Quick Repair Tip: Wine corks to the rescue

[vintageparlors]

When you're clamping the tapered ends of braces that are free of the rim, it's as straightforward a job as any. There are no obstacles or impediments that come between the clamp and the end of the brace. But when the tapered ends of a brace needs to be glued within the confines of the rim, it's hard to get a conventional clamp to fit properly on the tapered end without sliding off or even damaging the brace itself.

I've discovered that wine corks work well as an interface in this application. It matters not whether its real cork or man-made cork nor does it matter whether the cork bottled white wine or red wine. What matters is that wine corks (notched to your liking)are a perfect buffer between the bottom of the clamp and the taper of the brace, allowing the clamp to seat firmly under pressure and do its job without harming the wood underneath.

Wine corks are malleable and take the contour of anything under pressure. They don't fall apart, harm the brace or the clamp and they come in handy for other things besides. Anyone else out there riding the wine cork train?

[Rudy4]

I don't use them for clamping cauls, but I keep them around to make "Two Buck Chuck" mini-sanders. I cut the end off square, add a layer of heavy duty double back carpet tape, and then a small disk of whatever sandpaper that I need.

It takes care of all those little sanding jobs like relieving edges of sharp corners, sanding off a small bit of glue residue, etc.

You could also use 1/4" slices and double back tape to make stick on pads for the swivel pads of standard C clamps. Lots of shop uses for re-cycled wine bottle corks!

[Fathand]

Leather is also useful to make assorted clamping cauls or to pad the jaws of vises and clamps. Sometimes easily obtained from old belts and can be smoother than cork and not leave a mark on a finished surface.

[redir]

Great tip.

[afk49]

I have used these to place a brass bridge saver into place - - - a couple of 2 inch 3/16 bolts, wing nuts, larger washers and wine corks drilled in the center and then cut into 3/8 slices --- placed so the guitar wood & brass were not marred - Yes I will keep these corks in stock...