Clamp, straightedge??

[Pete Bova]

I got this at a tag sale the other day but no markings or any instructions with it. The fellow selling it had no idea what is was either.
Anyone have an idea what it is or who made it? I'm not sure if all the parts are there but here are some pics of the item.
It measures 56 1/4" tip to tip, and it's about 1 5/8" X 1 3/4" around.It has a cam style clamp that slides so you can clamp it to a table top or a sheet of plywood.
At first I thought it was just a fancy straight edge for using a router or skil saw with but now I'm not to sure.
Any help would be appreciated.

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/7529/dsc00122j.jpg
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/4237/dsc00124dj.jpg


http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/8913/dsc00123o.jpg

[Lex Boegen]

It sure looks like a clamping guide for a saw or a router. I have several different models myself, and that resembles them (especially the Kobalt one that I got from Lowes). 56 inches sounds about right for cross-cutting a 4x8 sheet of plywood.

[Bill LaPointe]

It is a clamp guide. I bought a set of 3 about 5 years ago from an ad, can't remember who from. Works great. I use them for sheet goods cutting.

[Keith Westfall]

Typical woodworker...

I'm not sure what it is, or what it does, but the price is good so yeah, I'll buy it!!

I would say good score IF the price was right. :D

[Nathan Callender]

It's a clamping guide. I have one that I purchased a while ago from harborfrieght that looks just like it for, I think, $20. It's alright to use since you don't have to worry about the side of a cir saw being blocked by the clamps.

Were I to set up shop with what I know now, I would look into the track saws for this type of stuff, but this gets me by fine for right now for breaking down sheet goods. What I REALLY want is a slider though! :-)

[Brian D Anderson]

Yup . . . sure looks like this one:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93589

I hope you paid less than $15 for it. :)

-Brian

[Pete Bova]

That does look like the Harbor Freight unit. Only difference is mine has 2 pieces bolted together, one above the other but only 1 side has a clamp. Harbor Freight's looks like just the bottom section with the clamp.

Thanks to everyone for the input / info. Now I can hang it on my wall till it's needed.

Oh, by the way, only paid $1.00 for it.:D
Sometimes you get lucky....