Sliding Table Clamps

The origin idea came with the need of making a shield between the saw blade and my body when cross-cutting. As time went by the result didn't prove as useful as expected but I found out many other purposes for that hold-downs and I am always wondering why I didn't build them earlier. They are merely the main component of several fixtures locking on the sliding table and really easy to make as well as lock and release since the are tool-free.

Overview


They are made up of plywood and beech. The five millimetre thick trapeze strengthens the base and mount but is also able to hold a sacrificed block. I stuck two beech tracks on the base because its fine grain improves the gliding of the wooden nut-knob without any drawback as regard clamping. The two holes through the mount matche those of the mitre gauge and scaled fence T-nuts and allow for several ways of locking as shown below.

Details


There is no hierarchic choice in the following order and I use the two clamps related to needs. The two below photos show how the clamps hold a matching plate or the planer-jointer fence on the sliding table so that machining deep raised panels as instance.

Saw Tool


They are also able to hold any stock of wood to make a shield or press a workpiece. The large plate may prevent the body from being reached by little offcuts when cross-cutting but such arrangement didn't satisfy myself because I sometimes need to simultaneously look at the workpiece.

Saw Guard


Holding two plates had naturally come but the first trial held a strong safety failure that the caution icon enhances. Each plate may rotate around its fastening in the sliding table groove and consequently the working tool might catch the guard that could turn into a damaging device. The angle fixture solved the issue and brought a new function as tenoning guard.

Dual Guard


Lasty tapering has become easier since the front clamp can hold a sacrificed block. Here is another way of tapering on the table saw.

Tapering