Perfect Aber clamps (3-part) in 5min

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

After hours of frustration (and breaking 1), I had a brainwave. For this method you will need:

2 inch Hold n’ Fold
Helping hands
2 pairs of VERY fine tweezers

  1. Mount the Hold n’ Fold in the Helping hands

  2. Take the U-Clamp with the mounting holes and fix it in the Hold n’ Fold open end out and facing upwards

  3. Using tweezers take the strap and insert from below into the rear holes - use the second tweezers from above to gently close the sides of the clamp.

  4. Flip the strap up and bend gently against the Hold n’ Fold

  5. Insert the base of the main clamp into the front holes of the U-clamp

  6. Voila - 5 min from start to finish

2

Nice !! I too have my own method. But I have no camera to share it, mine usualy takes about 10-15 mins to do ( I don’t have a hold and fold )
Many people are scared by the Aber clamps and they can seem intimidating, but the reward when finished is huge.

3

Thanks for that!

4

Thank you for the advice! I have an Aber set I’m going to start on soon. Where does one obtain a “Hold and Fold” and who makes it? I have a Mission Models EtchMate, which has been useful so far for other builds. Thank you!
Rory

5

HOLD & FOLDS from here

www.smallshopEU.com you can link all over the world from there

AJ

6

I see you are in the UK–I looked into the websites, and unfortunately, the very cool new Hold & Fold 2" “Bug” that you utilized does not yet seem to be available yet in the US. The older 2" Hold & Fold is around, but from I gather, there are some small changes that might be needed to the UK version of “The Bug” to render it compatible with US Hold & Fold devices. The old 2" Hold & Fold is no longer sold in the UK, from what I gathered. This is frustrating–all I want is “the Bug” and don’t care if it is “compatible” with anything else. Have any for sale? [:)] I have an EtchMate and really no use for the larger Hold & Fold systems. I might look on eBay.UK.

7

The New 2 "BUG IS now made in the USA…please look here for the USA…they have not yet updated all of the site yet…you should have NPs

http://www.thesmallshop.com/products.htm

AJ

PS for your info…

The 2" BUG will fit the 8inch base from the next production batch in the USA
…it is the USA made tools that needed a slight change to the guide pin location to allow the BUG to fit into the corners…this will not effect you if you have a EU produced tool…
All EU made Mk 'R’s and the new 8" MkRv2’s tools were designed so that the BUG’s would fit in them from the outset.

8

Well, heck–you are absolutely correct! I must be blind from working with too much photoetch [:I] Unfortunately, I have already ordered a 2" bug for 30 GBP from Cammett Ltd., before I found it on the US site. Oh, well…just means I’ll have to wait longer.

I shouldn’t be so impatient…

Thank you! Fortunately, I’m not starting on the Aber set right away, so the wait doesn’t really matter…take care, and nice job on the photoetch. I shall employ your techniques. Can’t wait to get started on all those tiny square bolt heads either…[:D]

9

NP and cheers…

10

I must also say that you did a very nice job of clearly photographing your work. Nice camera you have there. Very clear and sharp!

11

I’ve managed one clamp in about 10 minutes with only my hands and a plier. Then the dratted thing came apart and it took me another 15 minutes to get back to square one. I did another one using a magnifying glass and did it in about 7-8 minutes. This time it stayed together!

Glenn

12

Taken with a Kodak DX4530 6MP @ 2580x1720 with stacked 10x + 7x macro lenses. Ran the pics thru Fireworks to resize and filter