When I was leveling frets my guitar would slide around a lot which was scratching the back of the box. I put it in my bench vise to hold it steady, but the angle was awkward and if I wanted to turn the instrument around to face the opposite way, I couldn't.

After noodling on it awhile I came up with a tool to lay the guitar on that was padded so the box wouldn't get scratched and had a way to clamp the neck down so the guitar wouldn't move around.

There isn't a picture but I drilled a "dog" hole in my bench top and a corresponding hole in the tail of the clamp and use a dowel to be certain the clamp doesn't slide around.  

I threw this together in a few hours out of scrap wood and parts I had laying around.  I didn't have to buy a thing.  If you want to build this and buy everything it wouldn't cost more than $10 including a new bottle of glue.

I won't go into great detail because the pics are pretty self-explanatory. If anyone has questions please feel free to ask.

This photo shows the completed clamp with my latest uke on it:

This is the completed clamp empty:

Here is the detail of the adjustable headpiece.  I may rebuild this because I want to increase the length for longer necks and still support the guitar under the nut.  That will require the guitar to rest high enough in the neck cradle so that the headstock does not lie on the board, especially scarf jointed headstocks.

I made knobs out of scrap pieces of oak and threaded rods. You could use wing nuts but I ran out.  I cut the rods to length and glued them into the knobs.  I used an all purpose glue.  Wood won't work.  Gorilla glue or epoxy are good alternatives.  I used the pound in threaded sleeves to receive the threaded rod.

Views: 409

Replies to This Discussion

Good job Mike, thats what I will do also. Have found the same problem, trying to clamp the instrument without scratching, thanks for sharing!

RSS

The Essential Pages

New to Cigar Box Nation? How to Play Cigar Box GuitarsFree Plans & How to Build Cigar Box GuitarsCigar Box Guitar Building Basics

Site Sponsor

Recommended Links & Resources


Discussion Forum

Fret Jig

Started by Scott Schoepf. Last reply by Gary Stenzel Mar 2, 2017. 2 Replies

I Was Going "Nuts"....!

Started by Slowpaw Steve T. Last reply by Gary Stenzel Feb 21, 2017. 6 Replies

box bracing

Started by Wichita Sam. Last reply by Gipson Fat Fingers Shoemaker Jan 24, 2016. 4 Replies

Diamond core drill bit for fret dots etc

Started by Titch the Clown. Last reply by Gipson Fat Fingers Shoemaker Jan 24, 2016. 4 Replies

Special Tools

Started by Gary Ross. Last reply by gary sheldon Mar 19, 2015. 1 Reply

indispensable..

Started by Seasick Mick. Last reply by gary sheldon Jun 3, 2014. 10 Replies

Power string winding bit

Started by Titch the Clown. Last reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry May 10, 2014. 2 Replies

Raised Work Table

Started by David McQueen. Last reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry Apr 28, 2014. 3 Replies

Top Gluing Frame

Started by David McQueen. Last reply by David McQueen Apr 28, 2014. 2 Replies

Home made drill press

Started by Jimbo Cawthron. Last reply by Mike Strehlow Oct 21, 2013. 6 Replies

Wine bottle cutting jig

Started by Jan Westphal. Last reply by Mike Strehlow Oct 20, 2013. 4 Replies

Benchtop guitar clamp

Started by Mike Strehlow. Last reply by stringybark Oct 19, 2013. 1 Reply

Cutting Fret Slots on a Bandsaw?

Started by Habanera Hal. Last reply by Lou "cubancigar2000" Feb 25, 2013. 6 Replies

Hot hide glue pot and storage

Started by Charlotte Henry. Last reply by David McQueen Feb 10, 2013. 3 Replies

Spoke Shave

Started by Bluesheart. Last reply by jabes Jan 2, 2013. 5 Replies

tiny tools

Started by Bluesheart. Last reply by Habanera Hal Aug 19, 2012. 2 Replies

Homemade fret-end beveling file

Started by Turkeychicken. Last reply by PhilUSAFRet Mar 29, 2012. 2 Replies

Anyone use the stewmac dragon rasp?

Started by Charlotte Henry. Last reply by Charlotte Henry Mar 11, 2012. 31 Replies

Rotary Rasps

Started by PhilUSAFRet Mar 8, 2012. 0 Replies

Latest Activity

BrianQ. liked Gary O'slide's video
51 minutes ago
Doug Thorsvik commented on Doug Thorsvik's photo
Thumbnail

Flathead Diddley Bow

"Thanks. Wow! That becomes a spendy box Alan. They are pretty distinctive though. I have a few on…"
5 hours ago
Nigel McTrustry posted a video

Nigel McTrustry & The Hound Dogs are Loose! - Yellow Dog - Live - Original - Cigar Box Guitar

Nigel McTrustry & The Hound Dogs are Loose! Yellow Dog (McTrustry)@ The Cave Inn Brisbane, Australia.The song is currently on Spotify.
5 hours ago
AGP # commented on Doug Thorsvik's photo
Thumbnail

Flathead Diddley Bow

""Sweet Doug" :-), have seen quite a few Flathead Builds over the years, great looking…"
7 hours ago
AGP # liked David Dodt's photo
7 hours ago
AGP # liked David Dodt's photo
7 hours ago
AGP # liked David Dodt's photo
7 hours ago
AGP # liked Doug Thorsvik's photo
7 hours ago
AGP # liked Doug Thorsvik's photo
7 hours ago
AGP # liked Doug Thorsvik's photo
7 hours ago
AGP # liked Aaron Green's photo
7 hours ago
Keith Rearick liked Gary O'slide's video
8 hours ago

Events

Music

© 2024   Created by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

\uastyle>\ud/** Scrollup **/\ud.scrollup {\ud background: url("https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/963882636?profile=original") no-repeat scroll 0 0 transparent;\ud bottom: 25px;\ud display: inline !important;\ud height: 40px;\ud opacity: 0.3 !important;\ud position: fixed;\ud right: 30px;\ud text-indent: -9999px;\ud width: 40px;\ud z-index: 999;\ud}\ud.scrollup:hover {\ud opacity:0.99!important;\ud}\ud \uascript type="text/javascript">\ud x$(document).ready(function(){\ud x$(window).scroll(function(){\ud if (x$(this).scrollTop() > 100) {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeIn();\ud } else {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeOut();\ud }\ud });\ud x$('.scrollup').click(function(){\ud x$("html, body").animate({ scrollTop: 0 }, 600);\ud return false;\ud });\ud });\ud \ua!-- End Scroll Up -->