SawStop sliding table

[Ray Newman]

Colleagues: I run a SawStop with the smaller sliding table. Works well.

Now here's my question: is there an aftermarket or shop fabricated clamp that will fit/work on the sliding table fence?

[Mike King]

I've never seen one, but looked at the fence online. The Microjig dovetail clamps look like they might fit and are useful in their own right if they don't.

[glenn bradley]

From the profile it look like a small f-style clamp would do. despite having a wide variety of tracks and fixtures for things I just use one of these (https://www.besseytools.com/en/product_details.php?ASIMOID=0000000100038a74000200 23&ASIMOID_SC=000000010003270400030023&ASIMOID_MC=000000000001f3f000030023) on my sleds more often than not. For deeper clamping to a fence I use a parallel clamp of a close size.

[Ray Newman]

Thought more 'bout this today and am going to take a look at the Bessey auto-adjust toggle clamps -- https://www.woodcraft.com/products/bessey-auto-adjust-horizontal-toggle-clamp-high --
and the River toggles, such as -- https://www.woodcraft.com/products/woodriver-low-silhouette-toggle-clamp-6-x-1-3-4-200-lb-capacity

Might need to change out the threaded stem for a longer one.

Just need to figure out how to mount them so they can moveable along the fence

[Mike King]

mounting along the fence is one of the advantages of the microjig dovetail clamp -- if it fits the grove in that fence, which I suspect it will.

[glenn bradley]

Thought more 'bout this today and am going to take a look at the Bessey auto-adjust toggle clamps -- https://www.woodcraft.com/products/bessey-auto-adjust-horizontal-toggle-clamp-high --
and the River toggles, such as -- https://www.woodcraft.com/products/woodriver-low-silhouette-toggle-clamp-6-x-1-3-4-200-lb-capacity

Might need to change out the threaded stem for a longer one.

Just need to figure out how to mount them so they can moveable along the fence

Ah-ha, I misunderstood; you want downward pressure. I use the Bessey auto-adjust clamps for template routing.

389573

They are a real time saver. BTW, the Rockler version (http://www.rockler.com/auto-lock-t-track-hold-down-clamp) is terribly inconsistent in clamping pressure and I would avoid them.

If you didn't want to make your own plates for them to mount to, Lee Valley offers some (http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.aspx?p=71461&cat=1,43838,43845&ap=1); the t-bolts may have to be swapped for something that fits your track. The auto-adjust clamps also come in a smaller form (http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.aspx?p=71452&cat=1,43838,43845&ap=1) which may or may not help.

[Derek Cohen]

Ray, I would be cautious with clamps such as the autoadjust types. These create much force from inside the track - I tried out a couple on aluminium track inserts, and it bent them. What I use on my Hammer K3 is a version (there are a number of brands available) of the Incra (https://www.google.com.au/search?q=incra+clamp&rlz=1C9BKJA_enAU724AU724&hl=en-GB&prmd=sinv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwigwp-SqZ3cAhUCLpQKHRt9Dl8Q_AUIEigC&biw=1024&bih=653#imgrc=wUixxtm8zqRmlM:) Track Clamp, which screw down, so you can adjust the down force.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Ray Newman]

Glenn Bradley: thanks for the Lee Valley link! Looks like it might work.

Derek: saw your response and checked the Bessey web site. Bessey claims the clamping force for the auto-adjust clamps is adjustable from approximately 25 to 550 pounds. I also looked at the sliding table fence. It is fabricated from 5mm thick MM ("Mystery Metal"). With a low clamping force, it just might not distort??

I prefer the quick action type clamps. Recently ran a project that needed 10 dadoes and 4 rabbets. To hold the parts down, I utilized a block of wood held to the fence by a small F-clamp. Became tiring/time consuming adjusting the clamp/wood block every time I moved the parts for another cut.

[Roger Feeley]

Slightly off topic,

i looked at at the SS slider and the thing that bugs me is taking the miter fence on and off. If I want to feed a big piece of plywood, the fence has to come off. It seemed to me that the procedure is just too involved.

comments?