Lift-action Toggle Clamp???

[Kent A Bathurst]

I have a (slightly harebrained) scheme in mind that requires a toggle clamp that acts with a lift-up action, rather than the standard hold-down version. Something exactly like the ubiquitous de-sta-co toggles, except in reverse. I'm familiar with the cam-style clamps from Rockler (have some) but these would be too light-weight for me.

Can't find anything.

Suggestions?

Thanks

[Perry Holbrook]

Look at McMaster-Carr.

Perry

[Mark Steinbach]

http://www.amazon.com/MSI-PRO-MSI-36010-Quick-Release-Toggle-Clamps/dp/B0000224BM/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1273680494&sr=8-6

[Rob Cunningham]

Check out Carr-Lane, they might have what you're looking for.
http://www.carrlane.com/catalog/index.cfm/26605071F0B021118070C1C510D020609090C0015480013180 B041D1E173C1B085354

[Kent A Bathurst]

Perry + Mark -

thanks for the ideas - appreciate the input. Been there already can't make the horizontal action work (I got somma them) and Mc-M-Carr doesn't have anything out-of-the-ordinary either (nor Grainger) . This might never work out - I have an inquiry into De-sta-co.

I need something that looks like this garden-variety toggle clamp, other than the action needs to lift up, not act as a hold-down. And - no - one'a them mounted upside down won't work/won't fit.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21ZTiFZ-I-L._SL500_AA300_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B001JK0PDW/sr=1-6/qid=1273683819/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=16310091&s=industrial&qid=1273683819&sr=1-6)

[Roger Newby]

Do you have enough room to put the clamp shown to push down on a lever and the lever will push up?

[Gary McKown]

Kent - it might help if we knew what you were trying to do, but based on making a coping sled from materials that were too thin you definitely can get "lift" with one of the standard clamps. Let's say you have two panels and you want to lift the edge of a thin "A" relative to a thick "B". Mount the clamp flange near the edge of A and secure the opposite side to B. Closing the clamp plunger onto B then will lift the edge of A.

Lifting the center of A (creating a bulge) can be done by securing all sides of A and drilling a hole for the clamp plunger to contact the surface of B.

I like the lever idea, too. Close clamp DOWN on lever and opposite end goes UP. You can tradeoff clamping force and operating distance.

[Kent A Bathurst]

........it might help if we knew what you were trying to do.........

Duh.

I am almost finished with a serious table for my DP. What I have in mind is a pair of "lift-up" toggle clamps to sit on top of the fence. The bolt that one would normally use to spin down a star-knob to tighten the fence would instead go through the open end of the clamp [where the pressure foot is shown in the photo] - activate the clamp, and the clamp's base plate/foot would push down on the fence. I don't want to lift up on the fence - I want to lift up on the bolt, putting downward force on the fence.

I know, I know - "WHAT? You want a $15 solution to replace the 50-cent star knob?" I (a) just like toggle clamps [former career in mfg productivity improvement and set-up reduction], and (b) I've already done the star-knob thing - I just like to come up with different solutions to the same old problem, usually for no reason other than they are different. I am easily bored, apparently.

As I said in OP - I have some of the Rockler cam clamps - right concept - they work great for their purpose, but I want more # pressure than they can give me. I have pretty much zero table surface behind the fence to spare for the clamping - I've gone back as far as I can go and still have reasonable access to the table lock and table height crank.

Briefly thought about - not kidding - a dual-action pneumatic clamp, but by the time the controls, lines, regulator, blah-blah-blah are in the mix....even I am not that wacko. Thought about making cam clamps from wood - but felt they wouldn't handle the force without breaking. Am considering a design with small plywood rounds + off-center hole for a cam - some kinda bolt for a lever.

[Gary McKown]

O.K., that helps. How about this...Mount the fence with bolts that just loosely hold the fence and allow adjustment. Mount clamp on fence elsewhere. Adjust pressure foot so it clamps down to the table when activated. When activated, clamp moves fence *UP* against the bolts, holding the fence rigidly.

[Mike Langford]

Kent,

Can you use something like this?:

150996
150997
150998
150999
151000

I have two (only one has the pressure foot/rubber snubber) that you're welcome to if they are what you're lookin' for....

151004
151006

[Kent A Bathurst]

Thanks, Mike - I've got a buncha them - I was hoping for something that basically looked the same, but operated in reverse - moving the handle would force the pressure end up - not down.

Got a response from De-sta-co: "Nope. No such thing."

Oh, well.

[John Coloccia]

Kent, I know you say mounting them upside down won't work, but maybe you're not thinking about it right... ;)

1) bolts through the top of the fence extending through your DP table
2) wood plates with holes in them (for the bolt to pass through) underneath the table
3) recess hole on underside of plate for a nut to capture the bolt
4) mount standard clamps on underside of wood plates

When you actuate the clamps, they will clamp against the bottom of the drill press table, pulling the fence down. You're table is probably not solid (probably ribbed), so you will need to use a beefy piece of steel or wood across the bottom so the clamps have a consistent place to clamp against.

I hope that makes sense.

[Walt Nicholson]

Bolt, nut and rocker arm off a small block chevy. Drill out the little cup where the pushrod goes to attach your bolt. Clamp pushes down on one end, rocker arm pulls up on the other.

