Anyone have experience with Felder Pneumatic Hold Down Clamps?

[Aaron Inami]

Hey Chris so do you find that the fritz and franz holds a long piece steady enough to straight line rip the board perfectly? That's honestly the only reason I was thinking about the pneumatic clamps. I have the f&f made by Bedrosian Woodworks, so it's a super nice one. I was just worried about long rips. Thanks for the info and for potentially saving me a bunch of money! ha

Generally, the Fritz-n-Franz will hold the piece steady enough, especially if you use flip-stops on both of them. But you can apply some friction tape to the Fritz-n-franz if you feel you need something extra:

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/friction-tape/

[Chris Parks]

Hey Chris so do you find that the fritz and franz holds a long piece steady enough to straight line rip the board perfectly? That's honestly the only reason I was thinking about the pneumatic clamps. I have the f&f made by Bedrosian Woodworks, so it's a super nice one. I was just worried about long rips. Thanks for the info and for potentially saving me a bunch of money! ha

As long as the piece being ripped is not flexible to the extent you cannot apply enough load on the jig to clamp it then yes I use the F&F jig. Understand the F&F jig was originally invented to be a clamp and not have any measuring built in and I had a fancy Incra equipped F&F jig and never used it because it is not needed. Where the idea for built in measing ever came from is a mystery because it is not needed for any reason I can think of or ever needed. Set the rip fence to the measurement you need and using the F&F jig use the rip fence as the measuring bump stop and the "off cut" is the piece that fits which is opposite to how a table.

This was mine Attachment 515643

This shows the short fence I use as a bump stop on the rip head. It shows why there is no need for a measuring system in the F&F jig when the rip fence measuring system does the same thing.


Showing the plain jig and rip fence as a bump stop Attachment 515645 Attachment 515646

I cut a piece off the rip fence to use as a bump stop even though the full length fence could be used because I rarely use the rip fence for its intended purpose always ripping on the sliding table if possible and it also means I don't have to keep walking around the fence if it is in the proper position when ripping. The only reason it is as long as it is because it needs to be that long for combination machines when using the shaper.

Attachment 515647The other disadvantage with most measuring systems built into the F&F jig is the jig cannot close right up as shown in this pic. it is possible to overcome that problem but I have got to ask why it is needed in the first place.

[John Pendery]

Hey Chris so do you find that the fritz and franz holds a long piece steady enough to straight line rip the board perfectly? That's honestly the only reason I was thinking about the pneumatic clamps. I have the f&f made by Bedrosian Woodworks, so it's a super nice one. I was just worried about long rips. Thanks for the info and for potentially saving me a bunch of money! ha

Josh, your saw will most likely come with an edging shoe. It’s kind of like a wedge that one end of the board pushes up against while putting a straight edge on a board.

I think Chris has a good point that you might want to use the saw a bit and figure out how you’ll be using it if you are unsure before buying expensive pneumatic clamps. I wouldn’t be without pneumatic clamps or a fritz and franz jig or several other jigs for that matter. They each serve their own purpose and do different things well.

A lot of folks push back saying pneumatic clamps are crazy expensive and totally unnecessary, but you’ll find a whole group at the other end of the spectrum who can’t afford to be without quick and seamless clamping devices at every machine in the shop for a combination of safety, speed, and accuracy. Neither group is right or wrong, just different needs and styles of work.

[Jim Becker]

Hey Chris so do you find that the fritz and franz holds a long piece steady enough to straight line rip the board perfectly? That's honestly the only reason I was thinking about the pneumatic clamps. I have the f&f made by Bedrosian Woodworks, so it's a super nice one. I was just worried about long rips. Thanks for the info and for potentially saving me a bunch of money! ha

I've used my F&F for longer boards with no issue...but they were, of course, flat and true prior. I do prefer using clamps for rips, however, as it completely takes the hands out of the picture for a "perfect" edge...something I want off the saw because I do not take the boards back to the jointer for edge dressing most of the time. F&F is more effective for shorter stock, IMHO, but is still very versatile.

[Josh Baldwin]

Thanks for all the help guys. I think I'll take the advice to just wait and see how much I need the clamps after a few months of use. I did go ahead and get the Kreg clamps, so I feel like that should be totally fine for now.

[Brian Holcombe]

I tend to fall on the side of preference toward air clamps wherever possible. It’s often slightly slower than just holding the part but air clamps hold much tighter and keep your hands further away from the cutter.

[Chris Parks]

Why do none of the pictures I uploaded do not appear in my last post. When I go into edit they are all there.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hey Chris so do you find that the fritz and franz holds a long piece steady enough to straight line rip the board perfectly? That's honestly the only reason I was thinking about the pneumatic clamps. I have the f&f made by Bedrosian Woodworks, so it's a super nice one. I was just worried about long rips. Thanks for the info and for potentially saving me a bunch of money! ha

David Bedrosian was at a format saw seminar I was hosting and he brought his F&F jig just to make mine look shabby😉😉.

I agree with Chris, straight line with the F&F jig then use the short fence as an alignment stop for the F&F to rip a few mm oversized

No measurements or clamps required

Regards, Rod.

[Chris Parks]

Why do none of the pictures I uploaded do not appear in my last post. When I go into edit they are all there.

Jim, can you please have a look at my post that should show images and let me know why they are there in the edit screen but not when viewed in the thread. Thanks.

[Steve Jenkins]

Jim, can you please have a look at my post that should show images and let me know why they are there in the edit screen but not when viewed in the thread. Thanks.

Chris, you need to be a contributor to see pics. Only 6 bucks per year.

[Chris Parks]

Chris, you need to be a contributor to see pics. Only 6 bucks per year.

No, I can see all other pics when I am logged in.

[Jim Becker]

No, I can see all other pics when I am logged in.

Maybe if they are linked from another site, but only Contributors can see images uploaded to SCM...it's been that way for a few years now. Contributors get images, private messaging and access to the Classifieds. It's only six bux a year.

[Chris Parks]

Maybe if they are linked from another site, but only Contributors can see images uploaded to SCM...it's been that way for a few years now. Contributors get images, private messaging and access to the Classifieds. It's only six bux a year.

That's weird Jim because I see all images uploaded and always have and we have had this discussion before.

[Jeff Monson]

I'd 2nd Chris's advice. I use a F & F jig quite often on my KF700 and it works extremely well. I have a couple auto set Kreg clamps with t-nuts that I use if I really need to clamp a piece to the slider. Use the saw and see if you feel the need. I tried to use the Felder eccentric clamps a few times and found them always in the way.

[Alan Lightstone]

Strangely, I can't see the images either, and I'm a contributor. Not an issue I've run into before.
I get the message "Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator"