How to Make a Hold Fast HOLD | Common Holdfast Problems

[@picklesnoutpenobscott3165]

As a blacksmith, I will add a touch more friction points to 50% top back and. 50% bottom front, great thoughts!

[@michaelprice9049]

Thank you! My hold fasts were not holding fast and I did the filing on the front/back with a little triangle file and now they work!! 10/10 would file my hold fast again.

[@DirkBurlap]

Thanks. You solved my problem.

[@MikeJones-xf2qh]

Just what I needed to see/hear. I just finished my new bench and bought the Gramercy holdfasts and yup, they bounced. Thanks!

[@tonyhawk1948]

I ordered hand forged holdfasts over a month ago and watching this video gets me HELLA excited about them, I cant wait to have them

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Lots of fun to come. They really are a game changer and workholding.

[@clintonm2357]

I started making one yesterday for blacksmithing. I had to stop after roughly profiling it because it was so hot, but now I’m glad I did because I will add texture to the shank and leave some scale on it.

[@JarlSeamus]

John Switzer over at Black Bear does beautiful work and him being a woodworker on top of being a Blacksmith, he knows what they should do....

[@josephcoon5809]

I think that it’s fascinating that people intuitively understood physics well enough to design these simple tools, and people are so oblivious to such simple concepts today. There’s a huge difference between knowledge and wisdom that this video portrays so eloquently. It’s one thing to know how to split an atom, but it’s an entirely different mode of thought to figure out to use that Knowledge to make electricity or bombs...Wisdom. Too often I see people learning WHAT to do, but not why it’s done which leaves them crippled when something simple but outside of their knowledge base occurs. The modern educational system does a disservice by concerning itself with quantity rather than quality leaving us with a society equipped only to realize another person’s dreams. I think it’s great that people pick these arts up as hobbies, but I’m thankful that people like you see it as more than that. Life is too short and confusing today that these arts are slowly dying off. I salute you and your efforts to keep this Knowledge AND Wisdom alive.

[@johnbesharian9965]

“In 100 years we have gone from teaching Latin and Greek in high school to teaching Remedial English in college.” -Joseph Sobran

[@flashwashington2735]

Thanks. Worn holes? Try knurled sleeves. Worked for my missus.

[@pamtnman1515]

😂

[@RicardoGrndahlRosado]

After watching this, I'm rethinking removing the rust from a pair of holdfasts that got soaked (for no more than 1h) in a recent accident. They do seem to hold better than I remembered before they turned rusty! Thanks for the video!

[@johnford7847]

Perfect timing. Just yesterday, I noticed that my holdfast wasn't holding as well as it had been. You've given me some things to check. Thanks.

[@Rocketninja200]

I just got my holdfasts in the mail yesterday and I'm ready to bore holes in my new bench today. How's that for timing?

[@michaelmcdermott2178]

One of the most useful, down to earth pieces I've seen. I'm moving to primarily hand tool use and planning my 'last bench' as I head into retirement, so work holding is high on my mind just now. I've used holdfasts but now I'll use them more tthoughtfully.

[@chesterwsmith]

I swear you've got a video for every woodworking question I have. I've been headscratching over my new Gramercy holdfasts in my 5" SYP benchtop, I thought I'd drilled the holes wrong, they had to be tighter, or dead square. But now it's so clear. Thanks!

[@jeffmiller3850]

Thanks for the tips James. I went out to my shop and filed some notches in my cheap cast iron hold fasts (which I'd put in a drawer and never used because they wouldn't hold), clamped down some white oak with them, chopped out some dovetail pins, and they held like a charm.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

That is what I like to hear.

[@mikevukas9818]

Thank you! I recently built a decent work bench I could't understand why the holdfasts I ordered off Amazon were not working. Now I understand why and it makes perfect sense. .

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Thanks. Glad I can help.

