Ad-hoc vise

[Dave Bagwill]

Ad hoc: : for the particular end or case at hand without consideration of wider application

I've been meaning to make a nice vise but have not gotten around to it. Today I did not feel like messing with .001's of an inch, or drawing plans, or cutting stuff up, but I needed something to hold the odd couple guitar I'm working on. I had some 1/2" mdf cutouts and a couple of sponges, a big rubber band, a few drywall screws and a dab of titebond. This actually works - the guitar stays put, the pressure is only on the rim, it's all good, for just an ad hoc 'project'. In fact, it's what I will use from now on for squaring the sides etc.
If you laugh, I will hear you, and......join in :-)

[TonyinNYC]

That is pretty cool. Given my limited shop space, I think it is something I could use. Another bench, vise or anything else that takes up a lot of space is not in the cards.

[Dave Bagwill]

It actually works very well, and since it rests on a surface, no sling is needed; and the only pressure is on the rim.

Did you notice the highly-engineered and precise notches that keep the rubber band from slipping? I can provide a drawing if that would help. LOL.

[TonyinNYC]

I had missed the precision notches at first. Thank you for pointing them out. This is such a simple rig that you could even attach the sides to your bench with screws and them remove them when done. The pressure of the foam should allow you to slip the guitar in and out, no? Do you need to release the VulcanizedTensioning Devices (TM) to pull the box in and out?

[Dave Bagwill]

Extensive tests reveal that, if you try to pick up the guitar, the vise will follow. So it is strongly suggested that the VulcanizedTensioning Devices (TM) be released, which further testing has proven to be ridiculously easy, before removing the acoustic pump waveform producer (TM) from the device.

Yes a single screw or, if you are tooled up for it, two screws, would certainly hold the device down; reports are that placing it on a piece of carpet has a similar effect; and one enterprising entrepreneur from the Netherlands has invented a device called a 'clamp' that can also be used, but that idea is way way out there.

[dave d]

Speaking of 'way out there', I'm just wondering if, for those luthiers who use fish glue, if they might be using a guitar-holding system whereby they get the most use out of the fish.
You see where I'm going with this, ahem, that they would have a Haddock Vise.

[Dave Bagwill]

Oh, well done David!
I will resist further puns as I must now commute to work - i.e., walk 50 feet out to the barn and cowboy shop.