Berna Assembler Multi Clamps

Overview

I don’t know any modellers in Australia who know of these highly versatile clamps by Berna. They are a very versatile piece of kit to have as shown in Image 1 below where the surfaces being joined are not flat. This is quite a difficult procedure using regular clamps, or even the right angled clamps sold for this use.

Image 1: Berna’s clamps in action on a very non flat surface

The clamp is comprised of four parts as show in Image 2 below:

1. the carbon fibre rod,
2. the yellow rod end caps (used to keep the clamping arms on the rod when not under tension),
3. the clear clamping arms, and
4. the yellow clamping pads.

Image 2: In use on a HO Scale GY wagon showing all of the clamp parts

Usage

This is a quite simple affair:

1. First you adjust in the clear clamping arms until the clamping pads make a firm contact with the item to be clamped
2. Then you squeeze the top of the clamping arms at the rod end inwards until the clamping legs lock in place (by putting the rod under torsion), this applies sustained pressure on the clamping pads forcing them onto the surfaces being joined as shown below in Image 3
3. To release the clamp you reverse the process in step 2 above to release the rod (from the torsion force)

Image 3: The clamps under pressure forcing the pads flat on the model

Lessons learned

The only issue I’ve had with them in all the years I’ve used them was a break in one of the clamping arms during storage. This came about because of pressure applied to the side of the arm which snapped it.

I’ve never been able to damage the rods, nor do I try to do so, may I add.

Resources

While these clamps are relatively small, you can get them in larger sizes for modelling, and some really large sizes for furniture restoration and other uses too.