Thread: Bench Hold Downs

Check out my drawing for a solution.

its a threaded rod that passes thru a 3mm metal hold down. this hold down can vary in size depending on the work peice and has an elongated hole where the rod passes thru. on the under side of yor workbench theres a t nut that recieves the threaded rod. use a couple of self tapper screws to stop the t-nut from dropping out.

hope this may give you some ideas

G

Do you want ones with a screw adjustment? If so, just buy one from Lee Valley (just like the pic) or Irwin/Record. Available locally from Mik or Carbatec amongst others, or get them direct.

If a hold down powered by a hammer is suitable, then - yeah, been there, done that. Most good blacksmithing books have a section in the basic tools chapters on how to make & use one as they are a standard work-alone tool for smiths for punching & cutting - 3 or 4 arms being handy for some operations.

Get a length of steel bar - 15mm Mild steel will do, or an old truck coil spring if you are feeling adventurous - heat it to a cheery red colour, bend it over the edge of your anvil & keep going to about 30 degrees off parallel, then bend one leg back in a curve. Quench. Put straight leg in hole & bang end with hammer - down to lock & up from underneath to unlock.

Here is a way of making a bench hold. Just buy a cheap F Clamp from Supercheap Autos.

http://www.woodworkingtips.com/etips/etip090100ws.html

Nice link there Barry.

G

I just use a QuikGrip - the heads pop off easily for conversion from clamp to spreader, so they're a natural for this application.

You can also buy QuikGrips which are designed for use as bench hold-downs. These have a fitting which mounts to the bottom of the bench.

Cheers,
Andrew

Great link bazza, I thought I'd read every tip there was to read on the net.

Looks prety easy, though not as fun as barechested hammerring hot metal on an anvil

And btw, what exactly do they mean by "crimping" the screw threads?

Why would you bother making hold downs, it would cost more in time and effort.
Get down to Carbatec and spend $19 for a pair of hold downs with quick release nuts and cam operated tightening/loosening.

Originally Posted by LineLefty

Great link bazza, I thought I'd read every tip there was to read on the net.

Looks prety easy, though not as fun as barechested hammerring hot metal on an anvil

And btw, what exactly do they mean by "crimping" the screw threads?

Thats not a bad site. There is a few good tips there and you can subscribe and they send out a new tip every week or so.

To crimp the screw threads just means to burr them over so that the nut doesn't come off because if you had the nut too tight you would have difficulty swiveling the the piece of metal. It would be just as easy to use a Nyloc Nut instead.

Originally Posted by LineLefty

And btw, what exactly do they mean by "crimping" the screw threads?

That means whacking the threads with a hammer to distort the threads so the nut will not come off easily

Why would someone make these things?

Because most of us by nature are the type of people who will spend time and energy making something that we can easily buy at the shop.

Resourcefullness is a wonderful thing.

Originally Posted by LineLefty

Why would someone make these things?

Because most of us by nature are the type of people who will spend time and energy making something that we can easily buy at the shop.

Resourcefullness is a wonderful thing.

I am all for making jigs or something useful but for less than $10 for a hold down get real.

Originally Posted by Sprog

Why would you bother making hold downs, it would cost more in time and effort.
Get down to Carbatec and spend $19 for a pair of hold downs with quick release nuts and cam operated tightening/loosening.

The benefit of the home made one is that you don't have to climb under the bench to put the nut on and when you get old with a beer gut it gets harder to get under the bench. With this one you just wriggle the clamp for the piece to swivel round and the then you have the quick adjustment of the F Clamp.

Bazza,

I can just imagine you scrambling around under the bench

Originally Posted by Sprog

Bazza,

I can just imagine you scrambling around under the bench

Not a pretty site I assure you.