Festool Quick Clamps for Template Routing

[ChuckM]

To my surprise, the Festool quick clamps turned out to be the only clamps in my arsenal that could do the job of holding a template to a work with a small amount of clearance on the bottom securely. Other clamps -- F-style clamps, C-clamps, etc. -- were either too big or slipped.

I don't know if other brands (e.g. Bessey ratcheting, which is cheaper) or the new Festool quick clamps (reportedly made in Vietnam and having a non-90* bar) can do this. I don't think the Festool screw clamps would work either in this situation.

My only other option to secure the template would have been brads.

 

[dashboardpws]

I've recently purchased a number of screw-style track clamps from Powertec to pad out my arsenal and find them to be better in every way to the Festool equivalent. Super grippy handles and very good fabrication. FYI.

 

[ChuckM]

That kind of plastic handle grip used in the Powertec clamps, which I have had experience with my anti-slip parallel jaw clamps from Lee Valley, is better than the wooden kind.