# blokkz



## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

Has anyone seen or used these?










In this video they look simple and useful


----------



## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

I just read a review ( American WW'er, I think) last week (favorable), and then a flyer showed up from that company in the mail yesterday. I would agree they look useful, but so simple that a shop built substitute would be fairly easy.


----------



## Bonka (Apr 13, 2012)

Too expensive for an item one coulde build.


----------



## MarkDavisson (Apr 26, 2009)

Fred and Gerald, how would you make your own?


----------



## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)




----------



## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

Mark - all you need is a flat bar (scrap) that can be clamped to your workpiece, with it's end rounded off so that the parallel (or other) clamp can apply pressure on it in the other direction.

... heck, you don't really have to have the ends rounded off, although it would reduce the chance of things getting pushed around.


----------



## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

*Purplev* I think the round ends keep the direction of clamping force in the proper direction!


----------



## RogerInColorado (Jan 18, 2013)

I made mine using just scraps cut to make right triangles. The important thing is to clamp the jigs so that the clamping surface is in about the middle of the miter. In looking at waho6o9's version, they may offer another level of flexibility because they can be used for gluing other configurations than 45 degree miters. That's all I had in mind when I built mine. The really nice part beyond being cheap is, you can build them and use them before the purchased ones arrive in the mail. I applied sticky back sandpaper the to the bottoms to prevent slip, the same function provided by the rubber strips in the blokz version. Sandpaper doesn't get lost in the drawer, though.


----------



## DKV (Jul 18, 2011)

It always amazes me whenever someone comes out with a new doodad someone(s) on LJs has a simple homebrew to do the same thing. I called myself stupid today when someone on renners thread talked about using drill bits as height finders for setting router bits and saw blades. Duh, why didn't I think of that?


----------



## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

IMO, the round portion of this tool/jig HAS to be there in order to redirect the clamping forces in the proper direction, it's just simple physics.

In a strap clamp it makes no difference but in the applications shown in the video the circular portions transfer of forces in the proper direction. The same thing one does when a dowel is placed between the jaws of a pipe clamp and the surface to be clamped.

The door hinge will work!


----------



## Fuzzy (Jun 25, 2007)

I don't have a picture handy, but I did something just like WAHO6O9's with one small difference. I cut a 1/4" wide notch through the half-round pieces in such a way as to eliminate the clamp and use a simple 1/4"-20 bolt/washers/wingnut to pull the joint together.


----------



## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

Where do you get hinges that big?


----------



## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

When used to redirect clamping forces the circular portion just needs to be big enough for the clamp to grab properly!
 
This is a link to the patent that shows how the forces are redirected onto the clamped objects by using a device like BLOKKZ


----------



## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

This is where companies like Rockler get their ideas from. They find a good idea and make a fancy duplicate and sell it for lots of money. Every time I see a new gadget, I can find a way to reverse engineer it and make it usually from scrap. Cost; zero.


----------



## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

In this case the patent owner get some money too unless he sold the patent to Rockler or some marketing company.


----------