[@blakewofford9709]

James - Thanks very much for this info - I have a pair of gramercy holdfasts that weren't holding (fast or slow) and I was about to make my bench holes larger, thinking that was the problem. I'm so glad I didn't do that, and watched this video first. I roughed up the inside of the holes and roughed up the sides of my holdfasts and they're holding very well now. Seriously, thank you for this. I was really frustrated with them not holding.

[@athmostafa2462]

That's a good info to solve the hold fast problems 🤔 thanks 👌 .

[@johnraffensperger]

Complete, authoritative. Well done

[@johnraffensperger]

Just watched this again after arguing with a holdfast last night. Great tips. But the amazing bit is that you can lift your 400 pound bench.

[@bradleymack5719]

Perfect video and perfect timing! I have been so frustrated with my holdfasts and haven't been able to use them at all because they just slip out. I will go through these steps to hopefully find a solution.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Sounds good. Let me know if you need any help

[@MCsCreations]

Fantastic, James! Thanks a lot! 😃 I'm going to build my first bench in the next months... I'm not sure yet when. But I'm going to use 2 inch slabs for the top, it's easy to find them here. And it's going to be a hard wood called Garapeira. 😊 But, well... I just got a router and still need a planner... So it's going to take a while. 😬 Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@joelesko3267]

Great informative video James!! I'm in the process of completing my workbench. its 5 1/2 inches thick made of laminated poplar boards. I have the gramercy holdfasts and was concerned about getting them to "Hold". The paperwork that came w them states they work best between the 2 to 4 inch thickness range. You certainly answered my concerns and hopefully it will work for me!! Keep up the greatness my friend!!!!!

[@TomBuskey]

My douglas fir 2x top wasn't thick enough & the holes got wallered out. I glued a thin 2x under neath the holes & now they work much better.

[@rogeranderson8763]

If you like to put linseed oil on your benchtop after you flatten it, DO NOT ever get any in the dogholes. I found the results of this rookie mistake kept mine from working well for a couple of months until it dried out. If your budget will stretch to it, look at the Crucible Tool (via Lost Art Press web site) holdfast, It is a 1" diameter ductile iron replica of a very old one found in a barn somewhere. I used them instead of the Gramacy ones I had on hand and can say they are a real treat. Apparently, 'back in the day' 1" was the done thing for the shafts...but like our lumber, things change to increase the profits. I much enjoyed this video...clear, concise and quick getting to the various points. Be careful with that linseed oil...and yeh, I don't coat the benchtop any more, it is a LOT more grippy without it. -Veteran '66-68

[@johnbesharian9965]

Well, Roger & Son, Another thought on oiling the bench top (both top & bottom) is to make hardwood bungs out of appropriate doweling when finishing and, or doing periodic maintenance.

[@wolfman75]

Thank You James!!! I learned something new!!! 👍😎🤴

[@morefiction3264]

Thanks, I have my holdfast (Grammercy) but haven't bored my holes yet. This lets me troubleshoot beforehand and thanks for the tip on gluing leather on.

[@kent5400]

Boring the first hole in a new benchtop is somewhat nerve-racking because you're second-guessing placement and size, etc. I'm pretty sure that no-one has ever completely ruined their bench though, so don't fret about it and just drill the first one so that you can use that Gramercy. FWIW, I love mine and I use it on a 2-inch maple top. I used a little bit of 80-grit sandpaper to rough up the shaft and then used it like that for months before finally gluing on some leather. BTW, you can use the holdfast to clamp the leather in place while the glue cures. I did that and then trimmed the leather later.

[@morefiction3264]

@@kent5400 Thanks, Mine's ~4in made of laminated fir 2x4s.

[@markbell335]

I went with a 3 inch top and the bent rod hold fast.... I've never had a problem. I felt the bent rod gave me more spring than a forged equivalent which would be important in this type of application. I feel forged steel has it's place... I just don't feel it's the best fit for this type of stuff.... it's too stiff. Mark Bell

[@Phatomshark27]

Great information. I will be taking a file to my gramercy holdfasts now.

