Spreaders

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drumgerry

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Just wondering what hardware people use to make spreaders for the inside of a mould - the bits that are fitted to the blocks that are matched to the shape of the mould if you know what I mean, or is that as clear as mud?

I have my soprano mould made and I've seen some turnbuckles in our local hardware store but they're far too big. Ideally I'd like to make a spreader for the upper and lower bouts as well as the waist so that I can firmly press the sides to the mould once I've bent them.

If someone could point me to a UK source that'd be great but I'd be interested to hear what anyone uses.

Cheers

Gerry
 
You can use a threaded rod with a couple of those nuts with ears on them. Rod goes into holes in wooden blocks, nuts are turned towards sides of blocks to spread them apart. I agree with Dave about fitting but I often use spreaders to clamp sides in the mold while shaping the curvature of their edges.

Sven
 
Here is what my friend Dave Gill uses. He leaves it in while he glues on the top and back then he unscrews the knob and can pull the pieces out through the sound hole.
 

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Thanks for the replies. Threaded rod with wingnuts sounds the way to go I think. Shame I can't get a set of mini turnbuckles from somewhere as I think that'd be the simplest solution.

Cheers

Gerry
 
Dave is right on about having the sides bent to where you don't need much pressure to keep the shape. The kit uke I did had warped sides and instead of bending it back into shape I tried to force them to comply. That's why it's misshapen and the top is concaved. I knew from the start I needed to rebend it but I didn't want to practice bending on my first kit uke. Live and learn.
 
I don't usually use spreaders.....but Dave Gill's system looks so cool I might start.
 
Yep we have turnbuckles but the ones I've seen are too big - I'd need one pretty small to fit in the waist space of a soprano uke! I wonder if the screwfix ones would be too big as well - the frame and the eyelet/hook together. It doesn't give the dimensions of the frame part of it.
 
I have used these for other woodworkings that needed spreading support:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46805

You can reverse the end peice and every time you pull the trigger, voila, you are pusing out. you could make small blocks that accomodate the radius of waist, etc...
I have a couple and am planning on using them on my first build, or at least they are on my tool sheet already crossed off.. :)
 
Use a thin piece of wood with rounded ends about 1.5mm oversize - the offcut from a front or back...plus you can get it out through the soundhole. Oh and remember when you post to type in big letters at the bottom I LIVE IN THE UK! It makes for more meaningful replies....

And yes, when I lived in Akron I just went to Buildr's Square and got everything I needed. You can't do that here in the UK. Our equivalents are woefully inadequate. I mean, you could buy everything you needed to build a house from one of those US stores. Not so in the UK; unless you are into Wendy houses that is...
 
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Erm Pete - hate to say it mate but I did say I was looking for a UK source in my first post. Plus it's in my location! Unless there's some confusion about where Scotland is?!! And anyway even though most of the participants on this forum are from the US and elsewhere I find their replies meaningful enough.

I've used the threaded rod and wingnuts method for spreaders before but I thought if there was a source of appropriately sized turnbuckles it'd be a neater solution.
 
The post is not directed at you my friend. It is for those who fail to read the posts AND the location when providing advice...

I have small turnbuckles bought in the UK that I use for spreaders BTW. Bought them at B&Q I believe - the one time they had what I wanted. eBay will have them as well. However, the stick is what I used for over 10 years and when I can't be bothered to dig out my spreaders... Ken Timms has a good non turnbuckle solution. Perhaps he will post it to.
 
drumgerry said:
Yep we have turnbuckles but the ones I've seen are too big - I'd need one pretty small to fit in the waist space of a soprano uke! I wonder if the screwfix ones would be too big as well - the frame and the eyelet/hook together. It doesn't give the dimensions of the frame part of it.
Click to expand...

I'll check my local hardware store tomorrow and send you some, if you'd like. I have some, but I swiped 'em from my dad's collection, so I don't know what my local store has (but I'd be surprised if they didn't have some). I'll let you know what I find.
 
Pete Howlett said:
The post is not directed at you my friend. It is for those who fail to read the posts AND the location when providing advice...

I have small turnbuckles bought in the UK that I use for spreaders BTW. Bought them at B&Q I believe - the one time they had what I wanted. eBay will have them as well. However, the stick is what I used for over 10 years and when I can't be bothered to dig out my spreaders... Ken Timms has a good non turnbuckle solution. Perhaps he will post it to.
Click to expand...
I couldnt find turnbuckles/sreaders/cable stretchers small enough to fit across the soprano waist..so I made this simple screwjack out of a M8 Nyloc Nut, a Connecting Nut, some threaded rod. and a nail...you have to make a couple of hardwood or nylon end blocks to fit the waist.
PICT5869.jpg
 
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