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Finger joint clamping

5/7/20       
Mark Member

Gentleman,

I have to do some low volume finger jointing. I have good tooling and a tenoning table on a shaper to produce the joints.

Does anyone know of an off the shelf solution for some clamps that can clamp or attach to both pieces and then pull them together tight in order to get a good glue joint?

I am open for any ideas.

Thanks,

Mark

5/7/20       #2: Finger joint clamping ...
rescraft

Couple of small wood blocks, hot glued to back, on each side of joint, pull together with clamp; rubber faced clamp over joint to keep flush?

5/7/20       #3: Finger joint clamping ...
BradS

I bought a finger joint clamp off Mac Campsure years ago. It is basically a two way acting clamp. Hold stock tight on each side, and it has another lever that clamps the two pieces tight. I do not have a picture, but I bet Joe C will.

5/7/20       #4: Finger joint clamping ...
Dustin orth

I went to my local plumbing supply house and got some 20' length of 3/4 black iron pipe and then just use the regular pipe clamp heads. I put mine on dunnage on the floor, can do 6 at once at the end of the day, that way your not tripping over them!

5/7/20       #5: Finger joint clamping ...
BH Davis  Member

Website: http://www.bhdavis.net

Take a look at the Gartop press in this thread from the Woodweb archives.

These are great machines for small batch clamp ups. However I can find no indication that they are still being made.

BH Davis

Gartop Press on Woodweb

5/7/20       #6: Finger joint clamping ...
BH Davis  Member

Website: http://www.bhdavis.net

It looks like it may actually still be in production.

BH Davis

Finger Joint Press

5/7/20       #7: Finger joint clamping ...
BH Davis  Member

Website: http://www.bhdavis.net

Oh...........I just noticed the date on that Youtube video. 2010. Sorry.........not looking promising after all.

Perhaps you could find a used one.

BH Davis

5/7/20       #8: Finger joint clamping ...
Bill

You have not said what you are making. If any of the material is going to be removed you might be able to go old school and use pinch dogs.

5/7/20       #9: Finger joint clamping ...
Mark Member

Bill,

I am making butcher block. Pinch dogs would requirer that I would have to run my staves much thicker to account for the holes.

BH, that is exactly what I am looking for. I have done a google search and they don't show up as still being in business. If I could find a used one, that would be the ticket.

Watching the video has given me some food for thought.

Mark

5/7/20       #10: Finger joint clamping ...
BradS

I attached an image of the clamp I tried to explain. No finger jointed stock handy. Not as nice as the air clamp by BH, but maybe give you an idea.


View higher quality, full size image (1200 X 1188)

5/8/20       #11: Finger joint clamping ...
chris

Here is an inexpensive option. Unknown how well it works.

https://rangate.com/products/arch-clamps

5/8/20       #12: Finger joint clamping ...
BH Davis  Member

Website: http://www.bhdavis.net

I'd forgotten all about that segment clamp from Rangate. I had one with my business and it did come in handy occasionally. It was a bit of a pain to use but it did work. There was no room to get the Workrite glue zapper in though so it was clamp up and leave to dry whereas the Gartop press had room for the Workrite head to get over the joint.

Thinking back a lot of years though Rangate may have been the US distributor for the Gartop press. I'd at least give them a call. If they were then they might know of a used one somewhere.

BH Davis

5/8/20       #13: Finger joint clamping ...
Joe Calhoon

I have the Gartop. They are no longer made. Soukup has one and a German company Lower makes a stationary one also.
The German hand clamp Brad shows is a good one. In semi retirement I would consider selling my Gartop if I could find a couple of those. I don’t know if they are still made. I have looked at the shows.

Pinch dogs work well if the back side does not show. Especially in softwoods.


View higher quality, full size image (1280 X 960)


View higher quality, full size image (1280 X 960)

5/8/20       #14: Finger joint clamping ...
Mark Member

Brad,

Thanks for posting a picture of your clamp, it's an elegant solution.

Joe, the Soukup preforms just like the Gartop. Do you have an idea of how much they run approximately?

Mark

5/9/20       #15: Finger joint clamping ...
Joe Calhoon

Mark, the Soukup arch clamp is about 9K.

It’s more industrial than the Gartop and has a feature that allows for assembly of premachined arch segments. This is a desirable method with some CNC machining centers.
The Gartop worked fine for me, I always do profiling and tenoning after the segments are joined.


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