What's the name, please, of that corner clamp Cody describes with the open slots for glue application. I've listened to the vid 6 times and I still can't understand the name of the mfr., nor does anything come up in searches when I take a guess at what Cody's saying. Also, where available, please? T'anks in advance.
Micro Mark Tools sells corner clamps in various lengths.
They are online. Hope that helps.
Dave
Are these the ones you are looking for?
No. Sounds like he saying Conklin, Kauffman, Coughlin. He's holding it at 1:35 of the video displayed here on the Home page. It's got me crazy.
Sounds like Kauffman to me. Anyhow have a look at these from MicroMark http://www.micromark.com/combo-right-clamp,10237.html. They look very much like the "Kauffman" clamps in Cody's video.
Joe
The name is COFFMAN GRAPHIC SOLUTIONS COMPANY. Email randy@coffmaneng.com
Web www.coffmaneng.com
Jack W.
OK, David, I take it back. It's a Micromark item but he uses some name I can't pick up as though he's naming the manufacturer. If this isn't it: http://www.micromark.com/combo-right-clamp,10237.html, it's close but the one Cody describes seems a little less hefty. Micromark want 35 bucks for it so I may do something else. Thanks, men.
Jack!!! . . . That's the guy. That's it! and at seven bucks I can do several corners at the same time. Coffman is a variation I hadn't tried in my searches. Thank you . . . you made my day!
It's Coffman, as Jack W. said above. I was going to say that the Micro-Mark item is their knock-off version, but looking at that site it appears that they are getting the clamps from Coffman and re-selling since they are using the same product terminology. Coffman has a variety of different clamps that you can see on their website.
Which one are you seeing that is $7? I didn't think they had any that inexpensive.
. . . and thanks to all who took the time & interest. Paul D.
Sorry for the delay in answering, Max . . . I had to patch the bullet hole in my foot first. I was reading the shipping cost.
I use the "Right Clamp" clamps; I have the short one, the long one and the one for butt joining walls. They all work great.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Paul, I have several friends who've tried this type of clamp and haven't been happy with them. It's hard to insert plastic cement "gracefully" and even though these guys are farily advanced modelers they hated them and had glue spot on the exterior of their buildings just from the finagling.
It sounds like people here have used them successfuly and like them, but if you have any way to borrow one lst you might be glad you did. There is another clamp with a similar name (I'll do a search) that is clear plexi-glass or plastic that aligns using magnets that my buddies liked much better and they could do really long walls like skyscrapers with 3 or 4 of them. Micro Mark has them in their catalog. Sorry I have to run back to work but if you don't find them or someone here doesn't give you the name, I'll check in when I get home tonight.
Jim Edit: It's the Rite (or Right) Way magnetic clamping system, Paul.
Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.
Capt. Grimek Paul, I have several friends who've tried this type of clamp and haven't been happy with them. It's hard to insert plastic cement "gracefully" and even though these guys are farily advanced modelers they hated them and had glue spot on the exterior of their buildings just from the finagling. It sounds like people here have used them successfuly and like them, but if you have any way to borrow one lst you might be glad you did. There is another clamp with a similar name (I'll do a search) that is clear plexi-glass or plastic that aligns using magnets that my buddies liked much better and they could do really long walls like skyscrapers with 3 or 4 of them. Micro Mark has them in their catalog. Sorry I have to run back to work but if you don't find them or someone here doesn't give you the name, I'll check in when I get home tonight. Jim Edit: It's the Rite (or Right) Way magnetic clamping system, Paul.
It is the Rite Way Clamping System.
I have both the 4" and 7" Coffman clamps along with two set of the Rite Way clamps. The Coffman is hard to use with 45 degrees angles. The Rite way I find the magnetic field could be stronger. My preference goes to the machinist 123 blocks.
I have had reasonable successes with the Rite Way magnetic clamps although one does have to be careful that everything is seated correctly and that nothing moves while applying cement.
I also like using the 1-2-3 blocks.
jalajoie Capt. Grimek Paul, I have several friends who've tried this type of clamp and haven't been happy with them. It's hard to insert plastic cement "gracefully" and even though these guys are farily advanced modelers they hated them and had glue spot on the exterior of their buildings just from the finagling. It sounds like people here have used them successfuly and like them, but if you have any way to borrow one lst you might be glad you did. There is another clamp with a similar name (I'll do a search) that is clear plexi-glass or plastic that aligns using magnets that my buddies liked much better and they could do really long walls like skyscrapers with 3 or 4 of them. Micro Mark has them in their catalog. Sorry I have to run back to work but if you don't find them or someone here doesn't give you the name, I'll check in when I get home tonight. Jim Edit: It's the Rite (or Right) Way magnetic clamping system, Paul. It is the Rite Way Clamping System. I have both the 4" and 7" Coffman clamps along with two set of the Rite Way clamps. The Coffman is hard to use with 45 degrees angles. The Rite way I find the magnetic field could be stronger. My preference goes to the machinist 123 blocks.
I tried the Rite Way magnetic clamping system, and was underwhelmed. As stated, it wasn't strong enough to really clamp. I have two pairs of the Micromark clamps, one each long and original. They work great, but require a little experimentation to figure out exactly how to use them. If you're trying to apply cement straight from a tube, you might have trouble, but a needle applicator or microbrush works just fine.
The right angle clips are designed for 90 degree joints. For 30, 45, and 60 degree joints, I cut small blocks off of a scrap piece of 2x4 on my miter saw, and use an small Irwin speed clamp to hold the jigs and the model together.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
For anyone still interested, had a very successful trip to Home Depot. Picked up a length of aluminum extruded angle 3/4x3/4x1/16x48. Checked squareness with a drafting angle I took along. Bought an Irwin clamp, a Pony clamp, and several small spring thumb clamps. Will cut the angle to various lengths, maybe cut/grind a slot for glue application, and clamp a piece of angle inside & out of a corner. I'm out of the whole deal for $16. Thanks again to all who took the time & interest.
ct valley, I'll borrow a friend's and give one a try. I also have ordered the magnetic clamps (3) based on local recommendations so I'll see which (or both) I like. Major painting and structure building starts this winter.
