Simple DIY Workmate [and Bench] Hold Down Clamps

I have a shop with a lot of tools and equipment. That includes a few hundred clamps. Still, over decades into the sawdust making thing, I keep a Workmate tucked in a corner, because they are uniquely useful for many projects.

My first Workmate came with unique clamps that inserted in the holes in the top of the Workmate and, quickly and efficiently, held items to the flat face of the Workmate. All you had to do was, push the clamp pad against the work and push down on a lever, and you had a well clamped workpiece.

That first Workmate and the clamps are ancient history to me now. I missed those clamps because they were dependable, easy to use and very convenient. Sadly, those simple, efficient clamps aren't easy to come by, and aren't cheap when you do.

Pondering better ways than using an unaltered F-clamp to secure project pieces in the usual way such clamps are used, it dawned on me, I should see if the bar of one of my inexpensive, six inch Harbor Freight clamps would fit in the holes on the Workmate top. It turns out they fit nicely.

From there, a simple modification converts them into clamps that work well on either my WorkMate, or a standard shop woodworking bench.

With the stationary head of the clamp removed, placing the bar and movable part in a hole allows you to use the modified F-clamp using the holes intended for that purpose.

With the bar in a hole, pushing the clamp against a workpiece and turning the clamping handle pushes the clamp back at an angle. Enough force can be applied, you could even pick the Workmate up by just a single clamp.

[MATERIALS]

For this, all you need is a 6" or 12" F clamp. I sacrificed a Harbor Freight clamp

[TOOLS:]

(1) Safety glasses

(2) Drill press or hand drill.

(3) A drill bit, Something in the area of 3/16, for example.

Remember, you aren't drilling a hole in the clamp, you're just removing the head of the rivet, so the bit can be the same size as the rivet shat or larger. You could even use a 1/2" bit, but smaller and just a touch over the size of the rivet shaft would make for a smoother, more gentle job.

(4) A drift punch, to knock the rivet out of the bar.

(5) A hammer to do the knocking out thing.

(1) Converting a bar clamp into a Workmate clamp involves just one step - removing the stationary part of the bar clamp.

(2) Once done, you can set the stationary part of the clamp you removed aside, in case you want to gain back a fully working clamp one day. You might even want to keep it to convert the clamp to a spreader, which is done by just reversing the direction of the stationary and moving parts of the clamp, so turning the clamp handle pushes pieces apart.

(3) To remove the rivet holding the stationary part of the clamp, you can drill the head of the rivet using a drill bit just a bit bigger than you think the rivet shaft is, or you can grind it off. I prefer the drill press, or a hand drill and use ABOUT a 3/16ths inch bit.

(4) If drilling the rivet, you need to use a metal punch to put a dent in the center of the rivet head, to give the bit purchase on the rounded head, so it won't wander everywhere but where you want to drill.

(5) Next, secure the rivet holding the stationary top of the clamp to your drill press table with the rivet in line with the bit you mounted in your chuck, or other surface, if you are using a hand drill.

(6) Now drill lightly. Usually, once you get through the rivet head, it will break loose from the rest of the rivet and spin on the drill bit. When it does, immediately stop. You're done.

(7) If using a grinder, take off just enough of the head of the rivet to allow you to knock the pin out.

(8) Next, use a drift punch (even a 1--penny nail might work) and hammer to knock the pin out.

It was that easy.

[USING THE CLAMP]

(1) After you remove the stationary part of the clamp, set the item you will be securing on the Workmate table.

(2) Drop the clamp bar into a hole nearest the workpiece and so the swivel head of the screw clamp will contact the workpiece.

(3) Just tighten the clamp knob. This will push the clamp bar back, at a slight angle, causing the bar to put a lot of pressure on the Workmate top hole so it secures the workpiece.