[@michaelcarman4672]

How timely! I was just underneath my bench this weekend counterboring the holes a little more with the largest bit I had! And I probably couldn't gotten away with just filing my holdfasts a little...

[@keats182]

I have the Grammercy ones. I noticed the lack of friction and took a hammer and cold chisel to them. It definitely helped. I have a three inch thick pine bench. I noticed that it held better near the legs than the middle. I figured there was just enough vibration that it didn't seat right. I either hit it harder or put my weight on the top while I hit.

[@CleaveMountaineering]

I got a set of Grammercy holdfasts a few years ago, and needed to dimple them with a punch to get them to work. Then I forged a pair myself that work about the same. Now I've build a 9" thick doug fir bench. These holes I needed to back drill from the bottom oversize (that's a rough job with a 1" twist drill), and they still aren't working right. I may just need to file out any linseed oil that dribbled down in there. I made leather pads on my holdfasts, secured with Gorilla Glue, and they work just fine.

[@eduardoribolla1992]

Great explanation. Thanks for sharing!

[@mariushegli]

I have nothing to say really, but I appreciate your content, and wish to help with the yt-algorithms.

[@soberlivingwithbrianfrankl8254]

I watched a video a while back that really helped me on mine from the English woodworker. Use a punch to "texture" the shaft (come on guys) and that really worked wonders fkr mine.

[@kellywillems6126]

I've got one hole in my bench that just won't grip my holdfast , so frustrating. Thanks for the tips

[@petrsidlo7614]

Thank you for this, you make the most practical and relevant videos for the things i try to learn. I started woodworking around 8 months ago and after a short while tried to find a set of hold fast, but cannot buy them anywhere. After a while i found a site where i can get them, but only from Lie Nielsen and those were way over the budget for me, the also had some that looked almost like clamps (instead the top being bentit had a screw with which you control the tension) but the price was even higher than for the Lie Nielsen. This year the site started to sell another kind, so i ordered it and now have to wait for them (could be a long time because of the virus, they didnt have them in stock). They look like cast ones you showed, so hopefully they wont break, as i have no other affordable option.

[@1sdrummer2]

Thank you for this video.

[@criswilson1140]

If you have a hard wood bench (like maple) and the holes are smooth inside rough them up with a rasp and the hold will increase tremendously. Course grit sand paper is also good for roughing up the shafts.

[@jerrystark3587]

Very useful information. Thanks!

[@BCToby]

For softer wood surfaces how do you manage wallowing over time? My bench was only built a month ago and I've been loving hte holdfasts however the holes have already wallowed significantly. Some of simple jigs that i first made (eg made 2 hole plane stop) that use the same holes now are no longer a tight fit and can jiggle around in the holes a bit.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

the fibers will compress but that slows down. as long as you drill a 3/4" hole for the 3/4" holdfast it will keep working.

[@craigcrowder8078]

Hi James. This is a very helpful video. Thank you. I am just starting with holdfasts and I have a set of very cheap forged holdfasts from Rockler. They are the blue ones. They came with something else and I decided to give them a try. I really like them, when they hold, but frankly, they are SO BAD at holding that they make me want to walk into traffic. I'm planning on buying an entry level set (like Gramercy). I'm also going to give your filing tip a try on these cheap crappy rockler ones ones that I have. You said that you've broken your cheap ones in the past, and I'm on my way to that, myself, just banging and banging with no hold. I have to do something, so I'm heading for my file to mark these up, and then back to the browser to buy some better ones. My question is if you have an alternate mid-range suggestion that you would recommend over the Gramercy brand. I can probably afford ~40 or 50 for a set. Most of the hand forged units are ~150 for a set. I'm not ready to commit to hand forged, just yet. What can you recommend? If you don't have time to answer, please accept my thanks and appreciation for your work.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Honestly there really isn't anything better than Gramercy until you get to hand forged. But honestly there's nothing wrong with Gramercy through decent hold fast.

