OK, as I get closer to actually making a guitar (need my budget to catch up again), I need to find economical ways to do things.
A spool clamp, as you can see from the picture borrowed from Stewart-MacDonald, is about clamping the back OR top on to the sides. While I fully expect to have to by some tools from Stewart-MacDonald (or other Luthier Supply houses), I figured this was one that was easy to make. Also, the cost from Steward-MacDonald was about $25 for 6 and I could make 40 or so for about $40 in supplies (don’t know if I need 40 but I’ll have them). I got the bolts, washers, and wing-nuts along with a closet dowel (almost 2″ diameter). I determined after an experiment or two that 3/4″ thickness on the dowel seems optimal. Some sawing and sanding and drilling and suddenly, I have 40 or so clamps.
I still need to get some cork for the padding in the clamp so I don’t mar the surface. All, in all, they turned out very similar to the pictures above so I’m pretty satisfied.
