This is my homemade bridge clamping jig. It's similar to the ones you see in the luthier supply catalogs but this one was made with scrap wood and less than 50 cents worth of parts (2 T-Nuts and 2 bolts) from the local hardware store.

You can buy one from Stewmac or LMII but it will cost you $25 - $40 (depending on the style - July 2011) by the time you pay shipping.

Besides saving money, if you make your own, you can make them to fit your particular bridges. So far, I've made two different types of bridges (nylon string with tie block and steel string with bridge pins) and each requires a different jig to fit properly.

I made mine from some scrap maple and cherry. The main bar and side cauls are maple, the center caul is cherry (just because I had a scrap piece the right size). You could use aluminum stock also, but I'm not equipped to machine metal.

The surfaces of the caul pieces that contact the bridge directly are covered with scraps of cork to protect the bridge.

The hardware consists of two T-Nuts and matching bolts. You can see the T-Nuts in the photos in the left column.

The pictures below show the setup, before attaching the clamps. The bolts allow you to add additional downward pressure to the ends of the bridge.