K.I.S.S. principle has worked for me ;-)

GazInOz 167 days ago

You'll need to make sure that if you're building one that can clamp the board, that the clamps are flexible enough to go around the dome of the deck of the boards you're gonna build. Unlike the one I built!

I reckon using some kind of webbing, or maybe Velcro strips would be an idea for clamping...

Also, when planning your design, remember that it's not going to have to support much weight, but will have to stand up to the lateral forces involved when planing and sanding.

straightlinedave 167 days ago

I like the ones with the all thread clamp systems.  After putting 210lbs of weight plates on the board last night to glue the frame to bottom, and realizing it wasn't working great, I will building a rocker table next.  It seemed to not be the amount of weight but the fact that the flat plates only touch the curve in a few places.  Having a rocker table with the clamps ever eight inches (lined up with the ribs) would have solved many problems in both my builds.

The only think I don't like about the all thread clamp system is having all those bolts sticking up, since I would probably would keep working on the table even when not clamping.  Maybe some with those type of tables can comment.  I have a plan to address it that would allow the top clampling boards to be removed, leaving the lower ones along the rocker with no bolts sticking up.

Scott Howell 167 days ago

webbing straps sound like a neat idea for decks - my table has the threaded bars and ply slats that flex enough over the crown, but i have the scrapes and scars to prove it..

maybe theres a way of having fixed slats under and a crafty way to throw a strap over and buckle it down? for the rail strips i just used spring and pipe clamps, straps might pull in too much for these. there'll be a way of making something without the threaded bar for sure, as long as you have something secure to clamp onto, either straps or spring clamps

 

Mike Skinner 167 days ago

This was my idea for getting around the threaded rods sticking up.  Basically you would set the bottom slats to the correct rocker with any excess rod pointing down and out of the way.  You then could add the top slats and crank down to glue up the top and bottom etc.., but then remove the top slats and bolts when not doing that work, but still leaving the rocker table to work on the board with no bolts in the way.  The way I drew it it looks like alot more threaded rod, but really it would only be a few more inches on each rod.

Thoughts?

 

Scott Howell 167 days ago

Looks good to me.  I think the threaded rod is a great idea but it seems to me that it would take a long time to tighten it down.

I would rather use something that is quicker for the top.  Using the threaded rod on the bottom is great so you can fine tune the rocker.

Also, I would make the top slat flexible so it will conform to the shape of the top.

Mark 167 days ago

One thing to bear in mind with threaded rods is the time it takes to actually do up the nuts when gluing the deck down. For my 9'8 longboard I had a a total of 30 rods to thread (15 on each side) when attching the deck, and the glue started to cure in about an hour. 2 minutes per rod assuming everything goes perfectly. Sounds like a lot but it aint!

With hindsight I could have done with fewer rods near the middle of the board where the rocker is less steep and save some time and money but hindight's great like that :)

When I get some space to work on another board I'll definitely be giving the webbing idea a go - maybe with ratchet straps anchored under the table somehow.

straightlinedave 166 days ago

if theres enough flex in the slats you can push them down far enough to spin the nuts by hand and give a final twink with a spanner - something like 15 or 18mm crappy ply works well, and it helps to have a willing assistant

how about rope and a cleat each side?

Mike Skinner 166 days ago

Thanks for all the input.  Can you do a dry fit and then only loosen one side and swing the top slats out of the way.  That way when you are ready you only have to tighten down one side.  It seems this might introduce some lateral force rather than just straight down.  Maybe I will buy some extra box wrenches and fix a handle to the other end so you can crank them down real fast (or use an air ratchet).

How do the straps work for glueing up the bottom?  Do you have to lay them directly over splices?  It seems if the strap just went over the stringer it would pull the bottom panel down more near the edge.

Scott Howell 166 days ago

One of the best set-ups I've seen are tables that use bungee cords instead of all tread rods.  You might want to check this build.

http://www2.swaylocks.com/forums/wood_ogres-balsa-hallow-wood-hallow-rail-fish-attitude

 

 

 

Boco-Rio 165 days ago

Scott - there'll be as many different ways of clamping as you can think of - cut slots in the slats to let them swing sideways if you go threaded bar. I've never used straps - just this thread has got me thinking, although i'll stick with the clamping table for now

Boco - thats great thread, thanks for the link

 

Mike Skinner 165 days ago

heres what I mean about slots, flexy slats and the fact that however well designed you think your table might be, you still end up needing shims, wedges and blocks to get it all tight, and you can't ever have too many other clamps!

Mike Skinner 165 days ago