Paul, glad you found a solution. Let us know how it works out and maybe a pic or two.
Jim
Yep . . . Will do . . . optimistic . . .
So these clamp thingies are for making structures "square"?
Who'da thunk it?
Wayne
OK Wayne! Don't rub it in!
So, how do you do your corner joints?
Cheers!
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter....So, how do you do your corner joints?...
Not especially square, obviously. Perhaps I should get some of the corner clamps and make some repairs.
But to answer your question, I usually make square(-ish) corners using machinists' and/or carpenters' squares - solvent-type cement works pretty quickly, so there's seldom any need to clamp stuff for long periods of time. I have a couple of machinists' blocks - don't know what number they might be, but they weigh about 3 1/2lbs. apiece - which are helpful for holding things in alignment. I build exclusively in styrene, and an easy way to create square corners is to cut some suitably-sized squares from fairly heavy sheet - .060" works for my purposes. I then bisect these into triangles, creating ready-to-use corner braces. For small structures, a full floor(s) does the same job, and if you need angled corners, simply cut the floor or bracing to suit. I usually back square corners with square strip material (.100" or .125") and angled corners with overlapping strips of .060" sheet material.Another trick, useful for styrene kits where the corners are ill-fitting, leaving visible gaps at the joint, is to carefully sand the bevelled mating edges to an angle sharper than 45°. This will make the contact point of the walls only at their outer extremity. Coat the mating edges with solvent-type cement and allow them a few moments to soften, then recoat and bring the pieces together. This type of joint needs to be backed immediately with a length of heavy strip styrene, as it has almost no structural strength of its own. Where an already-assembled structure has visible gaps at the corners, fill them with styrene - suitably-sized strip material for large gaps - wet the gap area and the filler pieces with solvent and let them soften, then jam the material into place. Do not attempt to affect clean-up before the area is fully hardened. For smaller gaps or to finish the larger ones previously treated with strip material, wet the area again with solvent cement, then use a scrap of strip or sheet material, dipping it into your solvent cement, then rubbing it into the joint. Continue rubbing and re-dipping until the joint is completely filled or even over-filled. Allow it to fully harden, then clean up using a knife, files, and/or sandpaper.This repair is stronger and more permanent than putty-type fillers, and can be easily carved to replicate the surface detail (usually mortar lines) of the adjacent original material. It will also accept paint in the same manner as the original.
Waynemeister - Lot o' great stuff in that for a guy like meself just embarking on my career in plastic civil engineering. I'm building an urban layout half downtown with abutting industrial area. I have 30 City Classic type buildings to assemble, and that's only half what I'll eventually need. Some great tips in your post. Thanks for taking the time to write all that.
Ditto!
What, you don't have 73.57 degree corner clamps to make those angled structures?
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I have had a couple of Right Clamps for some time now, and use them a lot. One long and one original (short). You do have to be careful not to dump too much liquid glue into the joint, or it may wick out, get under the clamp, and mess up the surface. Another thing to look out for is any excess plastic on the inside of the joint. A couple of days ago, I was assembling a building that had a small rib on the inside of the joint. It was anly about 1/32", maybe less, but the joint would not square up because of it.
Another useful tool for squareing things up is a Toolmakers Angle Plate, also sold by MicroMark and others. I have two 1" plates. They are heavy enough to hold parts in place without clamping. If they get a bit of glue on them, I scrape it off with an X-Acto knife. They come in 1", 2', and 3" sizes. This is the set of 3, but they are available separately as well. I would recommend getting two of the same size.
http://www.micromark.com/angle-plates-1-inch-and-2-inch-and-3-inch-set-of-3,7183.html
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
G - The picture in that link makes it look as though the inside angle is radiused . . . is it? If so, how do you mate two parts at a sharp 90 degree angle? That's why I bought the extruded aluminum angle, and checked it with a square to be sure.
If the angle plates are used to square-up a structure, they'd need to be placed on the inside of the corners. The radiused interior corner could probably be milled-out, but if one opted to do so, it might be advantageous to cut even deeper and create a recessed area on either side of the corner - this would allow it to be used on the outside of the corners, and provide a space into which excess solvent cement could run, keeping it from marring the surface of the surrounding plastic.
doctorwayneIf the angle plates are used to square-up a structure, they'd need to be placed on the inside of the corners. The radiused interior corner could probably be milled-out, but if one opted to do so, it might be advantageous to cut even deeper and create a recessed area on either side of the corner
Looks to me like those things are cast and the outer faces machined after. Looking at the photo, the inner surfaces appear rough, and there is also that triangular brace that is cast into the piece. I think these blocks might be useful if used with that magnetic gluing jig that Micromark sells (http://www.micromark.com/magnetic-gluing-jig-10-1and4-inch-square,7038.html) as that item has the built in 90 degree outside corners where pieces to be joined can be placed.
They are likely cast as long bars, rough cut to length and then machined. They do not appear to be radiused on the inside corner.
I have the magnetic tray thing, and while I haven't checked it with a machinist square, I'm not so sure on how accurate it is. The magnet pieces are actually two piece of sheet steel with a magnet in between - not permanently attached. Getting them to stand at 90 degrees to the base takes another tool to square them up. So far I've only used it where exact alignment wasn't critical, or where the parts mated together well enough without an extra squaring device. I can't imagine using it for critical assemblies.
--