[John Schreiber]

How about one of these:


http://www.leevalley.com/US/images/item/woodworking/clamps/05j5101s5.jpg http://www.leevalley.com/US/images/item/woodworking/clamps/05j5101i2.jpg
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=45034&cat=1,43455,61994&ap=1

Not the same look, but maybe the function you want.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Kent, I know you say mounting them upside down won't work, but maybe you're not thinking about it right... ;)

1) bolts through the top of the fence extending through your DP table
2) wood plates with holes in them (for the bolt to pass through) underneath the table
3) recess hole on underside of plate for a nut to capture the bolt
4) mount standard clamps on underside of wood plates

When you actuate the clamps, they will clamp against the bottom of the drill press table, pulling the fence down. You're table is probably not solid (probably ribbed), so you will need to use a beefy piece of steel or wood across the bottom so the clamps have a consistent place to clamp against.

I hope that makes sense.


Hmmm.....non-linear thinking, John - I like it. I built the table out of 2 x ply, with 6 strips of T-track for clamps and for the fence. I have an oddly-configured basemenet (at least, at that end of the shop), and I had to build the table @ 20" wide, with 2 hinged 10" wings - the wings have to fold down to let me (occasionally) get to stuff stored behind the BS, DP, and DC (as I said - odd situation). The wings are supported by under-mounted swing arms.

I tell you all the details only because Ima gonna have to think about my ability to get the toggle clamps in position. I'm not wedded to fence-on-T-track config. I do like your thinking though - one of those head-slap moments "how did I NOT think of THAT?".

[Kent A Bathurst]

John - I've got a couple of Rockler's versions - not identical but very similar. I kinda dismissed them out-of-hand because I didn't think they would have the muscle to do what I want. I might have been too quick on that trigger, though.

One of the clamp sets I am using are the standard-variety de-sta-co toggle clamps riding on a carrier using the T-track, that hold the target piece with lateral force against the fence - so I was focused on enough downwared force to hold against the lateral clamping force.

Another idea for consideration - thanks.



How about one of these:


http://www.leevalley.com/US/images/item/woodworking/clamps/05j5101s5.jpg http://www.leevalley.com/US/images/item/woodworking/clamps/05j5101i2.jpg
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=45034&cat=1,43455,61994&ap=1

Not the same look, but maybe the function you want.

[Kent A Bathurst]

BTW - some of you will recall a thread of mine from a while back re: using the TS left-handed. Unanimous "NFW". Wise counsel that I followed.

My new DP table, fence, and target clamping schemes are all an outgrowth of that thread. I figure if I make it easy enough to clamp the target for hands-off operation, my life will end up better overall.

Scroll down this thread for photo. The only time in > 12 years with all the toys in play that enything like this ever happened, and it happened on what I always thought of as the most benign stationary tool in the shop. Wrong.

Last - if you don't have a DP table with the ability to clamp the target, you may want to reconsider.......;)

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=131258

[Callan Campbell]

BTW - some of you will recall a thread of mine from a while back re: using the TS left-handed. Unanimous "NFW". Wise counsel that I followed.

My new DP table, fence, and target clamping schemes are all an outgrowth of that thread. I figure if I make it easy enough to clamp the target for hands-off operation, my life will end up better overall.

Scroll down this thread for photo. The only time in > 12 years with all the toys in play that enything like this ever happened, and it happened on what I always thought of as the most benign stationary tool in the shop. Wrong.
- I ALWAYS have respect for drill presses. The very first accident I ever saw in a shop was 9th grade metalworking. A fellow kid didn't have a drill press vise locked down to the table. Drill bit grab the project he was working on, vise began its climb upward till the bit broke. Then,it took off across a room full of people, hit one kid hard in the leg. No broken bones, but major bruise for him for a number of weeks. The kid at the DP was in total shock, as were we all. When Cast Iron machine vises fly! :eek::eek::eek:

Last - if you don't have a DP table with the ability to clamp the target, you may want to reconsider.......;) Yes, Yes, and I STILL feel your pain after looking at your pictures the 2nd time, and just as unsettling too:(

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=131258
You can build what you want, then contact De-Sta-Co back and say, THERE IS NOW BUCKO![ No such animal indeed!]

[Kent A Bathurst]

Callan - the photo was labelled M..O..R..O..N. Will always be appropriate. Dumb, dumb, dumb - as are most such accidents. If there is a sharp thingy spinning anywhere close to a body part, never take your eyes off of it. You know that. I know that. We all know that. M..O..R..O..N.

I earned the label. Paid for it, too - real, actual money. Not to mention jeers, gufffaws, etc from my best friends - had no comeback, for the first time in my life. "Yep - y'all're right."

I forget if it was in the original thread, but, taped to the DP just above the START button, is the ID armband issued to me when the LOML walked me into the ER. Ya goes to start up that critter, and there is a warning that basically says "HEY!! A*****E!! RING A BELL?? GOT ANY NON-BLOOD-LETTING PLANS TODAY??" heh-heh-heh. I laugh at it. Well, I laugh at me, actually. Sheeeeeesh.

Build a table, sports fans.