Thread: New "kitchen workshop" and bench! Clamping ideas?

Take the drawer out completely

Probably the easiest solution would be to enlarge the table top so that it is about 50mm wider on all sides. That would allow you to use F clamps again.

Mariano,

If you have pipe clamps then you can put them vertically with the sliding jaw under the cabinet frame and the screw end above the table top and clamp whatever you want between them. Hope I make myself clear.

Before the introduction of the screw vice, one method of holding wood for planing was a vee cutout in a board so that the wood being planed was driven into the cutout and held firm by the planing action. The cutout was usually parallel to the wood face on one side and tapered to a vee on the other side. Often the sloping face was also stepped.

If what I say is not clear I will try to explain again with some photos.

Jerry

Another couple of methods not using clamps:

Hold downs - basically a bar bent just past 90 degrees. You put one end in a hole in the bench top, put the other on a bit of scrap on top of your work and then hit it with a hammer or mallet so that the springiness in the bar and the friction against the hole holds it in place.

Go bars - a flexible length of timber which is just a bit longer than the distance between the top of your work piece and the ceiling. You bend the bar and position it between the top of your work (with a scrap in between) and the ceiling then let go. You usually need a couple of them at least. You'd need something to protect the ceiling though.

Originally Posted by silentC

Another couple of methods not using clamps:

Hold downs - basically a bar bent just past 90 degrees. You put one end in a hole in the bench top, put the other on a bit of scrap on top of your work and then hit it with a hammer or mallet so that the springiness in the bar and the friction against the hole holds it in place.
.

He doesn't want holes in the bench - sort of rules out hold downs. He could try a combination of some of the above ideas like the sketch:

A variation would be a piece of MDF/Ply with a batton as a large bench hook with strategic blocks of wood secured. Wedges would be used between the work and the secured blocks.

Spot on Pusser.
That was the wedge system I was trying to explain without an illustration One picture worth so much more.

jerry

Everyone is entitled to my opinion

Maybe a large F clamp that is long eough to reach the bottom of the bench?

Originally Posted by Pusser

He doesn't want holes in the bench - sort of rules out hold downs. He could try a combination of some of the above ideas like the sketch:

A variation would be a piece of MDF/Ply with a batton as a large bench hook with strategic blocks of wood secured. Wedges would be used between the work and the secured blocks.

Thought about that too but it is only good for planing. I think Mariano wants chiseling too.

BTW Mariano, you are an inspiration.

Originally Posted by Wongo

Thought about that too but it is only good for planing. I think Mariano wants chiseling too.

BTW Mariano, you are an inspiration.

No reason you cannot chisel with a wedge system. This only works for planning or cuts at right angles to the bench but if you pot blocks or dowels around the shooting board you could use two wedges between the dowels or stops and the workpiece ala the recent posts on picture frames. This would hold them for anything.

Mariano

Something out of left field as you probably do not have a compressor in the apartment, well not if you want to keep in good with the neighbors.

Maybe some thing like the Vac-Clamp

www.vac-clamp.com

Australian made. Check out the website.

Yes I do have a vested interest, but how else can I suggest it?

In case I forget

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE ON THE FORUM!!

Have a look at a Zyliss (or Z-vise).

I recently re-discovered mine. Had not used it for 25 years. Now I do so all the time.

http://www.advmachinery.com/manuals/Zvise.pdf

Regards from Perth

Derek

Derek, that looks to me as if you have got one of your old toys out

Another top clamped to the existing cabinet top? This sub-top for the want of a better word could have a vise etc attached to it on an overhang. The clamping would have to be done either across or length ways and I would use cam clamps.

here is what I meant by a wedge clamp in the posts above. The base could be quite large. You would have to position the blocks to suit the project but it could be tailored to any shape or size that fits on the table. You could also have taller wedges for bigger bits.