Clamps & Building Tools

Planking a hull is a job of holding pressure in the right place for long enough. Without proper clamps you end up using fingers, tape and improvisation, which is how planks lift at the edges and hulls end up uneven.

What is in the range

• Plank clamps that pin a strip against a bulkhead while the glue sets
• Spring and sprung clamps for general holding
• Bulldog and edge clamps for deck and superstructure work
• Building slips and keel clamps that hold the frame straight and square
• Third hand type holders that free both hands for delicate assembly

Buy more clamps than you think you need

Planking uses far more than most first time builders expect, and running out mid strake means either waiting or accepting a poor joint. A flat building board, pins and a square prevent the two most common structural errors in a wooden kit: a banana shaped keel and bulkheads that are not perpendicular.

Related

Bending the plank before you clamp it is a separate job, covered in plank bending tools. Adhesives are in glues. Most historical ship kits need both from the first evening.

Common questions

How many plank clamps do I need?

More than come in a small pack. For a typical planked hull, plan on holding several planks at once on both sides.

Do I need a building slip?

Not for a small kit. For anything with a long keel it pays for itself in a straight hull.