Axminster Ratchet Hold Down Clamp

An improvement over traditional 20mm ratchet clamps

We've experimented with our fair share of workbench hold down clamps, many of which were designed to be secured in T-tracks and required some customization or jig-building to work in the Festool MFT/3 or other 20mm worktops. Needless to say, we were excited to test the new Axminster Rachet Hold Down Clamp, which combines the best design elements of the Festool 491594 Quick Ratcheting Clamp with the convenience of a drop-in "spigot" sized perfectly for any 20mm dog hole. The included support plates and massive locking knob help spread the load—rated for 374 lbs (170 kg) of clamping force! We're confident the Axminster Ratchet Hold Down Clamp will be a valuable and oft-used addition to your clamping arsenal.

More Details

The spigot on this fast-acting ratchet hold down fits perfectly into any 20mm bench dog hole. The unique design makes it perfect for use with any workbench featuring 20mm holes, such as the Festool MFT/3 Multifunction table or one that you've hand-made with a tool such as the Parf Guide System. The maximum bench top thickness is 30mm.

The hold down utilizes the rapid action and controllable high clamping power of the Axminster Trade Clamps Forged Quick Lever Clamp. It has a throat depth of 60mm and a maximum working height of 90mm. The spigot mount, locking knob and square support plates are S303 stainless steel CNC machined, highly accurate and rust free.

The ratchet mechanism can generate exceptionally high clamping force; the support plates spread the load, preventing the spigot from deforming the dog hole. Parf dog holes and those in the Festool MFT/3 rely on their exact sizing to maintain accuracy, so whenever feasible we recommend using the support plates when applying maximum clamping force.

The top 4mm of the spigot is 25mm diameter, without a support plate this sits directly on top of your bench and precisely matches the 25mm portion of Parf dogs. It allows you to use the clamp's spigot as a reference, positioning and clamping a workpiece at the same time. The ratchet mechanism gives you control over the amount of pressure applied without fear of damaging the dog hole.

When positioning a workpiece on the vertical face of a UJK Technology workbench, a Twist or Parf dog in one hole and this ratchet clamp directly above, means you will have the work set up in a matter of seconds.

• One handed operation, fast action, high clamping force
• CNC machined stainless steel spigot
• Fits any workbench with 20mm bench dog holes
• Ideal for UJK Technology Multifunction workbenches
• Use on any Parf Guide System cutting table
• Clamping depth up to 90mm, reach 60mm