FarmerBill
Well-known member
Does anyone use the Go Bar clamping system? It seems like it would be able to clamp somethings like braces well. I wonder what to use for the clamp sticks and what size they should be.
Go Bar Clanp
- Thread starter FarmerBill
- Start date
Vespa Bob
Well-known member
I use 1/4" wooden dowel rods, bought at my local hardware store, with plastic tips designed for covering the ends of bolts, also found at the same store. They do the job just fine.
Bob
Bob
Timbuck
Well-known member
Here are some nice rods for the job if you live in the UK.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6mm-Fibre...062091?hash=item4af97963cb:g:ANIAAOSwPc9Wxv-8
And here's the end caps
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6mm-End-C...hash=item3ad6f2de3c:m:md-sKIjr-nlcn3_MfidW1FQ
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6mm-Fibre...062091?hash=item4af97963cb:g:ANIAAOSwPc9Wxv-8
And here's the end caps
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6mm-End-C...hash=item3ad6f2de3c:m:md-sKIjr-nlcn3_MfidW1FQ
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Parto
Active member
I used curtain rods and kite ends as Ken suggests. Worked well for me
Kevs-the-name
Well-known member
I use simple strips of of plywood. Works well enough, cheep and easily replaced.
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taylordb
Well-known member
I get mine from a kite supplier.... goodwinds.com.
I buy 0.187" dia. x 48" long fiberglass rods and cut them in half. They also sell vinyl end caps.
My last purchase was in 2015 and I got 12 rods (which make 24 total after cut in half) and 60 end caps for $39 total with shipping....that's less than $2 a go-bar rod.
I buy 0.187" dia. x 48" long fiberglass rods and cut them in half. They also sell vinyl end caps.
My last purchase was in 2015 and I got 12 rods (which make 24 total after cut in half) and 60 end caps for $39 total with shipping....that's less than $2 a go-bar rod.
UkulelesRcooL
Well-known member
You can get old stays from Sails if you have access to that kind of thing.. they are made of fiberglass and bend nicely, some are kinda wide but you can rip em down... if you cant find rubber tips you can use small wooden wedges like cauls to keep your build from getting marred. Like Kevs-the-name shows in his picture..
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FarmerBill
Well-known member
Thank you all, I give these ideas a try.
I watched an interesting youtube video by Susan Gardener where she tried out different rod materials with a set of digital scales to measure applied force. Her experiment showed that the force applied by wood rods diminished over time as they took up the bend. Plastic rods (for making roman blinds) applied a more constant force.
Max
Doc_J
Well-known member
Home Depot has fiberglass reflector rods (48" & 72" long) that should work.
FarmerBill
Well-known member
I saw that too. She cut her own sticks and they looked small to me. Most wood if properly sized will want to return to it's shape if not over bent. I will try the same thing she did with the scale and different woods in different sizes. Also I would like to know how much bend gives the most force. I see
thin sticks with a large arc and I wonder if a thicker stick with a small arc would have more force. I just need some time in the shop.
thin sticks with a large arc and I wonder if a thicker stick with a small arc would have more force. I just need some time in the shop.
