Hold Downs From Harry Strasil: Thanks

[Jim Foster]

I picked up several sets of Harry Strasil's holdfasts last year when I was building my bench. Last night I needed to clamp a composite length of trim I glued up previously to my bench in order to glue a "scab" to it, and then plane it afterwards. If I tried this before my bench was built or without holdfasts the process would have been a real "Rube Goldberg!" With my bench and several of Harry's holdfasts, it turned out to be trivial and very robust. Also, key to the process was being able to secure the work so I could plane easily and without risk of banging up my plane. First I had to glue-up, then change things a little to plane it smooth. It's really refreshing to see simple old-fashioned solutions be so versatile and work so well.

Thanks Harry! Your holdfasts are possibly the most often used tools in my home shop.




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[Maurice Ungaro]

Jr.'s holdfasts are tops! I have a pair and love them.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Where has Harry been lately?

[Bob Warfield]

I also have a pair of Mr. Strasil's hold downs. They work perfectly every time.
Jim I sure do like your shop. Looking out the windows it looks like you are on the 2nd. floor?
Thanks...Bob

[Jim Foster]

Thanks, I have do have a second floor shop over a garage. We added a garage to the house in 2008 and I lobbied for a room above the garage that I have since claimed by imminent domain or squatter's rights. The windows by the bench face northerly, so there is never a problem with too much sun shine on the bench.

It also is getting more fun to be in the shop as I gravitate more towards hand tools. Sanding with a ROS even with dust collection is a misery for me and I am trying to see if hand planing can replace the ROS altogether. To get my tablesaw and other equipment up, I have a trap door I use in conjunction with a simple chain fall I set up temporarily. The only two challenges so far are that the floor is a little soft and it vibrates when tools are in use, and it's not heated so it gets a little cold, 45 degrees this AM, but when I'm moving around, the temp never seems that bad, and the way the garage was built, the shop room will not freeze.


I also have a pair of Mr. Strasil's hold downs. They work perfectly every time.
Jim I sure do like your shop. Looking out the windows it looks like you are on the 2nd. floor?
Thanks...Bob