Workers Of Wood

On my latest router table I decided to go back to clamping the fence along the edges of the table. But rather than use an F style clamp I wanted to go to C clamps. I remembered seeing Bob and Rick Rosendahl use them in the Router Workshop series but their had a round handle on top of the threaded stem instead of the T handle. So I went to the lathe and turned some handles for mine. I bought a drill chuck and tapered arbor that can replace the live center in my tail stock and it comes in handy when you need to drill a centered hole in something like this. I drilled a hole slightly smaller than the stem size of the clamp but it's easy to split the handle if the hole is too small. A same size hole would work and it the handle doesn't want to stay on it could be epoxied. I also slotted the sides of the handles because I didn't want to be bothered removing the T bar.

This modification makes C Clamps quite a bit more user friendly and speeds up tightening and loosing by quite a bit too. At the 4:55 mark of this video from the Router Workshop you can get a good look at what the Rosendahls used. Whether theirs is a factory made clamp or they did a home made modification I'm not sure.

Good idea,Chuck. Also a hand wheel type knob could be made like that too.
HErb

I really like this...will definitely be upgrading my c-clamps...thanks

What did you use to cut the slot in the handle...?

I was only just doing the two so I just cut them with a Japanese pull saw I'm pretty sure as that is usually what I saw with. Seems to me I had to make a couple of extra cuts down the middle to get rid of the waste between the outer cuts. On a one off item like this I don't usually worry about taking extra steps. I suppose it would be about as fast, and easier if you added an auxiliary fence on to a miter gauge and then clamped two pieces of two by four to it and sandwiched the handle between them and cut it on the TS with a full kerf blade. If the T handle on the clamp isn't any bigger than that. You could cross drill the handle where the slot will end and that would make it easier to get rid of the waste between two hand saw cuts as well as help with laying out the lines since each side would line up tangent to the drilled hole.

I made a quick easy jig a couple of years ago to be able to accurately drill cross holes in at the center of the side of dowels. I just clamped two pieces of mdf (or ply or wood) together about 2 to 3 inches high by about 4 long and I made a saw cut about half way through with the saw tilted to 45*. Then I flipped it around and made a few cuts from the other side (easing up to the final cut) so that both cuts made a perfect Vee shape cut out. Then you glue those down to a panel that you will clamp to your DP table. Put a brad point bit in the DP and lower it until the point touches the bottom of the Vee and clamp the panel to the DP with it in that position. The Vee cutouts make a stable cradle to hold the dowels and using the brad point bit to locate them ensures that you are centered over them.

Cherryville Chuck wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 1:42 am I made a quick easy jig a couple of years ago

I wonder if a similar jig could be used with a tenoning jig...might have to try this with my Delta jig. I've got some C-clamps that would be easier to manage with a straight handle to spin 'em down and then the t-bar to tighten...bigger clamps and applications, for example, and even my small ones for clamping my edge guides.

Amazing how such a simple thing can turn into a project...

Nickp wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 6:10 am

Cherryville Chuck wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 1:42 am I made a quick easy jig a couple of years ago

I wonder if a similar jig could be used with a tenoning jig...might have to try this with my Delta jig. I've got some C-clamps that would be easier to manage with a straight handle to spin 'em down and then the t-bar to tighten...bigger clamps and applications, for example, and even my small ones for clamping my edge guides.

Amazing how such a simple thing can turn into a project...

Sometimes the path to get there is more fun than getting there. I was mulling over making a jig that would run along the fence too. That would allow you to jog a little left and right once you knew where center was which would allow fine tuning the slot. I might just hold it against a square push block and use it to keep the handle vertical while going through the saw but I've done that type operation a fair number of times and I'm not intimidated by it like some might be. You're only slotting about the bottom 1" so your fingers aren't all that close to the blade, at least not for me.

Another fairly quick option would be to take two 2 x 4s and drill a hole through one as close as possible to the size of the handles. Then either slot it or split it through the middle of the hole and attach it to the other board which will be on the bottom. Only attach it on the side that will run along the fence. Drill a couple of holes for screws to pull the split together with the holes that will be on the fence side enlarged to clearance size holes. That will allow you to run the handles into the saw and be able to jog the fence a bit to enlarge the slots.You Just push it into the blade until you know you are half way then back it out. As long as you keep it tight to the fence that will work. All the screws will either be above the blade or between the blade and fence.

All the handles can be the same diameter since you want to keep the existing handles on the clamp for more torque and the wood handles should be a comfortable size for your hands, say around 2" diameter. If you want to try that type slotting jig and what I said isn't clear then let me know and I'll slap one together to show you. Should only take about 15 minutes to make. I have to run to town in a few minutes but I could do it this afternoon.

Cherryville Chuck wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 11:37 am I have to run to town in a few minutes but I could do it this afternoon.

No need, but thank you...I'm gonna play with the tenoning jig and rig up something up for cutting a round thingie..."it's the journey, not the destination"...