At lease you have shown us a way to rethink the possibilities of modifying clamp`s to a new dimension. Great video and narration Thank you for sharing.
@@BrainFizz It all depends on whether or not you want to retain the multi-purpose nature of the quick clamps. I would probably just purchase the dovetail clamps, and not limit the functionality of my quick clamps. But this could be useful if you can't get or afford dovetail clamps.
This is very helpful - I’m just building my first workbench and have been trying to think of what clamping system to build in - I might try to add this to mine!
I like the idea of using clamps I have already. I would still want to use them as reg clamps though. I would probably cut proper sized dowels in half. Remove the material needed to hold onto the end of the bar and pin so it won't slip off. Then make them long enough to poke through the bottom to drill a hole and have a pine run through so they don't pull up when I'm clamping. Take a little more work to set them up I know. But worth it to me since I save money on needing multiple clamps for certain applications I may not use but once a year. The less clutter the better for me.
Maybe just cut a piece of bar stock, drill hole in the middle the run a small bolt through the existing hole in the clamp. If u don’t tighten the bolt all the way you could swivel it vertical to go in the hole then horizontal to catch the table when clamping.... kinda similar to a toggle bolt. Then u still can use as a normal clamp when needed as well. Just a thought 🤷🏼♂️
Probably a little more time consuming when in use, but you could have saved a lot of effort and unnecessary damage to a tool, by reconnecting the removable section of the clamp back on the tool underneath the bench.
very good new idea. I never see this on the internet not even in Germany. Maybe you should also make the title text in German, then many here in the DIY community will click on it
This would be great for me or anyone who needs a hold-fast but has access to only a thin 3/4 inch plywood workbench. And has access to yardsale/cheap clamps. I got both!! Cheers from America.👍
in one sense you didn't waste your time. You showed me I didn't want to try this and I actually liked peeking over your shoulder to see what your up. not a polished video as they go but I liked it. Good jobbers
I'm about the project not the Polish. There's plenty of bad projects polished for the viewer. I'm a maker of the item, not the video. the video is secondary to the item for me.
I agree with you, for the cost of a decent pair of quick grips and the time and effort involved in making them you can buy some proper clamps for more or less the same price.
So to clarify, the Irwin clamps most people seem to mod are (IMO) cheap, and also inexpensive... the ratchet track clamps are available under lots of well known brands from between £30-40 each, (which is insane, because they pretty much are made by Handtools International in Taiwan. They also make the wooden handled ones for tracks as well - ever wondered why so many brand's clamps look the same)?? If you compare the two ends of the pricing/clamp type spectrums , then huge savings can be made. The way I went was in the middle - using the clamps I had, high end quick clamps from Piher which ended up comparable in price to the cheaper screw type festool track clamps at about £15 each, which I actually picked up on offer for £10 a pair at the time... depending on the individuals circumstances, offers and tool availability, results could vary widely. I think for the very budget conscious, this Mod is a good option, but over time I think the specific clamps would be a preference.
I completely understand, the purpose of me doing this was actually more to see just how good it works. I know budget is pretty much everyones highest priority, and yes these clamps do work, they have some draw backs. Honestly though any saving made getting the cheaper clamps could well then be negated by the cost of the torch if you didn't already have one.
I don’t see the benefit of the dovetail shape obverse the normal square it slightly t shape heads…. I tbh k micro jig just wanted into the Mft market and dovetail was still unique….
I bought a work bench( 4x6 feet made from 1 inch plywood and angle steel frame ) and 20 Irwin clamps at a yard sale for 30 bucks I heat bent 8 clamps and drilled the holes in the bench myself . They work great but my cost was only 30 bucks And a few hours work .. But I don't think I would do it if I had to pay full price of the clamps and a bench .
I would have just undone the end and put the into the hole and just done it back up. I know more work but the clamps and still be use as clamps when needed
And that is a perfectly adequate and acceptable method. However I can assure , doing that regularly, or for several clamps, during a glue up is a pain in the ass you’ll want to avoid at any opportunity
Why not make a metal extension to fit onto the pin in the bar, that way you do not need to ruin the clamp with bending. Just need a bit to slip on the end, then put the pin back, bob's your uncle, Nancy's your niece, early bird gets the worm, second mouse gets the cheese
I'm planning an MFT bench and have both 1" particle board and nominal 1/4" tempered Masonite on hand. Anyone know how thick the material bored with a 20mm holes can be and still pass an ordinary T track clamp?
I am looking for a solution that this video seems to solve. However, if it isn't worth it, as the video suggests, then what alternatives exist? Still early in my research.
I concluded that it was not worth it for me, and my specific situation..... The modification works, and works well, however fir me, my shop, and the work i do, its not a long term solution...... thats not to say its not for you......
