Ronn W Posted December 29, 2018 Report Share Posted December 29, 2018 Opinion time. Who makes the best hold fast for the money? Never had any and am thinknling about getting a couple. I have a 3" maple top with 3/4" holes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted December 29, 2018 Report Share Posted December 29, 2018 https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/MS-HOLDFAST.XX/Holdfasts_by_Gramercy_Tools Others are more expensive but they all are the same. These are the ones i have that i told you about and they work great for me. Is your top really 3"? Looked thinner than that.... huh. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wilkins Posted December 29, 2018 Report Share Posted December 29, 2018 My two are from blacksmith Peter Ross and they are exceptional but they were $85 bucks a few years ago. One thing I’ve heard about the TFWW holdfasts That Chestnut has is occasionally they are too smooth to hold in certain benches. However, sanding or dimpling seems to usually fix it. Also heard good things about the one from black bear forge. There’s been several that have come out in 5he last year or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted December 29, 2018 Report Share Posted December 29, 2018 1 hour ago, Chestnut said: https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/MS-HOLDFAST.XX/Holdfasts_by_Gramercy_Tools Others are more expensive but they all are the same. These are the ones i have that i told you about and they work great for me. Is your top really 3"? Looked thinner than that.... huh. I have to agree, for the money I don't see how you can beat these. I love my pair of them. I glued leather on the business end, which helped them grip much better. They work well in both my sliding dead man, which is 1 3/4", as well as in my 4" top (both hard maple). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted December 29, 2018 Report Share Posted December 29, 2018 I was going to make some myself, but after pricing A36 rod, with shipping, the material cost alone was close to half what the Gramarcy ones cost. Then there was gas on top of that, and probably screwing up a couple to find just the right spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted December 29, 2018 Report Share Posted December 29, 2018 Yea, the Gramercy hold fasts are real nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted December 29, 2018 Report Share Posted December 29, 2018 You can't beat the Gramercy ones for just plain holding power. There are plenty of others, but most have some little trick or two. Gramercy hold fasts, hold fast period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronn W Posted December 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2018 1 hour ago, Chestnut said: Is your top really 3"? Looked thinner than that.... huh. Good eye - it's really 2 3/4" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted December 29, 2018 Report Share Posted December 29, 2018 I use vacuum clamping with a foot valve so I can’t speak on holdfasts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted December 29, 2018 Report Share Posted December 29, 2018 Another vote for Gramercy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted December 29, 2018 Report Share Posted December 29, 2018 Gramercy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Prunier Posted January 5, 2019 Report Share Posted January 5, 2019 I also have a pair of Gramercy hold-fast. If you get a set take some sandpaper to the shaft. It will help them grab better in the hole. For the money, there really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronn W Posted January 5, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2019 Based on general consensus of thei illustrious group of sawdust creators, I have purchase a pair Gramercy hold fasts. I also made a wood mallet. It's a little light but it works. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted January 5, 2019 Report Share Posted January 5, 2019 48 minutes ago, Ronn W said: Based on general consensus of thei illustrious group of sawdust creators, I have purchase a pair Gramercy hold fasts. I also made a wood mallet. It's a little light but it works. Use some contact cement and glue some leather pieces on them, It'll hold better and not mar your work piece. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmishElectricCo Posted January 9, 2019 Report Share Posted January 9, 2019 Another +1 for Gramercy holdfasts. I had to rough mine up with some 80 grit sandpaper. My bench top is thicker than most (3 1/2"), and they simply would not work out of the box. I also used a very smooth boring bit for my dog holes, so that might have been a factor also. The holdfasts work great now, though! Definitely hard to beat for the price! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenMasco Posted January 9, 2019 Report Share Posted January 9, 2019 I have two of the Gramercy hold fasts and love them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonR Posted January 11, 2019 Report Share Posted January 11, 2019 On 29/12/2018 at 1:02 PM, SawDustB said: I have to agree, for the money I don't see how you can beat these. I love my pair of them. I glued leather on the business end, which helped them grip much better. They work well in both my sliding dead man, which is 1 3/4", as well as in my 4" top (both hard maple). Could you find them in Canada or did you have to order them from TFWW? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnesota Steve Posted January 11, 2019 Report Share Posted January 11, 2019 19 minutes ago, SimonR said: Could you find them in Canada or did you have to order them from TFWW? Check Lee Valley... they have a deal to sell Gramercy tools in Canada. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonR Posted January 11, 2019 Report Share Posted January 11, 2019 35 minutes ago, Minnesota Steve said: Check Lee Valley... they have a deal to sell Gramercy tools in Canada. wow never thought to check lee valley for these since they have the Veritas Holdfasts...sure enough they sell them thanks a lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted January 11, 2019 Report Share Posted January 11, 2019 That's where I got mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted January 12, 2019 Report Share Posted January 12, 2019 21 hours ago, SimonR said: Could you find them in Canada or did you have to order them from TFWW? Yes, mine are from Lee Valley too. Considering they're about 1/3 of the cost of the Veritas ones and work well, it's not a hard choice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeventyFix Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 On 12/29/2018 at 10:56 AM, Chestnut said: https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/MS-HOLDFAST.XX/Holdfasts_by_Gramercy_Tools Others are more expensive but they all are the same. These are the ones i have that i told you about and they work great for me. Is your top really 3"? Looked thinner than that.... huh. +1 I bought a pair of these while making my Guild Split Top Roubo. Take some rough sand paper and twist them around a few times. After that, they bound well in the bench top. Never had a problem with them. Made in the USA. Enough said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim DaddyO Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 Another +1 for the Gramercy. I got mine from Lee Valley also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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