[@craigcrowder8078]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo - thank you. BTW, I took a file to the ones from rockler, scraped off the paint (which reduced their friction to nothing) and scratched some texture into them and they work, sort of. They'll get me by until I get the new ones in. If anyone else is reading this and has the same issue with the rockler holdfasts, I had to file off the casting ridge on both the back and the front, all of the blue paint, and scratch some texture into them before they would hold. I'm placing my order for the Gramercy holdfasts tonight.

[@gordonmccall5263]

Great topic! Thanks James!

[@scooteroo]

Thank you James. Have not been able to get mine to hold on my new bench (a Chris Schwarz design with a fir top) and it has been p*ssing me off!

[@gregsarsons1221]

This was nice short informative video, not sure what there was not to like. Giving you a thumbs up even though you aren’t a fan of the Veritas holdfasts :)

[@daveyoder1436]

Thank you. Very helpful

[@FireAngelOfLondon]

Another glue that can stick leather to metal properly is called "Fantastic Elastic". It may not be available outside the UK though.

[@lyster1ne681]

Yeah this has always been a frustration for me. I have hand forged holdfasts with file texture added, and a 4 inch thick bench made of shortleaf pine, and they have never worked. Several of my holes have a counterbore too, and it made no difference. Thanks for the info though, I’ve never seen anyone address this.

[@batman7035]

A different channel suggested putting more material under the dog hole to thicken the bench in those areas. I bet that worked because there was better friction on the new contract points after the change. I like your suggestion to put a file to the holdfast for more friction.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Yes that is common on english benches that only have a 1.5" top.

[@fieroboom]

Have you seen the wooden holdfasts that Pask Makes has? They're pretty slick & I'm planning to make some soon just because they're so easy and available. 😁👍

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

I haven't had a chance to try them, but I am very skeptical about them. There's a lot of flex and that just wouldn't provide as much clamping force as you would with steel. But again, I've never used them so I wouldn't be the best one to ask. I have tried a couple other varieties of wooden hold fast and have never found one that worked very well.

[@fieroboom]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo I mean yeah, they're definitely nowhere near as good as metal ones, but for a quick & easy get-by, it looks like they definitely fit the bill. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2Oxmpqdh6-bkKM

[@deanwight]

Gramercy holdfasts come with instructions suggesting you wrap sandpaper around the shaft and rotate the shaft to add circumferential texture. I did it with mine, and they work well.

[@mattg6262]

Yeah I got the gramercy ones too. At first they didn't work but after I emailed them that's what they told me. I took the fasts to my belt sander and roughed them with 36 grit all the way around the shaft perpendicular to the shaft then I took a file to them to get some "teeth" on there. Instant difference in grip.

[@neonjoe529]

5:00 I can confirm this; my gramercy holdfasts work fine in my 6” pine bench

[@silmarils94]

And they don't break and are forged now.

[@roar40s]

Course grit sand blasting them while glowing hot does the trick!

[@ruffryder13]

I got gramercy holdfasts for my yet to be built bench. Hope they work!

[@littlegray4537]

