Holding device for an OM sound box for cleanup

[Bob Howell]

I am cleaning up two OM sound boxes for finishing. I must sit and have an 18"high setup bench placed between my legs covered with a towel to brace the sb. It keeps slipping but I catch it in time. I need a better set up for holding.

I have designed many devices in my mind over the last days but they all look like some bizarre Rube Goldberg contraption. I have 2x8 scrap that I can attach a post or cradle and then strap it down with bungee cords; cushioned with cork or towels. But every design look like Rube made it.

Perhaps someone has worked out a better design and could post a picture or link to an idea.

I already have a 3'x4" workbench with a big 3' full width screw vice mounted. I could install cushion and clamp it there; but I would like to get it between my legs. Like sitting on a cobbler's bench .

Anybody worked this out??

[Bob Gramann]

I sometimes use a vacuum clamp to hold a body when I work on it. I put weatherstrip around the perimeter of a board on both sides. I drilled a hole in the edge that intersected a hole through the board and stuck the vacuum hose in the edge hole. With vacuum applied, it will grip the back of a guitar and hold it to a table top or to a vertical board, in your case. It doesn't work well with porous wood.

[Bob Hammond]

Bob, I don't know if you saw the 'plumber special' positioner that I posted a year or so ago. I used two pipe flanges, a couple of unions, nipples, and elbows. One pipe flange was screwed to a baseboard, and the other to a platform for the guitar body. The platform was cut in the shape of the body, and had 6mm foam for a cushion. When the box was open, I just used clamps on the head and tail blocks. Once it was closed, I used straps of bicycle innertube or surgical latex tubing to hold the body in place, and I moved the straps around as needed. Maybe you could do something like that.

Let's start with the idea of a cobbler's bench that you straddle to sit upon. You could bolt a flange to the bench, located between your knees, and then thread in a nipple that will place the body at a convenient height, and then add a second flange that is bolted to a cushioned platform to support the body. For additional steadiness if needed, you could use two columns to support the platform.

Here's a pic of what I did.

[Bob Howell]

I sometimes use a vacuum clamp to hold a body when I work on it. I put weatherstrip around the perimeter of a board on both sides. I drilled a hole in the edge that intersected a hole through the board and stuck the vacuum hose in the edge hole. With vacuum applied, it will grip the back of a guitar and hold it to a table top or to a vertical board, in your case. It doesn't work well with porous wood.

I have dreamed of a vacuum clamp system. It would be nice. I need a vacuum pump. I used to hear friends talk of ways to find them. I did not pay attention then. It would be an elegant way to clamp. I will revisit that.

Bob Hammond;
I have started something like that for a binding stand. I could get a photo up in a day or so. I have a stand to hold it.

[Peter Wilcox]

Don't know if something like this would be of any help - about as simple as it gets.

[Bob Howell]

Don't know if something like this would be of any help - about as simple as it gets.

I saw this in another post you made awhile back and is one approach I keep coming back to. In my case it would clamp to the 18"high x 30" setup bench and rest on a block of padded wood set on floor.

Anything I design must beat this to be worth making. I will probably use this and several other arrangements for each step, as they are so simple to setup.

[Brian Evans]

I use a Black and Decker WorkMate for almost 100% of my building. It has two tops that move in and out and act as a giant vise, it has clever clamps that mount in holes in the top, you can screw things to it to make what I call "hasty jigs", I built a larger router table that clamps on top of it. For finishing I just cover it with towels that protect the raw wood of the guitar, and use various small clamps if the piece is trying to get away. For actual finishing, spraying, etc, I use a stick bolted to the neck mortise and an old engine stand. I think I have a picture of both. OK, the picture of the sunburst guitar shows it while I am hand-applying color, it is sitting on a plinth covered with towels and screwed to the Black and Decker WorkMate, which has the router table installed on top. The Router table is the plywood. The other one is while spraying a different guitar.

http://www.blackanddecker.ca/en-ca/prod ... vise/wm425

[Bryan Bear]

Do a google image search for the phrase "guitar troji" and you will see all the ideas you need. Mine is not a stand alone unit since I don't have much space. It is plywood with smaller than guitar shape cut out on the top side. It gets clamped to the side of my bench that has two pipe clamps built in. The pipe clamp arrangement ends up being similar to the Moxon two screw principle and is often very handy.

The nice thing about thick foam padding and a roughly guitar shaped caul is that it allows you to get enough holding power without putting too much clamping pressure in any one spot. I can do heavy block sanding on the sides without any shifting or fear of crushing the box/popping braces loose.

[Bob Howell]

That's perfect. I have 2 Work Mates sitting beside the assembly bench. Several work off of it. Using the Jaws built in as mentioned earlier.

[Bob Howell]

Went out to the shop and looked for a way to get started with a temp. device. Then thought this up. Just had to turn two spindles to go into the holes already bored for my grandson to play workshop. Took 15 min to set up and works great. Finished preliminary cleanup with scraper and sanding.

The towel is draped around the post to cushion; but is removed to show structure. Large rubber band wraps around and holds it down.

I was able to stand it all on end to cleanup the bottom.

Eventually I will build the jig, shown in the second picture, attached to a workmate.

[Bob Howell]

Do a google image search for the phrase "guitar troji" and you will see all the ideas you need. Mine is not a stand alone unit since I don't have much space. It is plywood with smaller than guitar shape cut out on the top side. It gets clamped to the side of my bench that has two pipe clamps built in. The pipe clamp arrangement ends up being similar to the Moxon two screw principle and is often very handy.

The nice thing about thick foam padding and a roughly guitar shaped caul is that it allows you to get enough holding power without putting too much clamping pressure in any one spot. I can do heavy block sanding on the sides without any shifting or fear of crushing the box/popping braces loose.

This phrase produced a great collection of photos.

[Todd Stock]

A guitar trojy...pretty much purpose-designed for the job and standard in our shop for this work. Rod True put together plans for a version of this that used to be hosted elsewhere on the web, but are now in the archives on another builder site (OLF). Because the current MIMF SW does not allow PDF files to be uploaded, PM me an email, and I will send a copy to those requesting it.

[Steven Smith]

For working on the top and back I just put the body on the bench on a towel or I use a cradle. For the sides I used to have a setup that clamped to the side of the bench but finally broke down and got a Troji like the one Todd is showing - REALLY makes it easier to work on the sides and for flossing the neck; IMO a great tool to have.

[Bryan Bear]

I'm glad you mentioned using the troji for flossing the neck! How have I not been doing this!?!

[Steven Smith]

I'm glad you mentioned using the troji for flossing the neck! How have I not been doing this!?!

Probably a few other things we haven't thought of too