Toggle Clamp Adjustability - Any Thoughts?

[Nate Secrist]

I am planning on building a mortising jig that will use 3 toggle clamps to hold the work-piece in
a horizontal or vertical position.

I have used toggle clamps like the one below on a couple of other jigs - a taper sled for the tablesaw and a tablesaw miter jig

I like the holding power of these clamps, but I don't like the way you have to adjust them when you have different wood thicknesses being clamped.
In order to change the clamping pressure of these clamps - you have to loosen the nut below and above the clamping mechanism - it is a pain to do this......

Unless I am missing something and using these incorrectly?

I would like to have something more simple to use - like the Kreg AutoMaxx concept. The Kreg AutoMaxx have too long of reach on them - I need something smaller....

Can anyone give me any ideas of different clamps to use that are more flexible?
It seems like at one of the woodworking shows, I saw one of these toggle clamps that you could adjust easier.....but can't remember who had them.

Here is a picture of the Mortising Jig where the clamps are being used.
http://www.wwj.info/Resource.ashx?sn=SBClampTheWorkpiece

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/716NCN9SY5L.gif


Thanks Alot

Nate

[George Bokros]

Bessey has some auto adjusting toggle clamps.

http://besseytools.com/en/subcategory.php?ASIMOID_SC=000000030000da0d0003002 3&ASIMOID_MC=000000000001f07600030023

Pricey but should do the job for you.

[Bill Graham]

Rockler has these (http://www.rockler.com/quick-set-post-handle-clamp) but you need to wait for them to go on sale, they drop down below $10.00. I think I paid $6.99 for the last bunch I bought.

HTH,
Bill

[Michael Peet]

Hi Nate,

I recently built a router jig for mortising and bought 3 toggle clamps for exactly the same reason. I did not end up using them because I found they don't accommodate a very wide range of stock thicknesses. Instead, I mounted a piece of T-track on the fence and used and some Rockler hold down clamps like these:

303613
Mike

[Ray Newman]

Agree on the Besey clamps -- they are the cat's meow and the bee's knees....

[Mike Heidrick]

I am crazy but I would try and use Bimba pneumatic cylinders from ebay.

Before I could mod much alum I got these from a multirouter and made a tabe on my mortise to use Kreg track. I also use them on my face frame table.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e169/BloomingtonMike/mortisertable2.jpg