Does anyone have advice or a resource on how to DIY your own clamps in a bush situation? I often find myself doing little sawing jobs in the wood or in my kitchen when I can't get to a tootlbox quickly, and I've been daydreaming about counter-weighted systems and strapping things down with cord and trying to work out how you get a work-piece still without a lovely clamp on hand.
Bush clamps
- Thread starter haptalaon
- Start date
" strapping things down with cord and trying to work out how you get a work-piece still without a lovely clamp on hand."
A technique (posh word for method) used at sea and also just as useful ashore is the 'Spanish Windlass'. In Merchant ships before the advent of containerisation, when cargoes consisted of odd shaped items that needed to be secured or lashed down, we often used the Spanish windlass method. Applied properly it can hold most things secure and on occasions can be a real life saver, believe me..
Sailing alone about 80 miles off the coast of Portugal a few years ago I was caught in a heavy gale and the steering gear on my boat came adrift in the battering. A Spanish Windlass properly applied prevented the steering gear being ripped off the Transom and yours truely becoming fish food..
It's probably best if you look up Spanish Windlass rather than me waffle on with an explanation on how to apply one, but basically you are lashing two or more things together and then using a 'Lever' of some description to increase the tension of the lashing. It works everywhere , at sea, in the woods and probably in a workshop too, if you use the same principles of application.
A technique (posh word for method) used at sea and also just as useful ashore is the 'Spanish Windlass'. In Merchant ships before the advent of containerisation, when cargoes consisted of odd shaped items that needed to be secured or lashed down, we often used the Spanish windlass method. Applied properly it can hold most things secure and on occasions can be a real life saver, believe me..
Sailing alone about 80 miles off the coast of Portugal a few years ago I was caught in a heavy gale and the steering gear on my boat came adrift in the battering. A Spanish Windlass properly applied prevented the steering gear being ripped off the Transom and yours truely becoming fish food..
It's probably best if you look up Spanish Windlass rather than me waffle on with an explanation on how to apply one, but basically you are lashing two or more things together and then using a 'Lever' of some description to increase the tension of the lashing. It works everywhere , at sea, in the woods and probably in a workshop too, if you use the same principles of application.
Some of the ones i have made and used on a regular basis.
First up, woods vice, all it is is a stump from a small sapling cut high at a nice working height, a piece of cord is secured at the bottom of the split to stop it running, the work piece is pushed into the split (you can hollow it out a bit too to make life easier, another piece of cord is then put over the top and twisted with a handle (aka a stick) to close the split and thus gripping the work piece, the handle is then stopped from spinning back by laying it alongside the stump and securing with a loop of cord.
A picture makes things easier to understand, i can only find this small one at present, if i can find the original on my pooter i'll upload it.
Wedges are your friend for securing things though, simple and effective as seen in these that i used on my bowl horse
Another variation of this is a the carving stump i made yonks ago, all it was was a large round of Oak with lots of 1" holes augered in it to give me all sorts of options for securing work with pegs ie: bits of stick, i had a couple of large pegs at the rear and then secured the front and sides with pegs using the adjacent holes, then wedging where needed, pictures show what i mean.
Sawhorse wise, my favourite made horse is this one, being tripods they are always stable on uneven ground, the thing i like about this style is thet are simple and quick to make, need minimal tools and materials and you can move them closer or further apart depending on the length of timber you are cutting
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Of course there is also a lot to be said for the simple sawhorse/bench/fallen tree and a well placed knee or foot to secure the workpiece
The simplest clamp i have used though is just a long loop of strong cordage placed over a raised fallen tree, put the work piece under the loop on the top of the tree, then put your foot in the bottom of the loop and press down, or like a pole lathe treadle, put a length of wood in the bottom of the loop and stand on it, the harder you press, the tighter it grips.
Then of course you can get into more elaborate things like shave horses and the like.
BTW, i wouldn't suggest using any of these in your kitchen unless you have a very understanding better half.
First up, woods vice, all it is is a stump from a small sapling cut high at a nice working height, a piece of cord is secured at the bottom of the split to stop it running, the work piece is pushed into the split (you can hollow it out a bit too to make life easier, another piece of cord is then put over the top and twisted with a handle (aka a stick) to close the split and thus gripping the work piece, the handle is then stopped from spinning back by laying it alongside the stump and securing with a loop of cord.
A picture makes things easier to understand, i can only find this small one at present, if i can find the original on my pooter i'll upload it.
Wedges are your friend for securing things though, simple and effective as seen in these that i used on my bowl horse
Another variation of this is a the carving stump i made yonks ago, all it was was a large round of Oak with lots of 1" holes augered in it to give me all sorts of options for securing work with pegs ie: bits of stick, i had a couple of large pegs at the rear and then secured the front and sides with pegs using the adjacent holes, then wedging where needed, pictures show what i mean.
Sawhorse wise, my favourite made horse is this one, being tripods they are always stable on uneven ground, the thing i like about this style is thet are simple and quick to make, need minimal tools and materials and you can move them closer or further apart depending on the length of timber you are cutting
[
Of course there is also a lot to be said for the simple sawhorse/bench/fallen tree and a well placed knee or foot to secure the workpiece
The simplest clamp i have used though is just a long loop of strong cordage placed over a raised fallen tree, put the work piece under the loop on the top of the tree, then put your foot in the bottom of the loop and press down, or like a pole lathe treadle, put a length of wood in the bottom of the loop and stand on it, the harder you press, the tighter it grips.
Then of course you can get into more elaborate things like shave horses and the like.
BTW, i wouldn't suggest using any of these in your kitchen unless you have a very understanding better half.
On a similar vein to what Kepis posted I have used a leg vice for holding my work piece. Basically a short plank of wood with 2 holes in it and a length of cordage or leather strap tied in a loop through the 2 holes. Place the plank on your thigh and your foot in the loop with your work piece between the cordage and the plank and apply pressure using your foot. It's great for spoon bowls and using hand drills to keep both hands free. Cheers JFW
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