LensCrafts

Hey woodworkers, frustrated trying to hold the snake blank steady for those side cuts where it's round? No flat surface for the bandsaw table? Look no further, here's the answer! The Wedge Clamp! Hey, maybe this would even work with the baby alligator and the lizard, I know it works great with the snake, but who knows?

Using 1 3/4" cherry, I made a snake about the same height (1 3/4 inch). The 3 sided box I made of scrap maple (3/4 inch thick) wasn't quite high enough, so I just glued small pieces on it... The measurements of my box are 6 inches long, 2 1/2 inches tall, and 3 3/4 inches wide outside. Inside mesurements of my clamp are 1 5/8 inches tall by 2 1/8 inches wide.

I had about one inch of free space with the snake in the box at the thick end, so I made the small wedge taper from 7/8 inch on one end to 1 1/8 inch on the other end. this wedge will work fine till you get to where it begins to taper towards the tail.

Here is what it will look like as you make your side cuts on the big part of the snake.

wedge clamp on tapered end of snake

As you get to the taper the wedge isn't wide enough, so I just made a wider wedge tapering from about 1 1/16" to 1 1/2 inch, both tapered wedges about 6 inches long.

You could make the wedges longer if needed, or make a few different ones, (maybe for those extra long snakes)
Be sure to check out my other clamp idea click here

I've included enough hints to try to get you to check out my plans, what the heck, I think I'll even put some links on the bottom of the page :-). I hope you can use this, maybe even send me one of your favorite woodwork tips for my tips and hints page.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by, Leonard

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Leonard Wardle, 1412 Virgil St, Las Vegas, NV. 89110
702-459-4486
Copyright © 2003 - 2006 Leonard Wardle, All Rights Reserved