Hold fast

[Dave Lehnert]

Will a hold fast work in a hole that is deeper than the hold fast is long?

[Jim Koepke]

Depends on the hold fast and how deep the hole.

The ones I bought from LV certainly will. They are not actually the traditional hold fast. The are more of a bench top clamp. They have a wedge controlled by a threaded shaft to draw them up tight in a 3/4" dog hole.

The clamp is cantilevered and has a locking mechanism and a threaded pad to hold the work.

If you go to Lee Valley and do an item search for surface clamp you will find them. Kind of pricey, but they do work nice.

jim

[Dewey Torres]

Holdfasts work by wedging against the dog holes. A dog hole can be "not deep enough" (by not allowing this wedging process to take place)... but not "too deep" for a hold fast to work if that make sense.
Dewey

[Billy Chambless]

The traditional style (the ones you tap in with a mallet) have problems with benches thicker than about 4", at least according to Christopher Schwartz. I suspect this is because the thicker benchtop limits the wedging angle, and therefore the amount of pressure exerted on the workpiece.

[Stephen Shepherd]

Dave,

In answer to your question 'yes', you can use a hold fast in a hole that is deeper than the shank. I have used one in a blind hole in a stump.

I also use one on my two 4 inch thick bench tops, on my 2 inch thick bench top and its 1" thick apron. As long as the holdfast cants and wedges any hole of the right size will work.

Stephen