Holdfasts
- Thread starter ByronBlack
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ByronBlack
Established Member
Racers":1r4q2k4p said:
I can't even find 19mm iron stock.. my search skills are weak today it seems.
ByronBlack
Established Member
Racers":226hayl1 said:
Good thinking batman.
Found this: http://www.metals4u.co.uk/detail.asp?cat_id=54&prd_id=2363
Do you think that would work? If so, how on earth would I heat it and bend it?
ByronBlack
Established Member
Racers":1ksi34q2 said:
I just tossed a an metal bbq
With all the hassle of doing it myself, I think i'd rather just import it as I don't have anything to use as an anvil, or a decent heavy hammer to shape it.. it's a shame there aren't more smithies out there who could do this sortof thing, I can't imagine it would take them long.
xy mosian
Established Member
Hi all, I use one of these,
http://www.bricodepot.fr/bordeaux/outillage/outils-du-macon/outils-de-coffrage
the smallest I think. It might not be ideal, but look at the price!
The point of my note is that I have found that with only one the workpiece can spin if the active force is not in line with the clamp. I'm going over to SW France on Sunday, ash cloud permitting, and intend buying at least one more.
Just a point on size 3/4" bar in 19mm hole sounds a bit tight, is 1/2" not big enough?
xy
http://www.bricodepot.fr/bordeaux/outillage/outils-du-macon/outils-de-coffrage
the smallest I think. It might not be ideal, but look at the price!
The point of my note is that I have found that with only one the workpiece can spin if the active force is not in line with the clamp. I'm going over to SW France on Sunday, ash cloud permitting, and intend buying at least one more.
Just a point on size 3/4" bar in 19mm hole sounds a bit tight, is 1/2" not big enough?
xy
ByronBlack
Established Member
xy mosian":3p9gkz95 said:
Thats interesting xy- do you use this in a 3/4 hole? (and is that saying that it is 1 euro 20 cents? or 1 for 20 euros'?
*you are probably right regaring the bar, I was mistakingly thinking it had to be the same width as the hole - but obviously it needs to be smaller -- doh!
Mike H
Established Member
The 3/4" or 19mm hole is now a good standard for attaching all sorts of things to the bench.
The Veritas holdfasts are dear but absolutely reliable. An investment in a pair is a better investment than other expensive hand tools which end up little used.
Veritas also make a whole lot of other stuff in the 3/4" standard size.
I have a variety of these and they are in constant use for hand work and routing, dominoes, biscuiting.
Round holes in the bench are much more versatile than rectangular or square ones, since uneven shapes can themn also be accommodated. Also it is easy to make square or octagonal wood pegs to fit tightly in these.
Axminster do very good metal 19mm dogs which are cheaper than the Veritas ones.
For thinner benches, say 2" down, the Sjoberb holdfasts for their cheaper benches, at £20 a pair, are also useful. They are strong enough for general work. For example, I have drilled the outside of my 1" thick drill press false table and I can quickly clamp work for drilling safely.
Hope this helps
Mike
8)
The Veritas holdfasts are dear but absolutely reliable. An investment in a pair is a better investment than other expensive hand tools which end up little used.
Veritas also make a whole lot of other stuff in the 3/4" standard size.
I have a variety of these and they are in constant use for hand work and routing, dominoes, biscuiting.
Round holes in the bench are much more versatile than rectangular or square ones, since uneven shapes can themn also be accommodated. Also it is easy to make square or octagonal wood pegs to fit tightly in these.
Axminster do very good metal 19mm dogs which are cheaper than the Veritas ones.
For thinner benches, say 2" down, the Sjoberb holdfasts for their cheaper benches, at £20 a pair, are also useful. They are strong enough for general work. For example, I have drilled the outside of my 1" thick drill press false table and I can quickly clamp work for drilling safely.
Hope this helps
Mike
8)
wizer
Established Member
- Joined
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Oh by the way. If you come across the small ones on Dieter Schmidd (sp?), that are cast, don't even think about buying them. I have a pair that MarkW got me, but he managed to break the head off one or both of his. As such I'm scared to use mine. They're ok for light work. But the proper iron ones can take an almighty whack, when needed.
I do like the veritas hold down, except the ribbed bar. Which scuffs up my 19mm holes when I take it out and put back in. It's only fractionally smaller than the hole.
As Mike says, the 19mm holes are the way to go. The veritas dogs are a lovely piston fit in them with a pleasing plop as you pluck them out :roll: :lol:
Of course you could just buy a vacuum clamping system and do away with all this holdfast business
I do like the veritas hold down, except the ribbed bar. Which scuffs up my 19mm holes when I take it out and put back in. It's only fractionally smaller than the hole.
