The Articulated Clamp - Luthier Tips du Jour Mailbag
In this episode, luthier Robbie O’Brien demonstrates how to use the LMI articulated clamp for guitar repair work.
Video Transcription
[on-screen text reads: Luthier Tips du Jour Mailbag]
Mailbag question: Do you have any suggestions on how to clamp and get access inside the guitar near the end block?
Robert O'Brien: Today's Tips du Jour Mailbag question comes to us from Arizona. "Robert, I have a crack in the lower bout of my guitar down near the end block. Can you offer any suggestions on how to access and clamp this area? Frank, in Arizona."
Frank, gaining access down inside the guitar all the way down near that end block is sometimes very difficult. Even if you're able to get your hand in the soundhole, sometimes you can't reach all the way down there. Even if you can, then you have to become a human clamp while you wait for the crack to be repaired. Let me show you a tool I got from LMI that really makes this a breeze. It's called the articulating clamp. Let's go over to the bench and I'll show you some of the benefits it has to offer.
Clamping
Sometimes just getting into the guitar can be a problem, especially if you need to clamp way down here in the lower bout, not with the articulating clamp. You just fold this part out of the way, come in through the soundhole and then fold it back over and you're now ready to clamp. Another way to do that is just take the clamp apart, then insert the bottom half into the guitar and reassemble the clamp.
Sometimes when doing repair work, it's necessary to put several clamps in a straight line, and this is where the articulating clamp really excels as it can fold around the other clamps. Because of its extended length, sometimes you may find you need a little bit more horsepower when clamping. In that case, just put a clamp over the top of it and apply pressure that way.
Braces
Sometimes when using the articulating clamp or any clamp for that matter, you may find you need a clamping call to help you work around braces or things on the inside of the guitar. For that, I use a product that I got from LMI called Friendly Plastic. All it is is just plastic beads that when you drop into a little dish of hot water, somewhere around 140 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, just drop some in there. When they become transparent, they're soft, and you can form them into any shape you want. You can place it in the guitar and help shape around braces or bridge patches or anything like that so that you can get a better toehold with your articulated clamp.
When you do that, I recommend that you place a baggie or a Saran Wrap or something between the Friendly Plastic and the brace, that way you won't run the risk of sticking the plastic to the brace. Once it's dry, then it's no longer sticky, and if you want to reactivate it, drop it back into your pot of water and you can reshape it to any shape you want.
So with the articulated clamp from LMI, I think you'll find it a lot easier to get into those hard to reach places. So, Frank, you never told me why you had the crack in your guitar in the first place. If it's due to lack of humidity, which I know it's dry in Arizona, if that was the case, shame on you. If it's due to wear and tear, well now you have a tool that can get you access down in there to do the repair.
[on-screen text reads: More Luthier Tips and online courses available at www.obrienguitars.com. Private and small group guitar building and finishing instruction available.]
