Forget clamps, handscrews, and even vises - use a holdfast to keep your workpiece perfectly secure. Visit www.blackburnb... for books and to sign up for lessons in Woodstock NY.
Really enjoy your videos. Work Holding information has been the most useful information I have obtained resulting in less danger and better work. This video wasn't new to me, but I have learned stuff from your other videos. I am looking forward to your videos. I previously lived in the Monterey bay area and it is nice to see Santa Cruz on your sign. I live in Germany presently, so I see (and have) continental horned wood planes, joiners, etc. I enjoyed your video on setting, using, and remouthing very much. It was looking for information on how to set/use a knobless leverless wooden plane that started me on my woodworking journey! traditional manual Hand tools also have a distinct advantage in addition to all the others commonly mentioned of not caring if you are 110 or 220 volt. Nice for me as the investment will make the return trip home in the future. Rex Kruger mentioned you recently in a video of his that was heavily influenced by your shooting board video (and books?). I am glad he did!
Absolutely loving your channel Graham, who else watching can imagine Graham busting some rad shapes to the double bass and drums jazz skit at the intro, before walking into camera shot ? 🕺🏻
My first holdfasts were inexpensive cast iron. They worked okay, but I read about some forged steel ones and I ordered a couple. Very impressed with how much better they work.
I don't have a vice on my benches. I use holdfasts and a crochet a deadman alongside stops. Seems to work very well so far. I also have just made a portable moron vice for under £10 on my bench mule. Thanks for the video.
I’d love a couple of 20mm hold fasts for my bench, but if you can find them they’re quite often not the cheapest option. Less and less people use them now so finding blacksmiths that make them is a challenge
I bought a pair of the Gramercy holdfasts, and they worked fine. Then, I'm a total newbie blacksmith so made my own set as well. They may be hard to smith nice ones, but to just smith something that works isn't that complicated.
I had 2 of the cheaper versions with 5/8 dia shafts and drilled 3/4 " holes in my 4 " thick ash work bench. Roughed up the metal shaft and still,.........no hold. I'm thinking with a 4 " thick bench I may need to widen the holes to 7/8 or 15/16 to get the needed angular bind? I hesitate to enlarge the existing holes in my bench. Thoughts anyone?
Quite late to comment, but I think over 3" thick bench is not recommended for holdfasts. You could do a 1-2 inch deep counter bore from bottom of those holes with eg. 1" forstner bit. That would work quite well
yes, even a forked branch can work (I've not tried but I've seen someone working with that). I hesitate to buy one Gramercy holdfast, I have some 16mm steel rod... it will be hard to bend at a right shape so I think it will be easier and quicker to weld a piece of flat steel on top.
I think a couple of inches is fine, but you might always add an extra inch or so below where you bore the hole for the holdfast. One advantage of the screw type is that it comes with its own metal collar - an extra advantage!
Really enjoy your videos. Work Holding information has been the most useful information I have obtained resulting in less danger and better work. This video wasn't new to me, but I have learned stuff from your other videos. I am looking forward to your videos.
I previously lived in the Monterey bay area and it is nice to see Santa Cruz on your sign. I live in Germany presently, so I see (and have) continental horned wood planes, joiners, etc. I enjoyed your video on setting, using, and remouthing very much. It was looking for information on how to set/use a knobless leverless wooden plane that started me on my woodworking journey!
traditional manual Hand tools also have a distinct advantage in addition to all the others commonly mentioned of not caring if you are 110 or 220 volt. Nice for me as the investment will make the return trip home in the future.
Rex Kruger mentioned you recently in a video of his that was heavily influenced by your shooting board video (and books?). I am glad he did!
Thanks!
Thank you
There is so much to learn
You're welcome!
A good holdfast is like a good friend, it never lets you down. Thanks for the video. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for watching!
Absolutely loving your channel Graham, who else watching can imagine Graham busting some rad shapes to the double bass and drums jazz skit at the intro, before walking into camera shot ? 🕺🏻
Thanks. Going to try and add some more personal music later!
My first holdfasts were inexpensive cast iron. They worked okay, but I read about some forged steel ones and I ordered a couple. Very impressed with how much better they work.
Good for you! Thanks for the comment!
Very true, I have 3 of the screw type and a least 1 is in use all the time, I am enjoying your videos
So glad!
I love the Record holdfast. I have 2 but only use one.
sooner or later....
I don't have a vice on my benches. I use holdfasts and a crochet a deadman alongside stops. Seems to work very well so far. I also have just made a portable moron vice for under £10 on my bench mule. Thanks for the video.
Right you are!
@@gjbmunc I really enjoy your videos as the olde way of working fascinates me.
Thank you for the videos they are really great, also what make is the blue screw down holdfast?
It's an English Record.
I’d love a couple of 20mm hold fasts for my bench, but if you can find them they’re quite often not the cheapest option. Less and less people use them now so finding blacksmiths that make them is a challenge
They're out there - keep looking!
I bought a pair of the Gramercy holdfasts, and they worked fine. Then, I'm a total newbie blacksmith so made my own set as well.
They may be hard to smith nice ones, but to just smith something that works isn't that complicated.
I had 2 of the cheaper versions with 5/8 dia shafts and drilled 3/4 " holes in my 4 " thick ash work bench. Roughed up the metal shaft and still,.........no hold. I'm thinking with a 4 " thick bench I may need to widen the holes to 7/8 or 15/16 to get the needed angular bind? I hesitate to enlarge the existing holes in my bench. Thoughts anyone?
Possible, but usually the problem is that the hole is too large for the holdfast.
Quite late to comment, but I think over 3" thick bench is not recommended for holdfasts.
You could do a 1-2 inch deep counter bore from bottom of those holes with eg. 1" forstner bit. That would work quite well
I use holdfasts a lot. Most of mine are home made. I discovered quite quickly that anything even remotely holdfast shaped will work.
Sounds good!
yes, even a forked branch can work (I've not tried but I've seen someone working with that). I hesitate to buy one Gramercy holdfast, I have some 16mm steel rod... it will be hard to bend at a right shape so I think it will be easier and quicker to weld a piece of flat steel on top.
Same here. Made them with my father, a fitter and turner by trade
How thick does the bench surface need to be for a simple holdfast to work?
I gues a couple of inches would be fine - but if less you might be able to add an extra piece below the bench top.
I think a couple of inches is fine, but you might always add an extra inch or so below where you bore the hole for the holdfast.
One advantage of the screw type is that it comes with its own metal collar - an extra advantage!