. I was fortunate in picking up a whole bunch of tools, clamps and even a model. The variety of clamps is amazing, most of what MM2CVS9 has included in his photo as well as planking clamps of the screw and screw less types. The model is the Amati Viking ship DRAKKAR, of which the frame has only been done. I paid $100 for the lot. The model alone I believe to buy is more than this.

 

[Dave Teel]

I have used the thumb screw clamps for hull planks and found them to be easy and very effective. Model expo

 

[Fish&Chip]

I like the Wolfcraft seen here in SoS, but these are not found in Canada, or cost $$$ on Amazing store. You are lucky in USA and Europe for this.

 

[Moxis]

Here is the variety I am using. Some are self made, some bought. But still I haven't found the perfect clamp. I think it doesn't exist.

 

[Uwek]

But still I haven't found the perfect clamp. I think it doesn't exist.

I think the "perfect" clamp can not exists - there are so much different necessities and situation in ship modeling, that the modeler needs several variants.....
and: You can never have enough of them

 

[Dave @W]

As I noted abovee, I received tha AMAZON clamps. Decent, not great. Also had a chance to get to Harbor Freight. The HF are much better and only a few cents each more and their selection goes from 3/4" - 8" spring to feet with the friction or pipe screw clamps.

 

[Philski]

I think the "perfect" clamp can not exists - there are so much different necessities and situation in ship modeling, that the modeler needs several variants.....
and: You can never have enough of them

Seems that just about every situation needs a specially designed clamp huh?

 

[Gregoryhoran312]

Thank you all for the great advice!

 

[Artin]

These are by far the best clams I have had, 20 years ago I purchased 10 of them I still have them
if they still made them I would by 20 more

 

[viriato]

Another type of clamp, this one homemade.

 

[Gregoryhoran312]

Thanks for the input! I will definately check these out!

 

[maguro]

Another type of clamp, this one homemade.

View attachment 428442

These look interesting. Would you mind posting pics of the clamps by themselves?

 

[viriato]

Good morning. I used nails with about 10 cm, to which I cut off the head and tip, 1 mm steel wire to make the spring, two washers, a piece of metal and a little solder.

 

[Winter]

Yes, there aren't that many clothespins.