Finds: Merle Clamp
By Sean O'Hara
Clamping and gluing projects with more than four sides is a lot like trying to nail Jello to the wall. It moves. It slides. It comes apart. And that’s just while you’re trying to get the clamps on – to say nothing of whether or not they hold in the correct position. When you’re in for that kind of gluing/clamping roller coaster ride of fun you might reach for a Merle clamp.
It’s a type of band clamp (or “web clamp” depending on which school of thought you subscribe to). The band can be expanded to a 69” x 69” and can squeeze down to 2-5/8″ x 2-5/8″ providing secure and even gripping power across all the joints.
The flexible jaw inserts are made of high impact ABS plastic and are non-marring and easily removed. The “dual pivot” feature allows the Merle to clamp virtually any size or shape joint – including circles and ovals.
The best feature about the Merle might be that the strap area can be extended to any length by using standard 3/8″ steel banding or strapping. This one could save some swearing and re-gluing.
Pricing onthe MLCS site starts at around $27.
Merle Clamp [MLCS]
November 28th, 2006 at 6:08 pm
Slick! Just a bit more expensive than my trusty inner-tube, but there are sure times I can think of where it would have come in handy. Looks like you could use it when painting things too, to grip by just the sides while painting the faces…
December 12th, 2006 at 11:38 am
[...] Finds: The Merle Clamp [...]
April 29th, 2007 at 4:14 am
fosamax and dentistry
news