I have cheap molded DCT Bench Holdfast Woodworking Tools - 8in Bench Holdfast Clamps Woodworking Bench Holddown Clamps, 2 Pack from Amazon from my laminated pine top low roman workbench. They aren't working. So far, I have tried running hot melt glue down the sides ... but I used too much glue and it just strips off when trying to insert the holdfast. The bench is 3.25 thick, pine 2.x4s. Two 3/4 holes were made with a spade bit; the other two holes were made with a fostner bit, but, behind the legs and I didn't have room to finish off the bottom of the holes from the bottom and drilled them entirely from the top so there's some blow out on the bottom. I think I can follow your idea to widen the holes on the bottom so the thickness of the wood for the holdfast is 2.5 inches. This would repair the blow out damage on the underside if it wasn't enough for the hold fasts to work well. I am not sure if thickness of the bench is an issue with my bench being 3.25 thick. I can also try filing some rough spots on the front and back side of the holdfast. I think it was really helpful for you to discuss and show people this aspect of holdfasts. I get slightly better performance with the holes drilled with the fostner bit. I notice that you do your holes with an auguer. What are the things about drill bits we should be aware of that impact the performance of holdfast holes? I am thinking that the holes need to be reasonably straight without edges between where I different drill bit was used or or if you go in from the top and bottom, like your supposed to, that the holes are aligned. The first two holes made with the spade bit are not perfectly aligned and have noticeable bumps or ridges when I insert my fingers. I am filing them flat with a round file but I am not an experienced filer. Perhaps these holes are too rough? I've got five holes the bench that I can tinker with and I have decided to finish the top of the workbench and do the remaining majority of important dog holes after the bench top has 3-4 layers of shellack (the bottom and legs already have 5-7 applications of shellack). I am hoping I get get these cheap holdfasts to work. chrisvonpimpenstein's trick of using musician's resin is appealing. I might try thinner layers of hot melt perhaps just on the top/back bottom/front faces of the holdfast first tho. One idea that's come up in other discussions is using a plastic or softmetal sleeve to repair benchfast holes. Do sleeves work? Material? er is dog hole one or two workds?

[@tomkrueger8150]

In your opinion, what do you think about sandblasting the part of the shaft that “grabs” the bench?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

It will help, but it does not add that much friction.

[@NivBetsalel]

Sir, I love you.

[@ricksolari9570]

I believe it's also important for the angle between the pad and the shaft to be 80-85 degrees.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Not necessarily. I have one where the angles at 90° that I use on softwood so I don't have to put as much pressure down on it. And I have another one that's probably somewhere around 70 or 75. Not want to use when I really need to bang down on something and hold it solid

[@yannisvaroufakis9395]

What do you think of the Crucible holdfasts that are 1” diameter rough ductile iron?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Is there a lot of fun but way too thick in my book. Generally prefer the three quarter inch size. But a lot of people like the larger size

[@dahljerald2934]

Have you tried watering the hole? The wood swells and the hold fast holds.

[@barrywuthrich8530]

good info. Thanks

[@walterrider9600]

thank you James . wow from 55 to 65 then 80 to 90 at check out ???? good lord

[@myshoptoday]

Could you tell me the diameter of your holdfast shafts are and the diameter of the holes in your bench please? Just finished my bench and getting ready to drill the dog holes. Thanks for the great videos.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

The bench hole is 3/4 the shaft is slightly smaller. Historically you took a 3/4 shaft and textured it at the forge that made the shaft just a bit smaller.

[@myshoptoday]

@WoodByWrightHowTo Thank you for that info. I have a bench I just completed (my first one) and it has a a little over a 5" top. I watched your video about making them hold better. Looking forward to getting to work!

[@משהלוי-ג3ע]

Hello.. Is there a minimum thickness for the thickness of the table in order to use it?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

It depends on the wood you're using. If you're working with pine, you probably are going to want at least 2 in 3 in would be better. In hardwoods you might get away with as little as inch and a half. But most the time you'd want at least 2 in

[@hassanal-mosawi4235]

Thanks for sharing that

[@thomasarussellsr]

"Hold slow", you know James, reading my mind is invasion of privacy. I've even seen some blacksmiths bang up from under the bend to release the hold fast from their anvil, I wonder if the difference is that it is held in steel or iron instead of wood? I suppose on could bang an old tire iron about a bit after a good heat and make their own. Cut off half the socket, flatten the other half into the hold part, and heat the bend to bring it on over, then quench it to arrest the the bend at its new angle. I might have to try it and see how it works out in the long run. Although, I believe most of the ild tire irons I have lying around aren't 3/4" thick. But then again, my maple top is only 2" thick, so a 1/2" or 5/8" hold-fast would be worth drilling a few new holes in my cheap Harbor Freight bench for testing purposes. With the drawers in the bench, I'd have to drill new holes along the back for hold-fasts anyway.