Probably, but the point of the bend was to make it so i didn't need to mess bout under the table top, a pin would either need to be inserted from below, or mean the clamp would go through the holes.
I want to build myself a MFT. You dont get many choices here in Greece on supplier so I will probably end up making myself a set of clamps like you did unless I can find some at a decent price. I would like to see any other tips, tricks, jigs or uses on the MFT.
Building an MFT is really straight forward, if you want to have it for cut with the dog holes etc it's worth taking the time to be really accurate, or even get a router jig (not a fan of the complicated drilling jig available as it has too many separate parts for my liking), you can actually buy the mat tops on ebay, cnc cut already too! ill see what we can do about some tricks on the MFT!
I can assure you, when you're clamping and unclamping lots of parts over an over again, even in a single day and using clamps in multiple places, putting on and taking off those screw on ends, gets really dull, real quick!
Cool idea,,, this mod and video is actually perfect for us who don't have dog hole clamps "readily available" at the corner shop, or in our country for that matter (seems like some ppl have no idea that not everybody lives in the lands of excessive surpluses and choices),,, so, I will certainly try and modify some of my quick clamps and then paint to stop corrosion
I would definitely respray them! I've seen a few people mod these clamps over the years, and never once has anyone said about them corroding.... that happened over night on mine! Although, only one has - maybe I just burnt off what ever coating it had?!
Done this myself with cheap clamps. Work okay but the bars don’t take too kindly to being heated and bent more than once ... have a few now shorter bars! 😂
If they are going to be roughly in the same ball park for pricing, then no. Not worth wasting the time and energy making these from your old clamps, Only to have to go buy more clamps to replace the ones you converted. Good job mate 👍
fortunately the clamps i used were old style ones, that don't get every day use - that said they are now single purpose. I learnt a long time ago that time is definitely my most precious commodity, and there has to be a good time saving involved in any cost spending! - I like to think that as the years tick on, I'm doing the "money spent Vs time spent" sums better and better! LOL
Personally, if you're committed to the MFT style of workbench I'm pretty sure you're going to want to invest in the best clamps. I tend to find quick clamps not as quick in practice as either ratchet clamps (I've axminster) or screw claps (festool) designed for rails and MFT tables. For that reason they're out. As for the economies of the endeavour, 150mm Irwin clamps are £9 for two and widely available at that price and i've turned a good few into jigs. But never with a blow torch. I enjoyed getting to hear what you think. Cheers.
Cheers Karl. Yeah, if you’re into the MFT (from the tracksaw side particularly) then the better clamps are an obvious choice. I’ve always got on better with the older screw clamp over the ratchet ones - and not just on price, I just get on better. That said I can see many folks taking this route as either a stop gap whilst funds allow, or if they’re purely clamping, and not so much into the tracksaw side of things. I was luck as N&B had an offer on some time ago where orders over something like £100 and the double track clamps were a tenner, so I added a couple of packs. I’ve also never been a fan of any of irwins clamps, they’ve always been pants. The Piher clamps I have put even Bessey in their place. Fortunately, these are the mini ones, and the old style at that!👍 Thanks for watching and keep up the momentum with the track jigs!👍
That's why we developed a new version of our Mini Quick with the bar bent (not welded = sturdier). It's a worthy idea for hole tables and saw-guides tracks: Check it out: T-Track Quick! ua-cam.com/video/gc9lKOq3jJo/v-deo.html
At lease you have shown us a way to rethink the possibilities of modifying clamp`s to a new dimension. Great video and narration Thank you for sharing.
You can also remove the static jaw, slide the metal track through the hole, and then reattach the jaw from underneath.
You can indeed, but it gets very boring, very quickly doing that each time.
@@BrainFizz It all depends on whether or not you want to retain the multi-purpose nature of the quick clamps. I would probably just purchase the dovetail clamps, and not limit the functionality of my quick clamps. But this could be useful if you can't get or afford dovetail clamps.
Or you could get a cheaper set of quick clamps and change those if you’re concerned about your budget.
This is very helpful - I’m just building my first workbench and have been trying to think of what clamping system to build in - I might try to add this to mine!
I like the idea of using clamps I have already. I would still want to use them as reg clamps though. I would probably cut proper sized dowels in half. Remove the material needed to hold onto the end of the bar and pin so it won't slip off. Then make them long enough to poke through the bottom to drill a hole and have a pine run through so they don't pull up when I'm clamping. Take a little more work to set them up I know. But worth it to me since I save money on needing multiple clamps for certain applications I may not use but once a year. The less clutter the better for me.
I guess there’s as many options and variations on this options as folks with a similar requirement.
Maybe just cut a piece of bar stock, drill hole in the middle the run a small bolt through the existing hole in the clamp. If u don’t tighten the bolt all the way you could swivel it vertical to go in the hole then horizontal to catch the table when clamping.... kinda similar to a toggle bolt. Then u still can use as a normal clamp when needed as well. Just a thought 🤷🏼♂️
Hmm thats not a bad call - might well be worth investigating! cool!
BrainFizz give it a shot. I don’t have a true bench like that yet to do it
Probably a little more time consuming when in use, but you could have saved a lot of effort and unnecessary damage to a tool, by reconnecting the removable section of the clamp back on the tool underneath the bench.
very good new idea. I never see this on the internet not even in Germany. Maybe you should also make the title text in German, then many here in the DIY community will click on it
This would be great for me or anyone who needs a hold-fast but has access to only a thin 3/4 inch plywood workbench. And has access to yardsale/cheap clamps. I got both!! Cheers from America.👍
in one sense you didn't waste your time. You showed me I didn't want to try this and I actually liked peeking over your shoulder to see what your up. not a polished video as they go but I liked it. Good jobbers
I'm about the project not the Polish. There's plenty of bad projects polished for the viewer. I'm a maker of the item, not the video. the video is secondary to the item for me.
I agree with you, for the cost of a decent pair of quick grips and the time and effort involved in making them you can buy some proper clamps for more or less the same price.
So to clarify, the Irwin clamps most people seem to mod are (IMO) cheap, and also inexpensive... the ratchet track clamps are available under lots of well known brands from between £30-40 each, (which is insane, because they pretty much are made by Handtools International in Taiwan. They also make the wooden handled ones for tracks as well - ever wondered why so many brand's clamps look the same)??
If you compare the two ends of the pricing/clamp type spectrums , then huge savings can be made. The way I went was in the middle - using the clamps I had, high end quick clamps from Piher which ended up comparable in price to the cheaper screw type festool track clamps at about £15 each, which I actually picked up on offer for £10 a pair at the time...
depending on the individuals circumstances, offers and tool availability, results could vary widely.
I think for the very budget conscious, this Mod is a good option, but over time I think the specific clamps would be a preference.
Here in Aus, set of 4 Irwin $29, 1 mft clamp $45+ so more than 4 to 1 ratio guessing WORTH IT
I haven't seen affordable clamps for MFT tables, so I'd probably do this. Standard clamps are on sale often
I completely understand, the purpose of me doing this was actually more to see just how good it works. I know budget is pretty much everyones highest priority, and yes these clamps do work, they have some draw backs.
Honestly though any saving made getting the cheaper clamps could well then be negated by the cost of the torch if you didn't already have one.
I am interested in hacking a standard clamp to be same as a dovetail microjig. Will give it a go.
I don’t see the benefit of the dovetail shape obverse the normal square it slightly t shape heads…. I tbh k micro jig just wanted into the Mft market and dovetail was still unique….
I bought a work bench( 4x6 feet made from 1 inch plywood and angle steel frame ) and 20 Irwin clamps at a yard sale for 30 bucks I heat bent 8 clamps and drilled the holes in the bench myself . They work great but my cost was only 30 bucks
And a few hours work .. But I don't think I would do it if I had to pay full price of the clamps and a bench .
How thick is your worktop? My bench is 50mm thick with 20mm holes and I don't think that a 90° bend on a clamp bar will go through. 🤔
I would have just undone the end and put the into the hole and just done it back up. I know more work but the clamps and still be use as clamps when needed
And that is a perfectly adequate and acceptable method. However I can assure , doing that regularly, or for several clamps, during a glue up is a pain in the ass you’ll want to avoid at any opportunity
Why not make a metal extension to fit onto the pin in the bar, that way you do not need to ruin the clamp with bending. Just need a bit to slip on the end, then put the pin back, bob's your uncle, Nancy's your niece, early bird gets the worm, second mouse gets the cheese
Wow
No comments about the strength of the clamps, holding power, while in use?
I'm planning an MFT bench and have both 1" particle board and nominal 1/4" tempered Masonite on hand. Anyone know how thick the material bored with a 20mm holes can be and still pass an ordinary T track clamp?
3/4” or about 20mm
What brand are those jeans
I am looking for a solution that this video seems to solve. However, if it isn't worth it, as the video suggests, then what alternatives exist? Still early in my research.
I concluded that it was not worth it for me, and my specific situation..... The modification works, and works well, however fir me, my shop, and the work i do, its not a long term solution...... thats not to say its not for you......
Would a metal pin through the hole at the end of the bar not serve the same purpose?
Probably, but the point of the bend was to make it so i didn't need to mess bout under the table top, a pin would either need to be inserted from below, or mean the clamp would go through the holes.
