Holddown for Tim Allen

[myxpykalix]

Here are a couple pics to show you a cheap easy way i hold some things down. I took a 3'x3' piece of mdf, made sure it was square. Took 2" wide long strips and screwed them in making sure it was square.
Then I just put my workpiece in the corner, butt up some holddown pieces, screw them down into the mdf and go.
I also have on occassion measured the thickness of my material and taken the holddowns over to the tablesaw and cut some "rabbits" (rebates) in them about 1/4" wide to hold it from being pulled up. If the cut goes to the edge of the material its only going to hit mdf so no big deal.

5142

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[brucehiggins]

Jack,
Your shopbot work surface with tools and scraps laying on it looks exactly like mine. I always question if those whose shops are imaculate are from the same planet I am. Actually I am envious of them but I am comfortable with some clutter. Now where did I put that tape measure - I have three - I should be able to find one...
Bruce

[bill1]

jack,
I had to laugh, I looked at the caption first (Holddown for Tim Allen)
then your pictures before I read the article I thought all the junk on the table
was to hold down the projects.
Bill.

[myxpykalix]

Bill, thats what the sawdust is there for...

Bruce...It's good to know i'm not the only one who runs a SLOBbot!

[beacon14]

If it's any consolation my shop is probably one of the ones you would consider "immaculate" - but I still have 3 tape measures and have to look around to find one when I need one!

[harryball]

I have elves that come clean my shop every Friday. It's the kids job to keep things cleaned, vac'd, stacked etc... I pay them of course and it's well worth it now that they have the hang of it. I also shut the power off to all the equipment except the dust collector so they don't get any ideas.

As for holddown... it's an art and I find it to be most of the challenge. Anything (safe) goes. A good creative holddown not only affects the speed of the job but the quality as well. I've also begun combining techniques. I had one job I was running that did well with a thick 3/8" gasket which absorbed the irregularity of the back side of the material. But I noticed too much chatter from material vibration, the gasket allowed too much "jello" affect. I added two quick mechanical side clamps and that did the trick. I would have needed more clamps and blank changes would have taken much longer if I'd not used the vac mask.

/RB

[magic]

That's how I do it except,

I angle the screws to get a tighter fit on the hold-downs.

[myxpykalix]

Thats what my popsicle sticks are for! On occassion you get parts that aren't square and I save all my scrap mdf for holdowns and i'll cut a matching profile to the part out of the holddown but at times i need popsicle sticks to wedge in to keep parts tight.