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  1. #1
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    Default Skinny F clamps or similar

    Have a bench with 20mm holes into 16mm MDF. Anyone know a clamp which would fit through the hole? Something like this one in the video at 3:52 would be ideal

    https://youtu.be/Gm8Cy60MYFg?t=3m51s

    But if it was like an F clamp that would be fine.

    Also, notice that some people use quick release F clamps but I cant seem to find them in Australia

    Like here:

    Paulk Workbench Changes | Jays Custom Creations

    Anyone have suggestions?

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  3. #2
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    Festool have both types but I would not recommend their screw version as it tends to let go with time. The quick clamp is very good.

  4. #3
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    Festool have those clamps, but only for the wealthy or stupid, at the Australian asking price:
    https://www.festool.com.au/products/...e-clamp_491594

    and yes, that's EACH not a pair.

    They have another option with a screw handle that has the same slender head:
    https://www.festool.com.au/products/...-clamps_489570

    but again the pricing is crackers.

    I have a pair of each of the above, but only because I purchased them outside Australia where the pricing is significantly more sensible for Festool accessories. The quick release clamps are excellent, and my primary use for them is with tracks (for saws etc).

    However, certainly the the quick release clamps, and possibly the screw handle clamps, are just a rebadged clamp that is made in China - available to various brands in various liveries. I have seen a red version of it somewhere but can't remember where. Maybe in the Bessey range?

    I'll have a bit of a scout around, but I have a suspicion that the only ones available here are the pale grey and lime green versions, which funnily enough don't have any solid gold components.
    Regards, FenceFurniture

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    As I thought, but the pricing is getting worse!
    https://www.gettoolsdirect.com.au/be...SABEgJ5XfD_BwE

    AT least I have a model number now though.


    I have a bunch of these in 100mm and 20mm and they are really good for light duty clamping:
    Bessey Quick Action Clamp LM

    The head is maybe 15mm wide - I'll measure one later. I should think that any Bessey stockist would have them.
    Regards, FenceFurniture

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  6. #5
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    Cheaper in Germany, and the prices include 19%VAT:
    https://www.lefeld.de/Article?s=491594&sort=6

    Pretty good in England:
    https://www.axminster.co.uk/accessor...r-trade-clamps

    and Axeminster will ship to here for reasonable cost as I understand (never shopped with them) - you could pick up some other things for <$1000 and there'll be no GST. The £29.50 clamp is £24.58 without the 20% VAT which becomes about $45 which is a helluva lot better than $85, even allowing for some freight dollars.


    After all that, I can't see what is wrong with grinding off the sides of a wider clamp if you don't need it to fit into a track.
    Regards, FenceFurniture

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  7. #6
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    I just use Quick Grip clamps. Knock the retaining pin out of the bar, squeeze trigger and slide clamp apart, poke bar through dog hole and reassemble clamp. I used to later put the pin back in, but why bother?

    Even works on a work mate.

    Assemby Bench Cum Vise-less Workbench-assembly-bench-hold-jpg

    Light duty Quick Grips are usually about $18 each, but every six months or so are on special at $29.95 per four-pack => less than $7.50 each. Work well.

    Cheers

    Graeme

  8. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by FenceFurniture View Post
    ......and Axeminster will ship to here for reasonable cost as I understand (never shopped with them) .....

    I've bought several shipments from Axminster. Consistently good results.

    Last was in the middle of last year when they had Veritas twin screw vises on special at £125.
    • Sent them email asking VAT free price and cost of shipping a pair to Tasmania at 9pm on Friday night.
    • Received quote half an hour later. Freight was £50.
    • I confirmed order at 10 pm that night.
    • At 11pm, same night, I received email saying goods had been shipped from Cornwall.
    • Goods were delivered at lunch-time on the next Tuesday in Hobart. Incredible. Package weighed 19 kgs.


    Full cost to me was $215 each, about half of the Aus price.

    Cheers

    Graeme

  9. #8
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    Crescent Connect clamps have a removable fixed jaw and a bar that will fit through your 20mm holes (it's about 19mm with rounded edges). They come in quite a few gripping lengths. There are probably some Taiwanese made one handed clamps that have the same feature, the brand names can vary. Any of the Irwin's that have a removable fixed head have a bar that is more like 22mm, so they wouldn't be any good.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhlYwyCN-a8 Go to just past the one minute mark to see the fixed jaw removal.

    Some of the smaller forged steel clamps might also suit your purpose, like these - https://www.akinite.com.au/12-weldin...amp-industrial But, you'd need to check that they'd fit through the 20mm holes.

    Any of the better track saw clamps or dovetail clamps (there are Makita branded ones that are much cheaper than Festool) like these would also do the job - https://www.fine-tools.com/dovetail-clamps.html OR https://www.fine-tools.com/t-track-clamp.html
    Both these are bound to be made in China or Taiwan but don't bother looking for the Juuma brand elsewhere, it's a Dieter Schmidt Fine Tools re-brand. There are probably other places that have the same thing under a different name though.

    Hope this helps.

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    Good job Dave. They are identical to the Festool & Bessey branded clamps, I'll wager. At a rough aussie price of $37.06 ea they are the best price yet. Dieter Schmid's shipping is pretty reasonable too - but I've only had one very small package sent.

    And qwertyu, if you are looking for Bar Clamps sometime, then aldav is your man!
    Regards, FenceFurniture

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  11. #10
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    Thanks for that Fence Furniture. I have spent A LOT of time trying to source various clamps over the past 3 years, unfortunately the minimum order quantities - MOQ - often defeat me. It's a shame that Australia is such a small market (and that I don't have much money ).

    The Makita ones are available here - https://sydneytools.com.au/makita-19...ge-saw-sp6000k - at a pretty good price. The limited clamping capacity of these could be a problem at times though. Deiter Schmit re-brands some very nice stuff as Juuma. You can occasionally pick up some Quingshang stuff from Max at McJing that was bound for Deiter Schmit Fine Tools. The branding has been ground off, but if you're in the know you can sometimes still make it out.

    If my recent experience is anything to go by all of these forged, plated clamps coming out of China are only going to get more expensive. Over the past 18 months huge numbers of factories have been fined and/or closed due to pollution concerns. My most recent effort to buy forged, plated clamps from China (through a previously reliable source) was a total failure. Cost me a bomb in bank fees and foreign exchange losses. It's all getting harder.

  12. #11
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    thanks for all the input guys!

    thoughts on these?
    https://sydneytools.com.au/iron-grip...-forge-f-clamp

  13. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by qwertyu View Post
    If you look at similar clamps on Get Tools Direct they are FAR more expensive, like 4x, 5x or something. I suspect that makes them too cheap to be true. Think crappy steel, lousy threads etc. Maybe not, and if i was passing a store I might pick one up to at least have a look, but I wouldn't buy one sight unseen.

    From what I can remember you are on a bit of a tools acquisition path, so have a look around the Dieter Schmid site and then send them an email top ask what the freight would be for what you have in mind. The quick release clamps are certainly worthwhile owning. DS has an excellent range of Brad Point drills and Forstner bits to explore, amongst a lot of other good stuff.
    Regards, FenceFurniture

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  14. #13
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    Some quick clamps lose their grip after a time.

    The best I have found in the quick clamp line are some el cheapos from, IIRC, Bunnies.

  15. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by FenceFurniture View Post
    .....From what I can remember you are on a bit of a tools acquisition path, so have a look around the Dieter Schmid site and then send them an email top ask what the freight would be for what you have in mind......

    Also, remember 22% German VAT is routinely deducted from export orders. My experience is that Dieter's product descriptions are subtle yet brutally honest - you can trust them - they are not hype. And he selects his products well. Fright costs have been reasonable, packing always excellent and same day service, or an immediate email if he is out of stock.

    Cheers

    Graeme

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    Quote Originally Posted by artme View Post
    Some quick clamps lose their grip after a time.

    The best I have found in the quick clamp line are some el cheapos from, IIRC, Bunnies.

    Slightly different from my experience, Artme.

    My Quick Grips, variously made in USA, France and China, are up to 20 years old and none have failed. Some are pre-Irwin.

    The el cheapos from Bunnies/M10 either slip quite early or, more commonly, the trigger breaks off. Bloody expensive!


    Cheers

    Graeme

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