[@jacquesouimet4421]

Since my top is only 1 1/2 plywood tick could i add a 3x3 maple edge on side of workbench with holes so i could use holdfast? Or any other ideas??? P.s. i dont have access to under my tabletop

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

You could. Most people just mount a 2x4 under the bench where the holes are. That makes that spot thicker

[@dalehample1029]

Great video. I have a 30 year old bench/garage table I made years ago with 2x4s laid down wide. Is 1 3/4 inches deep enough for these to work? It would be cool to at least look like I have skills. Just retired...

[@alans1816]

They do work in that thickness, but what many do in that circumstance is add blocking. Drill the holes, then glue and screw an extra layer of 2x material to the bottom surface, then drill through. The reason to drill first is that it makes it easy to tell where to put the wood, and where not to put a screw.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

What Alan said!

[@tryingagain14]

I've got 2 gramercy ones that bite well in my benchtop. It's made of 3 layers of 3/4 mdf glued and screwed together. I can whack them in to hold and then just pull the back to release. Could be the mdf, I don't know.

[@jezaitkens6676]

Hey, I just bought a pair of hand forged holdfasts off Etsy. The problem I have is that the heads are pretty small - smaller than the ones in the video - and the work-piece pivots on the bench. Is this something that happens with all hold fasts or do I need to send them back?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

You may want to attach some leather to the face. I just use simple high glue. It adds a bit more friction. But even then most hold fast won't stop things from rotating. If you want that you usually need to put two hold fast on it to give two points of connection.

[@mikekelly7456]

great information thanks i have been having trouble with my hold fast, its a round rod one i heavily textured the shank but I have a hard time getting it to hold well. The bench is a pine 2x4 laminated bench. when I drilled the holes they went in crooked what should I do thanks Mike

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Crooked holder are not a problem. The holes do not need to be perfect to work. A few degrees off is no problem at all.

[@mikekelly7456]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo they are more than a few degrees and I used the wrong bit I use an 11/16 auger I then drilled to 3/4 for dogs but the dogs don't fit because of the slant shpould I plug and re drill

[@jamesmhall]

There's another type. I have a couple sjoberg holdfasts. The posts have teeth and the pad is on another bolt that screws through the beam. I find these much faster to use and get a reliable bite without using a hammer.

[@reforzar]

Do you have anything stuck in your holes?

[@majinkakashi20]

So many that's what she said moments...youre makaing it hard for me, ooooooh! 😂 oh i mean, thanks for the great advice lol. I was thinking about trying to make some wooden holdfast, but I doubt they'd work very well, or very long. Might as well bend rods on my own, ooooohhh that's what she said...D'oh!😂😂

[@markblankenship8289]

i have a one and a half inch thick bench top, will a hold fast work on my bench?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

it it is hard wood it shood. if it is soft wood you may want to add more tot eh bottom of those spots.

[@Darkanii]

A common problem I noticed, especially on thinner benches, is over time the hole gets wider at top and bottom, creating a diagonal wall which the holdfast won’t attach to.

[@TheOlsonOutfit]

Yes! A thin top is my current nemesis.

[@edmanuel6885]

I added pieces of 2x syp like the bench under the holdfast holes to solve that problem.

