Workbench Improvements

[Handplanesandmore]

John,
Not my kind of thing, but I have seen people put tracks on their benches and use the Kreg kind of clamps. Google can find out some of their designs. Then you also got this: http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.as...3838,43845

When you plan your holes, you may also want to take these into consideration:

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.as...at=1,41637
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.as...1645,31127
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.as...1637,41645

Check out their videos.
Free shipping until 10th, subject to $149 order value.

Simon

[jteneyck]

Simon, stop it, you're giving me too many things to think about!  

John

[Handplanesandmore]

Christmas shopping time!

Simon

[Tapper]

Simon, I know very little about the MFT table actually.  I know they use some kind of clamp, but really have no clue how it works. Whenever I look at Festool's stuff the prices quickly make me look elsewhere.  The MFT costs, what, $1000 or something like that.  Seriously?  As for using the F-style long term, I rather doubt I will.  It works well enough from what I've tested but, as you said, the reach is limited compared to a holdfast.  That along with its simplicity makes the holdfast, orf the Lee Valley cam action hold down that Doug showed, a better long term solution.  So I'll probably drill a few holes in my other bench first and see how the F-style clamp actually works for everyday use.  That bench has a replaceable 1/8" Masonite top on it, so I can easily plug any unwanted holes in the laminated maple underneath and have a "new" bench top again with a new piece of Masonite.  

The long reach F-style clamps that I have do indeed have a wider bar, so they aren't a good option unless you mill the bar down to 3/4" and then you'd likely have to cut some new serrations in that edge for it to grip well.  Another option that might be pretty easy to do would be to buy a piece of 3/4" all thread and cut a slot as wide as the bar in the end a few inches long, cut the clamp's bar to the same depth you cut the slot, rivet it in the slot, and then grind the sides of the bar flush with the all thread.  

John

John, I think that cam action holdfast from Lee Valley is the "cat's meow." It's a little pricey but you only have to buy it once.
  If I ever had room enough for a secondary table like you mentioned, I think that the Kreg track system with their clamps would be quite handy and would offer a lot of utility.

Just my $.02 worth,

Doug