Bench Top Clamping

  Tom at Tom's Workbench recently wrote a blog featuring the KREG KKS1110 Bench Clamp.

  Tom's post was entitled "Hold it Down" and in that post Tom showed another interesting twist on bench clamping. 

  He said that he got this idea because he didn't want to cut into the top of his lovely bench. As you can see I do not have a lovely bench, nor do I have any qualms about cutting it's top. 

   My bench's top is 1 1/2 thick plywood and occasionally I sand and fill the rough bits and paint it. Actually it is in pretty good shape currently. I have an less damaged bench for finer wood work but this is the Clydesdale of my wood shop, it does all the heavy lifting.  These are a selection of the various bench top appliances that I have acquired over the years.

Lee Valley Wonder Pup

Lee Valley Bench Blade

hold down made by Daniel Linkenheld 

  Turns out I have an extra plate for my KREG KKS1110, so I think I may follow Tom's example and make a movable clamping point as well.  I would screw it to the bench top if it served my purpose, I can hear the groans of  the bench lovers as I type.  It is not a bad idea to have an extra insert plate or two for custom clamping. 

KBK-IP

  I don't abuse my tools, or bench, I just make them work hard.

Hand Forged Hold Downs -MADE IN CANADA- at thetoolstore.ca

 

  After what seemed like months, but really was months, there is now a maker of forged bench hold downs in Canada . Ultimately, the maker is Forged Link from Hanover, Ontario, rather than Anthony Moore ( Live Iron Forge ) as first announced.

  Sometimes time and circumstance do not allow plans to develop as first intended.  Luckily for Canadian woodworkers, I found Daniel at Forged Link who was also able and willing to make hold downs for sale.  Daniel is also a skilled blade smith whose knives and chisel are  sought after by collectors and craftsmen from across North America

 If you have never used a hold down/clamp like this, you are in for a real treat. Since the hold down is forged, not cast, it has some spring in it.  Cast medal has no elasticity left in it and will crack/break easily when you try to bend it. Forged steel will bend and bend back making it ideal for this application.  If you look at some of the other on-line sellers, they have cheap cast clamps or expensive forged clamps.

We have been able to come in the middle with reasonably priced, forged hold down clamps.  

I use mine all the time now.  In fact my work table has had a number of holes added to it for just these tools.