MFT clamping elements..

[clisbyclark]

I've had the MFT for about a year but put off buying these mainly due to the price.  Now that I've got them, I keep finding new ways to use them.  If you have a MFT, you should really think about making these your next accessory purchase.  They really seem to make the table complete.  Just as with the other tools, you will soon forget about the price after you start using the tool.

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Couldn't agree more.  I was sanding a coopered door - a nightmare to clamp - but the clamping elements held that sucker tight and it was really a snap to unclamp, flip the door and reclamp.

 

[Brice Burrell]

  These things are great, I agree with you guys. Link to the Festool USA site, clamping elements. Heres a picture for those of you that are new to Festool and are wondering what we are talking about.

 

[Eli]

Not just those, the lever clamps too. There's an item that you forget about the price pretty quick. If I was going to do it again I'd get four of those instead of 4 300mm screw clamps.

Maybe I still will, I only need two more.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Here you go, FS-HZ 160, quick clamp.

 

[Eli]

Love 'em.

 

[David Makseyn]

Hi Guys!
Happy Thanksgiving!!

Anyone having any issues with the clamping elements lifting the clamped work up off of the table top?
Yes, I am using the knobs to hold them down, which is a pain in many areas of my old self.
I'm still annoyed that the demo table at Woodcraft had the older style of top which had smaller holes into which the clamping elements fit perfectly and did not need the knobs to hold them down.
Festool tech support tells me that all the newer tops have slightly larger holes, which I think are too large.
What's the general feeling about this? Or is it just me!

Thanks
Dave

 

[Eli]

Mine are tight. I like that. I would not like it if they were sloppy.
If the fit in the hole were loose (as you say yours is) I bet it would allow the element to tilt away from the workpiece being held. This would angle the clamping faces, and push the workpiece up. Which it sounds like it does. This has made some very good clamps not work. I'd actually consider returning it, or just the top anyway. I bet they don't maintain a huge huge stock of these, and could change the parameters of the production stream.

Matthew, I vote to move this thread to "Contact Festool"? Or start a new thread with the last post?

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Not just those, the lever clamps too. There's an item that you forget about the price pretty quick. If I was going to do it again I'd get four of those instead of 4 300mm screw clamps.

Maybe I still will, I only need two more.

I have 3 lever clamps, 2 of the shortie screw clamps and 2 of the longer screw clamps.  They are all useful, and the lever clamps would be much better if they could be reliably operated with a single hand.  The screw clamps are very useful when you want to clamp something that extends to the edges of the MFT top, e.g. a thin layer of plywood that I use so I don't have to cut a groove in the MFT top.  The long axial travel and reach of the screw enables that plywood to be clamped directly the MFT top by arching around the side rails of the MFT.  That cannot be done with the lever clamps.  And for some applications, the articulation of the clamp pad on the screw clamps works when that of the lever clamps will not, and vice versa.