Quick & Dirty Screw Clamp Mod for One Hand Operation

[Basshunter]

Here is a quick enhancement for the Festool Screw Clamps for use in a MFT or MFT-like table.  There are many ways to accomplish this, but this was quickly cobbled together with pieces and parts I had on hand.  Have a few ideas for refinement, but thought I would share it as is...

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Seems to work well in the testing that I have done with it....

Basshunter

 

[nclemmons]

Have you tried an O-ring or rubber washer to accomplish the same thing? 

I seem to have seen that idea on FOG somewhere

neil

 

[wow]

Great use for a beam clamp! I have a drawer full of them, so may steal your idea...

 

[dicktill]

The "Pen Professor" developed "Clamp Caddies" to do just this; see: http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-sales-dealer-area/turn-a-festool-mft-table-screw-clamp-or-quick-clamp-into-a-one-handed-clamp/  or  http://www.thepenprofessor.com/woodworking/zz_Clamp%20Caddie.php

Regards, Dick

 

[Basshunter]

The O-ring is a good idea...may have to look into that.

While not an elegant solution, it was something I could put together by scrounging through my pieces and parts bins....I just got fed up fighting with the clamp and decided I needed something to make it easier to use....

I first started with the idea of using a piece of foam like a swimming noodle or pipe insulation, but did not have any at the house...Came up with this mainly because it was all I had immediately at hand.  Depending on the project/size of work piece, I will also probably just take the head off a quick clamp and run it through the holes and reattach it...Not quite as quick of a setup, but will be very effective as well I suspect...

The wooden option sure looks nice, but just not something I would be willing to pay for...If you look back at some of my other Festool enhancement projects, you will see I lean more towards the duct tape and bailing wire approach...To me, that's part of the fun...Towards that end, the rubber gasket or o-ring is definitely something to try!

 

[penaddict]

This is my quick and dirty way for one hand operation.

 

[Basshunter]

Michael,

That's an excellent simple and elegant solution.  I tried it out on my screw clamps - definitely works.  Not quite as stable as the contraption I came up with, but much simpler to put on and off - so much better for swapping holes, etc...I will definitely be using it in the future!

Thanks for tip - I usually always fail to see the simple solutions and opt for the complicated approach [laughing]

Bass