As Mike says, the 19mm holes are the way to go. The veritas dogs are a lovely piston fit in them with a pleasing plop as you pluck them out :roll: :lol:
Of course you could just buy a vacuum clamping system and do away with all this holdfast business
dannykaye
Established Member
dannykaye
Established Member
It was a long time ago, he sent them and they were a gift, I suspect that they are more now, sorry
He did invite me to visit but I have yet to manage to go. Well worth a look at his site, he built a log cabin, starting with felling the trees and rafting them downriver, and the day to day life in his blog is simply amazing (this may just be posted to Galoot central)
He did invite me to visit but I have yet to manage to go. Well worth a look at his site, he built a log cabin, starting with felling the trees and rafting them downriver, and the day to day life in his blog is simply amazing (this may just be posted to Galoot central)
OPJ
Established Member
Racers":1trg8t1u said:
Wasn't there a forum member, some time last year, who was looking to get a set of these made by a local blacksmith...? Can't remember the outcome of it.
xy mosian
Established Member
byron, It must be 1€ 20cents each as mine was under 2€ including vat.
I use mine in a 3/4" hole to hold down boards for surface carving. That's how I came across the swivelling material bit. My carving table, not as grand as it sounds, is 44mm joinery quality softwood, a spare bit. I do think a longer 'shank'? would be useful for bigger stuff, the clamp I use would be OK up to maybe 75m or thereabouts.
HTH
xy
I use mine in a 3/4" hole to hold down boards for surface carving. That's how I came across the swivelling material bit. My carving table, not as grand as it sounds, is 44mm joinery quality softwood, a spare bit. I do think a longer 'shank'? would be useful for bigger stuff, the clamp I use would be OK up to maybe 75m or thereabouts.
HTH
xy
ByronBlack
Established Member
xy mosian":2qxh2ew1 said:
They sound ideal - would it be too much of a hassle if you picked up a couple extra while you were out there and I paypal you the cash ahead of time (plus whatever it costs to post them?) Otherwise, if not, would they deliver to the UK?
xy mosian
Established Member
byron, PM sent.
Hi BB, I have a pair of the 'Tools For Working Wood" ones. They're class. I couldn't recommend them highly enough, they lock the work down rock solid. Then it just a tap on the back to release them.ByronBlack":3a9lvdhd said:
On a side note, Joel (owner) is a really nice guy. I rang in my order at the time and spent ages chatting, we even checked out each others premises on google maps while chatting.
Neil
Edit:- Actually you can see them on one of the legs of my workbench in my avatar.
That's an interesting tip about them being easy to find in France - I'd noticed far more old ones on French eBay than in the UK. Maybe another area where the tradition is just different. (I remember spotting an ordinary wooden rebate planes in a big supermarket alongside the socket sets and hard-tooth saws.)
I believe the top part does need to be nicely spring tempered - not a brittle casting like some Chinese lookalikes sold by Wizer's favourite dealer!
I believe the top part does need to be nicely spring tempered - not a brittle casting like some Chinese lookalikes sold by Wizer's favourite dealer!
xy mosian
Established Member
Andy, those I linked to are not true holdfasts! They have no appreciable spring in them.
From my, limited, experience of use they are popular for holding shuttering for concreting around windows, and for holding timber beams to walls. They seem to be widely available in trade hardware sheds. Those around here who reside in France will have more knowledge than I do.
I had thought of trying some holdfasts but thought they were expensive if they did not suit. Almost falling over these on a visit to the Charente I thought for 2€ I'd give them a try. When I use the one I have it holds purely by friction in the hole in the bench top.
As an aside if I were making one, without a forge, I would start with 1/2", 12mm, bar and make a shepherds crook. Cold bend a smallish radius at the end, about a semi circle. Bend it around a piece of scaffolding pipe or similar. Then another semi circular bend of larger radius to form the 'spring'. The small radius bend would need to be used with a timber pad to protect the workpiece. Now I have no 1/2" bar so cannot comment on whether this wood work. If you try it, do so at your own risk.
xy
From my, limited, experience of use they are popular for holding shuttering for concreting around windows, and for holding timber beams to walls. They seem to be widely available in trade hardware sheds. Those around here who reside in France will have more knowledge than I do.
I had thought of trying some holdfasts but thought they were expensive if they did not suit. Almost falling over these on a visit to the Charente I thought for 2€ I'd give them a try. When I use the one I have it holds purely by friction in the hole in the bench top.
As an aside if I were making one, without a forge, I would start with 1/2", 12mm, bar and make a shepherds crook. Cold bend a smallish radius at the end, about a semi circle. Bend it around a piece of scaffolding pipe or similar. Then another semi circular bend of larger radius to form the 'spring'. The small radius bend would need to be used with a timber pad to protect the workpiece. Now I have no 1/2" bar so cannot comment on whether this wood work. If you try it, do so at your own risk.
xy
