workbench "holdfasts"

[blighty1969]

Hello All

I am just in the final stages of building my workbench and have seen a lot of Americans use steel hooks called holdfasts (I think that's what they're called) and I was wondering if anyone uses them; if they do the job, and where you can buy them from?

Cheers

 

[carlb40]

One of our members here makes them and sells them via here
http://www.rm-workbenches.co.uk/html/holdfasts.htm

I will get a set once i've actually built my bench LOL

 

[Peter Sefton]

The best value for money ones we use are the Sjobergs holdfast (ST03), supplied as a pair @ £25.99, they can be located in any 19mm dog holes in your workbench top or if you have or in the 19mm holes on the front legs of your bench. I also use a Veritas which fits the same 19mm hole these are excellent but £81.00 each we don't show them on our website at present as they are out of stock in the UK we are waiting for a Veritas delivery.
I haven't used Richards but he did bring them along to one of our open days and they did look nice.


http://www.brimarc.com/products/Veritas ... -22129.htm

Cheers Peter

 

[DTR]

Another vote here for Richard's holdfasts. I can't imagine working without them.

 

[thick_mike]

I have some of Richards hold fasts too. I used them on my bench and also very useful on my saw horse

 

[deema]

Have a look in the yellow pages, or internet for a local blacksmith. I have a few made up for £10 each. It's just a bit of black bar, heated to bend it and the end flattened. A showed the smithy a picture, defined the length of arm I wanted and 10 minutes later they were in my hand after quenching a pair of holdfasts to my specification.

 

[Jacob]

Have a look in the yellow pages, or internet for a local blacksmith. I have a few made up for £10 each. It's just a bit of black bar, heated to bend it and the end flattened. A showed the smithy a picture, defined the length of arm I wanted and 10 minutes later they were in my hand after quenching a pair of holdfasts to my specification.

+1 for blacksmith. I had some copies of large draw-bore pins made up - £15 each which was a bargain. I keep meaning to go back for some hold-downs.
This is him http://www.blackdragonforge.co.uk

 

[blighty1969]

Thanks goes to you all for your responses and advice.

Sort of confirmed what i was thinking and will have to get a set.

 

[Noggsy]

They are extremely useful for lots of jobs at the bench and I use mine daily. I have a set of Richard's and a copy made by a blacksmith from one of his originals. Whilst the copy works, it is not as good because a) the finish is rougher and b) it does not spring/clamp quite as well. I know that Richard experimented a great deal with the exact angles to get the best fit and I was lucky enough to get one of the last sets he sold through the board (when all the experimenting had been done). I highly recommend them as a fuss-free way of clamping work - the holdfasts with threaded parts always look like they would take too long to me, whereas the ones I have just take a tap with a mallet to fix and then another to release. That said, I haven't tried them and Peter Sefton certainly knows what he is talking about. Good luck with whatever you buy - perhaps try a couple out first and you would be welcome to come and have a play with the ones I have.

 

[carlb40]

Have a look in the yellow pages, or internet for a local blacksmith. I have a few made up for £10 each. It's just a bit of black bar, heated to bend it and the end flattened. A showed the smithy a picture, defined the length of arm I wanted and 10 minutes later they were in my hand after quenching a pair of holdfasts to my specification.

My local blacksmith would be richard as he only lives a few miles from me :lol:

 

[Graham Orm]

One word: Valve spring compressor.

 

[Max Power]

One word: Valve spring compressor.

Thats three words Grayorm :lol: :lol:

 

[Graham Orm]

One word: Valve spring compressor.

Thats three words Grayorm :lol: :lol:

Counting never was my strong point! :wink:

 

[Alexam]

I've just ordered a set of Richard's holdfasts and have yet to position the holes in the bench.
Alex

 

[Peter Sefton]

If any one is making their own bench be a little carful as holdfasts don't always work so well in thick bench tops, the holdfast need to be able to jamb out of horizontal to grab or you can overcome this problem by barbing the back of the holdfast if required.

 

[blighty1969]

If any one is making their own bench be a little carful as holdfasts don't always work so well in thick bench tops, the holdfast need to be able to jamb out of horizontal to grab or you can overcome this problem by barbing the back of the holdfast if required.

Excuse my ignorance but what do you class as thick? My bench top is 4" thick.

Cheers

 

[Peter Sefton]

4" is thick

 

[Kalimna]

This is very interesting, for two reasons. One, I intend to build a new bench (probably following Mr Sellers video tutorials) this year. And two, my wife bought me a blacksmithing lesson for chrimbo, and these might be an excellent short project to undertake that would be quite useful afterwards. Hmmmm,

Adam

 

[blighty1969]

4" is thick

Hmmm back to the drawing board then #-o When I designed/built this bench I wanted it to be hefty and pinched ideas from loads of designs on the web/YouTube. The other down side to a thick bench is I need to buy bigger clamps.

 

[blighty1969]

This is very interesting, for two reasons. One, I intend to build a new bench (probably following Mr Sellers video tutorials) this year. And two, my wife bought me a blacksmithing lesson for chrimbo, and these might be an excellent short project to undertake that would be quite useful afterwards. Hmmmm,

Adam

I really like that idea Adam, busy searching for blacksmith lessons now! :shock: