How do you use FS Rapid Clamps?

[pharding]

http://www.festoolusa.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=0&prodid=489790

I've looked at this clamp on various dealer sites, Festool's site, the catalog, and even in the stores (woodcraft and Rockler). Inspite of all this looking it's still not clear to me what this clamp was designed to be used to do. Can anyone here enlighten me? Please

Thanks,

-- Phil

 

[Dan Clark]

Ya know, I bought one of those on a lark.  I've had it for months.  I'm still not clear on why/when you would use it.

Dan.

 

[ccmviking]

Some reps at the remodel show in Las Vegas told me that you could use it to trim the bottom of a door without removing it.  I guess you can use it to clamp your guide rail on to something in other than a horizontal position.  That's all I've got to say about that.

Chris...

 

[Ned]

Like Dan, I own one.  Like Dan, I've had no use for it to date.

It does work.  Fits in either slot on a guide rail.  The handle can be swiveled from 90 degrees to the slot to flat against it.  Festool also sells a special lighter rail (not guide) that would convert it into a sort of bar clamp.

You could use it for clamping the guide rail to sheet goods, but it would be squeezing the work across the cutting direction, rather than clamping the guide rail to the thickness of the work.

If I had to replace everything Festool, the FS Rapid clamp would be probably at the very end of the list.  Certainly after all the other clamps.  For the same money you could have one of the extremely useful Quick Clamps, or a pair of the long FSZ 300 clamps, or a chunk of money toward the Clamping Elements for the MFT--all more useful than the FS Rapid Clamp, IMO.

Ned

 

[Dan Clark]

Like Dan, I own one.  Like Dan, I've had no use for it to date.

It does work.  Fits in either slot on a guide rail.  The handle can be swiveled from 90 degrees to the slot to flat against it.  Festool also sells a special lighter rail (not guide) that would convert it into a sort of bar clamp.

You could use it for clamping the guide rail to sheet goods, but it would be squeezing the work across the cutting direction, rather than clamping the guide rail to the thickness of the work.

If I had to replace everything Festool, the FS Rapid clamp would be probably at the very end of the list.  Certainly after all the other clamps.  For the same money you could have one of the extremely useful Quick Clamps, or a pair of the long FSZ 300 clamps, or a chunk of money toward the Clamping Elements for the MFT--all more useful than the FS Rapid Clamp, IMO.

Ned

Ned,

I have all of those plus the FSZ120 clamps.  I use them a lot and wish I had a dups of them (especially the quick clamps).  Maybe there's a good reason for these puppies, but I haven't found it.

Dan.

 

[Corwin]

I tried mine when I first got them but have not found a need since.  Since its force clamps along the length of the rail, you could use it to affix the rail to a completed box -- another use I may not need.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I tried mine when I first got them but have not found a need since.  Since its force clamps along the length of the rail, you could use it to affix the rail to a completed box -- another use I may not need.

Yes, the FS Rapid clamp is good for fixing a guide rail to a box or other construction too tall for the usual clamp to span. That said, I tried mine right after buying it and discovered that it lifted the guide rail a little at the ends (where the clamps were) when squeezed hard. Probably shouldn't squeeze that hard.

 

[Eli]

I found it useful with the MFS for routing hinge mortises in place. Clamped door in full open position to jamb and did both at once. minus hinge barrel width. worked well...

Would be tough to do a door in place typically, but horizontally, yeah, that would be the deal. Less than useless with joined rails, pulls them apart.

Of course I have two. 

 

[danrush]

They work great when trimming extended stiles on cabinet boxes. 

 

[nickao]

http://www.festoolusa.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=0&prodid=489790

I've looked at this clamp on various dealer sites, Festool's site, the catalog, and even in the stores (woodcraft and Rockler). Inspite of all this looking it's still not clear to me what this clamp was designed to be used to do. Can anyone here enlighten me? Please

Thanks,

-- Phil

I believe these were originally supposed to be used with the clamping profiles. They used to sell an 800 mm and a 1400 mm profile. You can still get the 800 mm until they are gone. I use two of these with two of the clamping profiles to hold an assortment of jigs to the table from moving around.

Clamping Profiles

 

[justinh]

I actually use mine all the time for trimming door tops and bottoms.  I don't have to walk to the other side of the door to tighten a clamp and they work well at a taper that is often needed for these cuts.

 

[Ned]

OK, now I'm getting it.  I didn't like the squeezing the work aspect of using these clamps on sheet goods.

The same action on a (much thicker and stiffer) door makes sense.

Ned

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Some reps at the remodel show in Las Vegas told me that you could use it to trim the bottom of a door without removing it.  I guess you can use it to clamp your guide rail on to something in other than a horizontal position.  That's all I've got to say about that.

Chris...

I have one of these Rapid Clamp sets.  It can also be used to hold secure the guide rail to a finished box, e.g. to trim the box to reduce the depth of the box (to reduce a wall cabinet from 11" to 10"), or to cut the lid off a large box, e.g. when making a hanging tool cabinet - to cut off the doors after gluing up the complete cabinet with front and back.  It can also be used to secure a guide rail to a cabinet box to enable you to route a groove, e.g. for addition of an inlay.  If the box workpiece to be trimmed is already finished, the Rapid Clamp and Guide Rail can be used without marring the finish.

Dave R.

 

[Eli]

OK, now I'm getting it.  I didn't like the squeezing the work aspect of using these clamps on sheet goods.

The same action on a (much thicker and stiffer) door makes sense.

Ned

You really don't need to make them crazy tight anyway.

 

[ccmviking]

It's funny that I really couldn't see any use for these because of the description of what I was told they could be used for.  You wouldn't believe how many times I haven't been able to clamp my rail when doing an oven cutout in a cabinet (usually have the cabinet lying on it's back).  I need these things now!  I can't believe the light never came on until now.  You should see the trouble I've gone through plunge cutting into a pre-finished face frame with an un-clamped guide rail. hmm...  I guess maybe some of us don't learn something every day, but at least we do once in a while.

Chris...

 

[Eli]

If you're making a square cutout for the oven, have a japanese hand saw or jigsaw with rail guide handy to release the corners...

If you have an LR-32 drilled rail, you could hold it in place with a couple of drywall screws....

 

[ccmviking]

Exactly, I use a Tajima...

 

[tallgrass]

i have these and they are great. i leave them on one rail with the angle finder permently attached.... the combo is great and the clamps are wonderful.