http://www.ArtJewelryMag.comwww.ArtJewelryMag.com 2323While we’re in the machine-shop realm,
there’s another more specialized clamping
tool called the V-block and screw clamp.
These are cubes of steel: the top surface
has a V cut into it, and two opposite sides
have grooves or slots. The grooves allow
a U-shaped piece of steel to be slid onto
the block. The apex of the U is drilled and
threaded. A screw is inserted into the U,
and is tightened to hold round rod or tub-
ing in the V-groove. These tools are usually
used in pairs to hold rods and tubes while
drilling them with a drill press. Remember,
these are made from the highest-quality
steel, precision ground, and heat-treated
for hardness. A really good set can cost as
much as $600, but that’s overkill for most
jewelers. Offshore-manufactured V-blocks
run around $40.
If your studio is equipped with a vacu-
um machine, air compressor, water sprayer,
or other machine that has a hose attached
to it, you will need hose clamps. Get them
at auto and hardware stores.Spring clamps
Cross-locking tweezers. Medical hemo-
stats. These versions of spring clampsChristopher C. Darway
can be reached via
email at cdarway@
outlook.com.To g g l e c l a m p
(vertical)Woodworkers’ spring
clamp as rubber mold-
cutting jig
Toggle clamp (horizontal)C-clamp, brass bar clamp,
and light-duty plastic
spring clamps C-clamp (modified flex-shaft hanger)exert tremendous holding force. I use mine
when soldering or to hold pieces together
when using adhesives. It’s nice to have a
pair or two around the studio.
The most common spring clamp is the
woodworkers’ spring clamp. Designed
to clamp wood for gluing, they are made
of pressed steel and have extremely strong
springs. Of interest to those who cast: I
made a rubber mold-cutting jig by bolting
one arm of a metal spring clamp to a piece
of wood. Whenever I need to use it, I use a
C-clamp to mount it to my bench. You can
also find them made from resin. I bought
a dozen light-duty plastic spring clamps
when they were on sale at one of the ma-
jor hardware-store chains. They’re great
for holding delicate materials.To g g l e c l a m p s
Now, you may have never heard of this
clamp. To g g l e c l a m p s use levers to adjust
and apply force to an object to hold it in
place. Unless you need to hold something
down multiple times and in the same
place, you might not need a toggle clamp.
But, they’re interesting mechanisms. You
buy the toggle — just the toggle. It’s nota ready-to-use tool, so you need to make a
jig out of wood onto which you mount the
toggle. It’s fully customized for the specific
end use. They are available in styles to ex-
ert vertical or horizontal pressure, as well
as push/pull. The few times I’ve had to
make a jig for using a toggle clamp, it was
time well spent.I like to find a quote or some reference
from a famous person to end my articles,
but C-clamps don’t exactly inspire poems
or inspirational words. However, I did find
a quote about the hand from a rather
smart and well-respected person: Isaac
Newton. “In the absence of any other
proof, the thumb alone would convince
me of God’s existence.”Photos by Christopher C. Darway.Subscribers: Learn two
ways to turn a C-clamp
into a flex-shaft hanger
at http://www.artjewelry
mag.com/reference.Learn how to coil wire at
http://www.artjewelrymag.
com/videos.
Subscribers: Watch an
extended version at
http://www.artjewelrymag.
com/subvideos.