Lake Erie Toolworks of Pennsylvania,
USA have recently released their
ClampGAUGE system, which is
designed to deliver the precise amount
of clamping pressure at the correct
locations to ensure the strongest,
longest-lasting glue bonds.The staff there liaised with glue
manufacturers to determine the best
clamping pressures for various wood
densities and subsequently undertook
an extensive research and development
program, resulting in this new product.The gauges are basically engineered
cauls that are CNC-machined from
high grade aluminium bar stock, then
anodised and laser etched.As pressure is applied from the clamps,
the concave profile on the inside face
flattens out until it physically touches
the edge of the panel. At this point the
correct clamping pressure has been
reached according to their formula.Three sizes of gauge are available.
Included in the kit are charts whichdetail the number, size and physical
location of gauges required for panels
of a certain length and stock thickness.
By carefully referencing the charts, it
is a simple matter of laying out marks
on the edge of your panel, selecting
the correct sized gauge and proceeding
with your glue-up.The gauges are suitable for stock
thicknesses between 3/4”(19mm) and
1” (25.4mm), somewhat limiting their
versatility. The location charts cover
panel lengths from around 900mm to
three metres, which will cover most
needs. Three kits are available with
varying numbers of gauges in each size.
Basically, the longer the panel glue-up
the more gauges you’ll need.Important to note is the assertion by
the company that these gauges are
only suitable for use with certain types
of clamps. Bar clamps made from 1”
outside diameter pipe and heavy-duty
I-beam bar clamps are listed as suitable.
Aluminium bar, one-handed and parallel-
jaw clamps are listed as not being able
to generate enough clamping pressure.Therefore, if you choose to invest in this
system, you’ll need to ensure you have
the appropriate clamps.I like how the long profile of the gauges
distributes the clamping pressure from
the clamp head. This ensures that fewer
clamps are required to achieve the
correct clamping pressure than if you
use just the clamps by themselves.This is a very cleverly designed and
engineered system that is available
direct from the manufacturer. The
smallest kit starts at USD$120, and
you can also order individual gauge
components to boost your capacity.
Whilst I very much appreciate
the concept and the research and
development effort, given the inherent
restrictions in the system, I couldn’t
justify this expense as an addition to
my workshop. I really hope that future
revisions can be incorporated to rectify
these limitations, at which point I might
reconsider my options.Review gauges supplied by
http://www.lakeerietoolworks.com14 Australian Wood Review
TOOLS & EQUIPMENTLake Erie ClampGAUGE System
Reviewed by Damion FauserKITS
US$120,
190, 280