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Thread: Review this workbench before I start building

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    Champaign Illinois
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    2,306
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    John, the Gramercy hold-fasts from toolsforworkingwood.com are excellent. . . .
    Thanks for the tip. Looks like a pair of those are coming my way.
    Last edited by Chris Padilla; 05-29-2008 at 3:14 PM.
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  2. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Once you have them, John, you can use them to figure out how much clearance you need between your bench top and the cabinet underneath.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Columbia, SC
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    702
    John,

    I don't think you would have trouble with holdfasts deforming dog holes in a SYP bench top. Chris Schwartz is a fan of both holdfasts and SYP bench tops. I've never heard him mention anything about holdfasts deforming his dog holes.

    As for how much clearance to allow under your bench top, it depends on how long the shank of the holdfast is. I designed my bench to accommodate Veritas holdfasts from Lee Valley and, if I recall correctly, I allowed 10" clearance below the surface of the bench top. I subsequenhtly ordered two Gramercy holdfasts from Joel and the 10" clearance was plenty for them.

    I have really enjoyed both holdfasts. They work great. The Gramercys are traditional ones that you set and release with a mallet strike. The Veritas ones are tightened and loosened with a threaded knob on top. The Veritas also have a sharp-ribbed shank that WILL NOT SLIP once it's tightened on the work. Both work in a 3/4" dog hole and both are capable of lots of clamping force.

    Hank

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Columbia, SC
    Posts
    702

    P.s.

    John,

    I found this photo of my bench that shows the clearance below the bench top. It cost me some drawer space, but the holdfasts were worth it ten times over.



    This design would probably resolve your issue related to cleaning the shavings and trash out of your center line tool tray: dump it on the top of your drawer case and sweep/vacuum it away.

    My $.02, FWIW.

    Hank
    Last edited by Hank Knight; 05-29-2008 at 3:01 PM. Reason: Correct spelling error

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Champaign Illinois
    Posts
    2,306
    My thinking . . and correct me quick if I'm wrong, is that there will be at five inches of overhang front and back and more than that on the sides, and that I can use holdfasts there.

    It will leave me with "unclampable" space in the middle, but I don't see that as a problem, and if it is, I can use other methods, like the Veritas hold down with the shorter shank there.

    If based on experience, that doesn't make sense, let me know.

    Thanks,
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  6. #21
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Near Charlotte, NC
    Posts
    1,056
    Holdfasts rule. I use the regular Jorgensen ones (http://www.amazon.com/REACH-BENCH-HO.../dp/B000KUVQEY) and they work well. I don't think you have to worry much about that small amount of "unclampable space". I can't think of a scenario where you'd have to put something so small away from the edges.

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