[TheForge] Acme Hold down

[Bruce .]

Very cool.

I use this Harbor Freight device on my drill press table, and have
considered modifying it as a hold-fast for the anvil:
http://www.harborfreight.com/9-inch-drill-press-locking-clamp-36221.html#.UyoPFoUcDcs
(That's harborfreight.com item # 36221.)
It won't hold as tightly or securely as your C-clamp mod, but it's not bad.

The mod would be easy and reversible for the hardy hole:  A coupling, a
threaded rod, a washer and a nut.  Maybe a taper "washer" to compensate for
the slope on the underside of the tail.  But I'd like to mod it for the
pritchel hole, and that is a welding job, to extend the screw.  That would
make it incompatible with my drill press, so a second clamp would be in
order.  (A big $8.29.)  I may get to it eventually.

Recently I experimented with a super-simple hold-down, the purpose of which
was simply to keep a workpiece ON the anvil, not to hold it down so
firmly.  You all know of it:  A chain. Put a nail in the back side of your
stump and another in the front side.  Put a link of chain over each, after
running it across the top of the anvil.  Now either leave enough slack in
the chain to hook your foot in the front side, or else rig some sort of
pedal in front.  Voila.  Worked like a champ for operations like punching.

Bruce
NJ