cheap hold down clamps for 3/4" dog holes - any good?

They look pretty handy and not much of a $ risk. Only problem I see is getting to the underside of the bench to mount them if you have drawers and stuff in the way.

Also consider the Lee Valley bench Wonder Dog or Wonder Pup clamps. They work from the top if the underside of the bench is not easily accessible. They are a horizontal clamp, not a hold down like the Jorgies..

Thanks for the response Edwin. I may buy just to see what they are like. I've intentionally relocated the drawer on my work bench to allow easy access to the under side of the table. I've got a couple of bench dogs and a wonder dog and use them a lot since I put a bunch of holes in my bench. But I seem to come up with occasions every other day where a nice hold down would be very useful. I really like the Veritas solution but my budget doesn't have them as a priority yet. Up to know F-clamps have worked but they are not nearly as convenient or as flexible as a hold down.

Bob

I've used 'em, and they're not going to hold even close to the Veritas, or even the wedge type Roy Underhill uses. The use of the word "flexible" suits how they hold fairly well.

They're very quick and easy to use, but they're so sprngy they don't allow much clamping force. They're useful when routing, but no use for hand tools.

They also need to be shimmed to be near horizontal or their clamping suffers. The teeth on the end of the jaw are pretty sharp and damaging too.

Thanks, George. I went to a local dealer and had a hands-on look at the Veritas hold down. Now I understand why it costs what it does. Its quite a piece of machinery. I brought one home to give it a whirl. I'm not sure about the shaft on it. The literature does not mention it and its not obvious from the pictures. The shaft has a very shallow and sharp thread running the full length. This gives it some gripping power in the dog hole. However, it may also wear out your dog hole in a hurry. I tried it on a maple work bench at the dealer. Little tiny wood shavings came out of the hole when I pulled the clamp back out. Hmmm, but I bought it anyway to see how it works on my bench. I'm sure I can return it if I decide to, within a couple of days.

Bob

Thanks, Andy. I think I'm going to pass on them. I've grown to appreciate really good acting clamps. Nothing adds more to the pleasure of woodworking, in my opinion.

Bob

Bob.. I really like these: simple, work very well and inexpensive.. (I usually get them on sale for $1.99 each..

Take a standard F type clamp and take the fixed jaw off. Bore a hole in your bench large enough for the bar to pass through. Line the hole with a piece of pipe to protect the bench. Drop the modified clamp in the hole and there you are. I have two in my bench. Work great.