Clamping a brace

[John]

I've looked at the StewMac brace jack a few times and thought about making something like it. I woke up with a clear picture in my head of how to do it with stuff I had kicking around my shop.

Parts are:

machine head

bolt

t nut

plastic pipe

wire from a hung ceiling

piece of a brake cable sleeve

1/4" mdf

magnet

 

[Murray MacLeod]

I think I have figured out how it works ...ingenious ....but where does the magnet come into play ? 

 

EDIT : Ok, so there is one magnet in the end, and you use another magnet outside to hold the jack in place, am I right ?  

[John]

It's on the bottom for placement: using another magnet from the outside

and stability:  using a large washer as a base

and attaching a foot: that will span a back brace.

[Kerry Krishna]

 It looks like a great idea John. Can you shoot a few of it in action so I can get a better idea? Or better yet,how about a 30 second vid? 

[John]

Yes, hold it in place or help get it to the right place. A webcam helps too.

[Frank Ford]

Very nice - simple and strong!  Power it with a cordless screwdriver, and it'll be speedy, too.

[Thomas James]

That looks great. Does it work well? Ya man, work photos and review. 

[Mark Pollock]

I've been looking at a crack in a baritone Ike, trying to figure out how I will ever clamp it. I think I'll go make a bunch of these!

[John]

Here's the low tech version. I make these up several at a time the small dowel gets trimmed to fit the job.

[Mark Pollock]

Huh - those are nice too. I wonder if it is possible to put a pin in place to hold the stick in until you have it placed, and then pull the pin to send the dowel out. Or - perhaps a screw attached to a line like the first idea, where you place the dowels, set the distance, then turn the screw to set the dowels so that they can't move. I've got 18 more school days until summer vacation, and then I can finally do some experimenting.

[John]

I use those ones most often for holding a bridge regluing caul in place. I've thought of using door latches, the spring loaded ones you see on the glass doors of stereo cabinets. 

[Paul Verticchio]

NEWS FLASH"  " MacGyver Resigns After Reading John's Post"

VERY IMPRESSIVE & COOL, John.  Major kudos :-)

[Robbie Collins]

Cool. What is the brass cylinder and how is it attached? Is it the ferrule from a bike caliper?