Wood Tie Bar

As Makers we constantly strive to be unique; challenging the ordinary and pushing boundaries!

This instructable will hopefully inspire some creators out there to experiment with new methods of building and designing!

As inspiration for this build I used my own "candy cane" style tie bar. It is mostly chrome with a brushed/polished pattern. It uses a sturdy torsion spring and a serrated gripper.

Now lets make a different unique tie bar!!

Here is a variety of different woods with different harnesses, grains, and colors.

•Oak (white - red ish)

•Ash (white)

•Walnut (dark, brown - red ish)

•Poplar (green - white)

•Cherry (red)

•Pine (yellow)

•Maple (white)

Also, using a laminate of woods puts a creative twist on your project!

This easy Tie Bar uses a pre-made clamp -- the Clothes Pin.

Steps...

1. Choose your wood

2. Shape the wood piece

3. Glue it to the clothes pin

4. Stain, varnish, or urethane it!

Done!

This Tie Bar is very complicated! It is made entirely from scratch -- spring, clamp, and hinge! It is made out of steel sheet metal. It uses an aluminum stiffener that is attached by two copper rivets.

First: design your clamp on paper and cut it out of steel sheet metal

•Drill holes for the hinge and glue

•Cut & File a piece of aluminum the same shape of the clamp and rivet it in place

Now, choose your wood (I used a laminate of Walnut and Maple)

•Polish the Clamp

•Glue the pieces together

I used JB weld two part epoxy to adhere the spring to the clamp. There are better ways out there but this is simple.

This Tie Bar is unique in that it uses a single, mono-clamp for the whole tie bar.

I used Walnut and Maple glued together in a laminated fashion.

The spring is made out of 6061-T6 Aluminum sheet metal because T6 is the hardened designation which will make for a better stronger clamp.

The Aluminum is polished and glued to the wood.

Hopefully this instructable inspired some of you to continue modding and build upon these ideas!

Happy building!

--Wood Contest entry