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!!

Step 1: Choose Your Material

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!

Step 2: Easy Tie Bar

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!

Step 3: 1. Tie Bar From SCRATCH!

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

Step 4: 2. From SCRATCH Tie Bar

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

•Polish the Clamp

•Glue the pieces together

Step 5: 3. Finish From SCRATCH Tie Bar

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

Step 6: Uniquely Simple Tie Bar

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.

Step 7: Final Pictures

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

Happy building!

--Wood Contest entry