[@Zyberwoof]

I built Rex's $30 low Roman bench. That means 3.5" thick of whatever type of studs the big orange store had. My dog holes were made with a 3/4" spade bit. But I admit that I took the lazy route. I just drilled straight through from the top instead of finishing by drilling up through the bottom. I'm having mixed luck with my holdfast. I tried filing my holdfast and sanding my dog holes, but I'm still having mixed results. 3.5" shouldn't be an issue. But in your video, you did say that a bit thinner bench tops may work better. Because of this I'm considering counterboring the holes to make them thinner for the holdfasts. For my next troubleshooting step, do you think that flipping the bench over and counterboring the holes would be a wise choice? Is there any reason I'd regret it? If so, what depth would you recommend I target for my dog holes? 2"? 2.5"? I know it's not an exact science. But since my bench is cheap and light, flipping it over and trying this seemed like a good choice.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

counter boring the holes may help. but 3.5" thick pine will hold nicely. my last bench was that. with drilling with a spade bit the holes may be "fuzzy" I would say take a rat tale file to them first and see fi that helps. usually with pine around 3.5" is the butter zone for thickness. any thinner then that and the holes wear out quickly.

[@Aqzaqa]

Would it work to coat the holdfast with beeswax to increase friction?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

No. That would actually decrease friction. You want to make sure you don't have any finish in the dog holes. That will cause it to slide

[@DeDraconis]

I'm curious, do the holes "wear out" over time? Like, they get compressed so much that they don't spring back again - can the hole eventually be too big to work with the holdfast? Is that something that can be repaired?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Generally no. I've seen benches that have been used for over 100 years and still have the hold fast holes working fine.

[@criswilson1140]

I've seen two well used/abused older benches that the holes had gotten oversized. In both cases it appeared that someone had then overboard the holes to about an inch and half, then tapered them from bottom, glued in a tapered hardwood plug, and then rebored the 3/4 inch hole. (Yes, I spent a lot of time examining them, the fix intrigued me).

[@johanneswerner1140]

Yes, they wear out a bit. It depends on the material. That is just circumstantial evidence (own experience).

[@johnbesharian9965]

@@criswilson1140, I've had a similar fix in mind for such an eventuality. However, instead of tapering the holes and plugs (I don't have a lathe for the plugs) thought of just boring the holes to be 1/2" to 3/4" oversize to fit full depth hardwood dowel inserts, being certain to match the grain direction of each dowel to the grain of the 2 3/4" thick maple top.

[@jacquesouimet4421]

If my bench top is 2x 3/4 plywood glue together can i used a holdfast in that type of materiel?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

With soft wood like plywood you need around 3 in for it to be effective.

[@Rooster0529]

I’m building a bench and plan on doing mostly carving and some planing. Do I need hold fasts or just dogs? I didn’t want to drill all the way through my bench top if I didn’t need to do so. Thoughts?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

If you're planning on doing carving there are a lot of times where hold fast are incredibly useful. I would actually wonder why you don't want to drill over through your bench?

[@Rooster0529]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo not that I didn’t want to, just not if I didn’t have to. It will be 3” thick and last this 60 year old guy a life time 😉. Thank you for the reply and content of your videos. Just getting into this as a COVID hobby and finding it so relaxing and mentally helpful. Been sitting out by the fire all winter here in Michigan and need to move inside with a good bench now.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

I got you. I would then suggest just drill your dog holes and you may find that at some point in the future you really want to hold fast. then you just drill the hold fast holes where you need them rather than drilling them all out. Cuz usually only need them in a few places.

[@alans1816]

Is there any reason not to counterbore or ream the top instead of the bottom in a thick bench? It's a lot more convenient, should work, and should continue to behave in a couple of centuries when bench flattening has thinned the top.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

That works fine as long as you don't mind seeing a bigger hole.

[@weldabar]

One point was misleading. Hand forged holdfasts can also have a 90⁰ angle at top rather than round, not just cast ones.

[@cbrowning762]

I giggled every time you said "hole" "friction" "ream" and "tightness". I'm not proud of it.

[@ilikewaffles3689]

9:36

[@rwg727]

What size hole to drill for a 5/8” holdfast? What size hole for a 3/4” holdfast? Thanks

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

3/4". The size refers to the hole not the shaft. I have never seen a 5/8 holdfast before. They are generally 3/4" or 1"

[@rwg727]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo thank you James! I really appreciate your channels!