Which Rothenberger Torch is that?
not sure the model, got it on eval, the fuel is MAPP gas though.
I want to build myself a MFT. You dont get many choices here in Greece on supplier so I will probably end up making myself a set of clamps like you did unless I can find some at a decent price. I would like to see any other tips, tricks, jigs or uses on the MFT.
Building an MFT is really straight forward, if you want to have it for cut with the dog holes etc it's worth taking the time to be really accurate, or even get a router jig (not a fan of the complicated drilling jig available as it has too many separate parts for my liking), you can actually buy the mat tops on ebay, cnc cut already too!
ill see what we can do about some tricks on the MFT!
@@BrainFizz I've got a cnc so I was gonna cut the holes with that.
Why not just take the clamp end off put the clamp shaft through the table then reconnect the clamp end under the table???
Lol… said nobody who does regular and complex clamping, ever 😂😂🤣🤣
Why don't you take of the one end and put the bar through the hole and put back on the end you took off. That works well.
I can assure you, when you're clamping and unclamping lots of parts over an over again, even in a single day and using clamps in multiple places, putting on and taking off those screw on ends, gets really dull, real quick!
Cool idea,,, this mod and video is actually perfect for us who don't have dog hole clamps "readily available" at the corner shop, or in our country for that matter (seems like some ppl have no idea that not everybody lives in the lands of excessive surpluses and choices),,, so, I will certainly try and modify some of my quick clamps and then paint to stop corrosion
I would definitely respray them! I've seen a few people mod these clamps over the years, and never once has anyone said about them corroding.... that happened over night on mine! Although, only one has - maybe I just burnt off what ever coating it had?!
Done this myself with cheap clamps. Work okay but the bars don’t take too kindly to being heated and bent more than once ... have a few now shorter bars! 😂
You might not be heating them enough, to either anneal them, or to soften then enough to bend without work hardening them.
If they are going to be roughly in the same ball park for pricing, then no.
Not worth wasting the time and energy making these from your old clamps,
Only to have to go buy more clamps to replace the ones you converted.
Good job mate 👍
fortunately the clamps i used were old style ones, that don't get every day use - that said they are now single purpose.
I learnt a long time ago that time is definitely my most precious commodity, and there has to be a good time saving involved in any cost spending! - I like to think that as the years tick on, I'm doing the "money spent Vs time spent" sums better and better! LOL
@@BrainFizz
😂 good luck on the evolution, mate. 👍
Evolution?
@@BrainFizz "the money spent Vs time spent"
Ever evolving for the better 😉
Personally, if you're committed to the MFT style of workbench I'm pretty sure you're going to want to invest in the best clamps. I tend to find quick clamps not as quick in practice as either ratchet clamps (I've axminster) or screw claps (festool) designed for rails and MFT tables. For that reason they're out. As for the economies of the endeavour, 150mm Irwin clamps are £9 for two and widely available at that price and i've turned a good few into jigs. But never with a blow torch. I enjoyed getting to hear what you think. Cheers.
Cheers Karl. Yeah, if you’re into the MFT (from the tracksaw side particularly) then the better clamps are an obvious choice. I’ve always got on better with the older screw clamp over the ratchet ones - and not just on price, I just get on better.
That said I can see many folks taking this route as either a stop gap whilst funds allow, or if they’re purely clamping, and not so much into the tracksaw side of things.
I was luck as N&B had an offer on some time ago where orders over something like £100 and the double track clamps were a tenner, so I added a couple of packs.
I’ve also never been a fan of any of irwins clamps, they’ve always been pants. The Piher clamps I have put even Bessey in their place. Fortunately, these are the mini ones, and the old style at that!👍
Thanks for watching and keep up the momentum with the track jigs!👍
Snazzy Names help things sell!! LOL!
Interesting experiment 👍
That's why we developed a new version of our Mini Quick with the bar bent (not welded = sturdier). It's a worthy idea for hole tables and saw-guides tracks:
Check it out: T-Track Quick!
ua-cam.com/video/gc9lKOq3jJo/v-deo.html
you guys are always one step ahead when it comes to designs/mods and application... always making the best clamps available, better!
Thank you!!!!
You're welcome!
Brilliant...some chinese clamps are $4 maybe worth it for us.
First time on your channel and I thought Christian Bale was giving some DIY hacks..
he's on the other channel (brainfizzaswell)
Yes, a bit aof a waste of time really. Just get a pair of makita clamps for 15 quid and get on with the job!
I can see though, that this would be a great use to lots of people.... different solutions for different settings.
Makita mft clamps? Is there such a thing
@@jakoj2098 not for 15 quid there isn't.