clamping element question...

[estley]

I have my mft mounted on a rolling cabinet, so access to the underneath is a pain. I was about to buy the festool clamping elements, and noticed they have knobs to secure the elements from underneath the table.

my question is, how necessary are those knobs? if they're critical, then I guess I'll have to find another solution...

 

[festivus]

They're aren't critical - I tend to use them without. But they do work much better if they are clamped underneath, to stop them lifting.

 

[Bohdan]

The clamping elements are one of my most used clamps. I use them when gluing up, sanding, routing, dominoing etc.
I almost never use the knobs to lock the clamping elements down as I find that they work very well without the knobs. I have found that the material being clamped can sometimes lift a little off the table and if that is a problem then I use the knobs.

Another time that I find the knobs useful is if I am working on multiple boards of the same size then it is much quicker to repeatedly clamp them with the clamps locked down as I find that the clamps can rotate as you remove a board and when you insert the next board you have to re-align the clamps.

You will have to decide which is more of a pain - fitting the knobs or adjusting the clamps.

 

[estley]

sounds like I'll be getting a set of these after all, thanks for the help.

 

[bkharman]

You can get some sort of cam lever to use instead of screwing in. I am making my own table underneath as well and had the same thought. I found some but don't have access to the link right now.

Sekach for M8 cam lever and you should have some pop up.

Cheers. Bryan.

 

[grbmds]

I have never used the threaded knobs to hold them in place on the MFT. They work well for some tasks by merely inserting the Festool "dogs" that come in the set and then toggling the cam lever on the other side. They are good for some sanding jobs if the wood is thicker than than the faces of the clamps. I have also sometimes used them with the Domino, but it depends on what the task is and how the wood needs to be clamped. You'll find uses for them as you work and, like I said, the threaded knobs may hold them in place very solidly for some work, but I never have used them.

 

[ear3]

Depends on the work you're doing.  If you don't lock them down, what tends to happen is that the workpiece lifts off the table as you apply more pressure.  This will be ok if you're just sanding, but if you're doing any cutting or routing, it could cause issues.

I almost always lock mine down with the knobs, but that's just me.  You can always change the clamping pressure if you find too much lift by turning the set screw a few rotations.

 

[sancho57]

I have never used the knobs for the elements. As already been noted they do tend to raise off the table when tightened. So be aware of that check after clamping.

The knobs I use for other things, I took the knob apart and replaced the bolt with a nut and use it for attaching jigs and the Bessey toggle clamps.

It saved me a few bucks as I use them for attaching the Kapex to the Kapex MFT.

 

[grbmds]

If the edges of the pieces being clamped are square to the faces, a little pressure on the top of the pieces being clamped will usually keep them fat on the table. If they don't stay flat, for me, it's usually because one or more edge isn't completely square to the face. For sanding, it's usually not important. When it does make a difference, using a Festool Quick Clamp or Screw Clamp to hold the pieces tight to the surface sometimes will work depending on what the work is.