[@rwg727]

So a 3/4” holdfast shank is 3/4”? How is there any wiggle room in a 3/4” hole? I’m wanting to make my own and wondering about the shank size.

[@clayvansickle1]

@@rwg727 No a 3/4” holdfast is designed for a 3/4” hole. The holdfast itself is slightly smaller than 3/4”.

[@davidsnow5523]

Do you know if holdfasts are tempered?

[@criswilson1140]

They are annealed. Soft. If tempered hard they will crack and or shatter. So if you heat one up to rebend it, do not quench it, let it air cool.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

What Cris said

[@davidsnow5523]

@@criswilson1140 Was not sure if they tempered it like a spring or not. I thought if you brought it to a blue temper it would be beneficial.

[@criswilson1140]

@@davidsnow5523 Holdfasts are typically made from a lower carbon steel than a spring steel, so it would not be beneficial. Also, the forces on the holdfast don't require the toughness.

[@davidsnow5523]

@@criswilson1140 thanks. I was thinking of making some.

[@seb310801]

I've been trying to figure out the name for these in my language for hours, so now I'm gonna ask here. If anyone knows the Danish name for these, or even better, where to get some in Denmark, please let me know! Big thanks in advance to anyone who helps. I'd very much appreciate some assistance.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Sorry. I wish I knew. If you knew a blacksmith they can usually make them in a few minutes.

[@seb310801]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo sadly I don't know any blacksmiths. I guess I might be able to find a local one on the internet though, so thanks anyway!

[@tonyalways7174]

In the era of commercial woodworkers relying on holdfasts as a main tool, workbenches were almost invariably made from pine. Generally 2” think boards nailed side-by-side so the holdfasts were totally reliable.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

That's true for a lot of the English tradition. But early American and most Continental were usually three to four inch thick hardwood.

[@MartinMMeiss-mj6li]

I forged my own pair of holdfasts, but I followed the old fashioned style where the horizontal part doesn't arch over in a curve, but rather has a sharp angle bend. I believe this geometry lends itself better to tightening and loosening with a single swat.

[@jpwallace100]

the beginning of this video made me laugh.

[@edwinthomas4232]

make a hold fast fast by not feeding it

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Oh I love that one. And congrats on first.

[@Zyberwoof]

Fantastic. I love it.

[@kightenterprises1234]

Black bear has good holdfast but their reasoning and math are incorrect. They say it’s the angle that matters most. It’s actually torque. The length of the arm acting on the bench thickness is most important. Hole diameter can slightly change this. This is why Peter Ross charges $100 per HoldFast. No complaints it’s massive and will work in almost any bench. Friction coefficient dimples scores sanding etc help as well. Pretty simple to humans.

[@allananderson5840]

Right. So it's the max height of the bend above the bench that sets the length of that lever arm I think. It will hold easiest on the thick 2-3" board and least on nothing, clamped to the bench alone. And also the shape of the bend, peak to ...leaf/foot (that touches the workpiece).

[@christopherharrison6724]

My bench is too thin to use hold fasts on

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

A lot of people put backing boards underneath where the hold fast holes are to increase the thickness.

[@AndreiIR000]

07:08 watch this part without sound =))))))

[@jayejaycurry5485]

I have a woodworking book that says the hole should be about 125% of the diameter of the holdfast. It also recommends that the bench top be AT LEAST the thickness of the holdfast. ("Jigs and Fixtures for the Hand Tool Woodworker", Graham Blackburn, Popular Woodworking.)

[@thomasduke8909]

I chamfered the 3/4 holes just slightly, on my 4" maple top, and the loss of the crisp top edge really diminished the hold fast ability. It now comes loose too easily. bad mistake. Tom

[@kennethnielsen3864]

48th.

[@ramingr]

Next video should be on how to make your own. Title should be 'How to make a holdfast FAST'. I'll see myself out.

[@bobwhelk2117]

Your crazy

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Thanks. I do try!

[@AirstripBum]

Thanks for the information. Very useful.