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Thread: Holdfast not holding

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Odessa, Tx
    Posts
    163
    My bench is a tad thicker than 3 inch. I will sand a little bit more tonight, or just take a file to it. I didn't think of a bench stop, I did buy some 3/4 dowel for making a few dogs, I'll make either the stop or dogs tonight and test them out with the holdfasts. I'm still new to doing all this with just hand tools. Thanks a lot for all of your suggestions, would you guys recommend leather in my vise also? I added wood faces to it and the slightest tap makes the work piece move, I really hate tightening down to much, leaves a slight indention.

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Austin Texas
    Posts
    1,957
    A very have definite yes to leather on the vice faces in my experience. Made a world of diffence for me. Look up a You Tube or something video/discussion on adding a random pattern of centerpunched dimples to the shaft of the holdfast for another possible solution to the holdfast issue. I use Grammercy holdfasts and I do have to slap them very sharply when fixing them in place. May take a second slap sometimes. Leather glued to the holding face of the holdfast works also. As Joel said, they are not going to necessarily hold against a "twisting" force, but should hold on a "down" force.
    David

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Longview WA
    Posts
    27,347
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Blake M Williams View Post
    My bench is a tad thicker than 3 inch. I will sand a little bit more tonight, or just take a file to it. I didn't think of a bench stop, I did buy some 3/4 dowel for making a few dogs, I'll make either the stop or dogs tonight and test them out with the holdfasts. I'm still new to doing all this with just hand tools. Thanks a lot for all of your suggestions, would you guys recommend leather in my vise also? I added wood faces to it and the slightest tap makes the work piece move, I really hate tightening down to much, leaves a slight indention.
    For the vise faces you may also consider cork. Cork is available in sheets with adhesive backing very inexpensively at many art stores, kitchen supply and home improvement stores.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Cape Town, South Africa
    Posts
    40
    It is interesting that everyone who oiled or waxed their holdfasts struggled to get them to grip. Are new holdfasts not oiled from factory? Once the oil is removed/sanded off, they work. If anyone has new ones, try degreasing them with some carb cleaner. Same with bench holes. Give them a wipe with acetone.

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Odessa, Tx
    Posts
    163
    Ok, so 60 grit made it hold better. Yesterday I took more sandpaper to it and attacked it with a file, holds great now. Thx for all the feedback.

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Coquitlam
    Posts
    394
    Quote Originally Posted by Prashun Patel View Post
    I have the Gramercy Holdfasts and had the same issue. As soon as I roughed them with 80 grit, they held fine. In fact, now I find that they work better with my holes that were not so precisely 3/4" but just a tad larger. They release easier.

    I was amazed how much a difference this made.
    Excuse the reply to old post.

    My holdfasts stopped working completely few months back. Even when new I had to whack them hard with lump hammer. And, they did not work in all but few holes.

    Found this thread, used 80 grit sandpaper and went over the shaft (round and round).

    Now they work super nice. They are holding by hand pressure and need light hammer tap to disengage.

    Thank you!

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Provo, UT
    Posts
    390
    Quote Originally Posted by Kesh Ikuma View Post
    Sorry to sidetrack a bit, but what do you all do against holdfast rusting? [...]
    Nothing. The rust helps them hold better.

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