Holding Aluminium in place - I miss magnets

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I'm making my way through my first 'real' aluminium project (an intercooler water sprayer tank for a friends rally car), and I've come across a minor 'irritation'.I've got three sides built and I'm working on the other three now.  If I was working with steel, I could easily hold the parts in place with some decent magnets, sadly that's not going to work here.I've dummied it in place with masking tape, but I'm worried about the adhesive melting and causing me long term grief.  Will tape be suitable (even for tacking) or is there some other technique I should use?
Reply:Clamps and fixtures are your friends.Making up fixtures usually pays off. The time spent on fixtures comes back in finishing the actual job faster, and usually better.Clamping awkward parts sometimes takes ingenuity, but is worth it. I have used all kinds and sizes of clamp--C-clamps, vicegrips, vicegrip tongs, cabinetmakers clamps, hunks of metal with allthread, wood with allthread, toggle clamps (destaco, etc) tack welded to the part, C-clamps cut up and tacked to the part, even metal banding (a banding kit is worth its weight in copper, if not silver. Not gold, though. Gold is up)
Reply:For box shapes, I took two pieces of scrap steel with a bolt/wingnut in the middle to create a hinge.  I then welded some el cheap spring clamps to the side.  Lets me butt the ends together at any angle I want.
Reply:I hold stuff with my fingers while I "fuse tack" it..Then I'll tack it for good.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by SupeFor box shapes, I took two pieces of scrap steel with a bolt/wingnut in the middle to create a hinge.  I then welded some el cheap spring clamps to the side.  Lets me butt the ends together at any angle I want.
Reply:Thanks guys, I wound up using Zap's technique..I'm liking the idea of the 2 clamps and a pivot arrangement - I think I'll try building one of them.
Reply:I don't have occasion to do much small stuff.  One method I have heard about is to use coarse sand or steel shot in a tray about an inch or so deep.  you can imbed your pieces in the shot standing up in position.