Clamping Tool Guides

[patlaw]

Many years ago I purchased one or two of the Tru-Grip Clamp 'N Tool Guides. Apparently the company has gone out of business. It's a really neat clamp. It seems that E. Emerson and Bora are making similar devices. Has anyone here used these clamps? Do you prefer one over the other?

Griset:



E. Emerson:



Bora:

 

[Canuck]

I have used the E. Emerson... for awhile. The plastic clamping mechanism is very brittle in my opinion. Dropped one on my assembly table and the plastic sheared right off!:BangHead:

The Bora clamping mechanism looks a lot more substantial to me.

Wayne

 

[tryingtokeepmyfingers]

I have the emerson all three sizes.... maybe they have more sizes but I would skip them I bought a tracksaw instead maybe I will use them with a router or something but so far I thought they are hard to use and keep aligned where you want them and the rod can get knarled up as you use them and make things stick

 

[toolferone]

Yes I have 3 of the Tru-Grip Clamp 'N Tool Guides. It is a shame he went out of business. I believe once the patent ran out and the market flooded with other brands he could not hang on. I talked to him once about it and he was very bitter about it.

 

[KenOfCary]

I have 4 that look like the first picture (black plastic) but don't have any markings on them as to brand. Think I got them from Rockler, but not sure.

I agree with Tat. Since I got my tracksaw and Festool Router that also uses the same tracks, I haven't used them. They might still be useful for one of my small trim routers.

I also agree with him that the aluminum rod is easily dented each time you lock it down and soon becomes full of these dents that prevent smooth operation.

The Bora ones look more substantial, but I have no experience with them.

 

[DaveD]

I've got a couple of those trugrip clamp straightedges from years ago. Theory is nice and as long as you don't put too much sideways force on them they work fine. The heavier the saw or router the more chance you have in inadvertently pushing the guide sideways while you are exerting pressure to keep the saw/router against the straightedge.

All it did was take one mishap like that (straightedge moving) for me to go back to my trusty old homemade straightedges and C-clamps.

 

[patlaw]

Dave, what do you use for a straight edge? It's a serious question because I don't have a jointer, which I assume is a way to make one. Someone suggested some melamine or vinyl molding from Lowes.

 

[chris_goris]

Dave, what do you use for a straight edge? It's a serious question because I don't have a jointer, which I assume is a way to make one. Someone suggested some melamine or vinyl molding from Lowes.

Yes, Mike you need a jointer. Just grab the right length and width scrap from the scrap pile, joint it and clamp it to your workpiece.

 

[DaveD]

For 95% of my cuts that are under 3' long or so I'll just use the factory edge on a piece of sheet goods 3/4" thick. Melamine, plywood, whatever. For 95% of my longer cuts I have a piece of plywood with a piece of aluminum angle rabbited into the edge of the plywood. The plywood is about 12" wide. Ripping full sheets of sheet goods I typically use the factory edge of another sheet or even a 'straight' piece of 1x lumber. I'll even use those factory straightedge clamps we are discussing but use a couple of C clamps to clamp them to make sure they don't move.

99.9% of the time it doesn't make a difference, for me, if the cut varies by 1/16" in 8'. Only time it's critical is if I'm going to edge join long cut edges.

Over the years I have come to accept that plumb, square, and parallel, straight are nice goals but not something to agonize over. Plus or minus a 1/32" is what I strive for. If it comes out plus/minus 1/16th" it's still good to go 95% of the time and move on. Obviously the smaller something is the less room for error. On typical projects I use my trusty framing square to check for squareness or if needed measure diagonals with my tape measure.

One last pointer, I don't agonize over cut lists. I mainly use them to try and get efficient use out of the lumber I have or try to decide how much to buy. When I start cutting, I do the major pieces first. Lets say sides, top and bottom of a medicine cabinet. Then I do the rabbits for the shelves and the inlaid back. Temporarily clamp it together and measure how big the inlaid back piece needs to be. Measure how long the rabbited shelves need to be. Now cut the back and intermediate shelves to those dimensions. That way if your rabbits were each off by 1/16" in depth you really don't/didn't care because you measured 'reality' and cut to that measurement.

Glue those pieces up. Now move on to the trim. Forget your cut list. Measure what reality is in your glued up box. Rough cut your trim so you don't have to man handle 8' to 12' pieces of trim. Until you gain some experience, cut your 1st pieces long by at least 1/8". Dry fit the cut pieces and then 'sneak up' on those final cuts and cut them.

Just don't get discouraged. I've been in this hobby for 50 years and still consider myself a average woodworker. Making furniture is typically beyond me but making something like kitchen cabinets I can hold my own. I'm getting into metal working/machining. Now there is a hobby than can absolutely drive you crazy and put you in the poor house real quick.

P.S. I've owned a jointer, I don't own one now and I don't miss it. With a good straightedge and a square based router I can do nice straight edges ready to glue.

 

[jbrphil]

I have two or three of them but always broken while working in construction. Plastic are brittle, wish they install metal so it will last forever. Its great but there is other aftermarket products like this one. I will not buy those since I broke too many!

 

[Gotcha6]

I have a couple of the Emersons that were given to me by a 'downsizing' woodworker. He now does carving and has no need of them. I use them constantly in my work breaking down plywood and other sheet goods. Using the clamps takes a little getting used to but it does avoid leaving clamp marks in finished pieces (i.e. solid core doors that are finished). My clamps have a steel rod, though, and I've never had a problem with the denting which you say you have. On the other hand, it does rust and needs to be kept dry. I mostly use it with my PC345 6" saw which has a 1" offset to the edge of the shoe so determining where to set it doesn't involve a lot of math......

 

[merrill77]

You don't need a jointer. Any long, straight edge will let you easily joint boards with a saw or router. The length of the board determines the length of the straight-edge you will need. With this method, you will usually get a perfect edge in one pass. With a jointer you may need to take many passes depending on the curvy-ness of the board and your skill in using the jointer. I got rid of my jointer for exactly this reason.

 

[koslonc]

I have the Emerson brand. It is fine for quick rough breakdown of large sheets, but because it is not perfectly straight and can flex, I never use it for the final cut.

BTW, for those who don't use jointers, I understand there are several other methods to achieve straight edges. But I'm curious - how do you flatten the first face of your rough lumber without one?

 

[merrill77]

I use a simple sled with some wedges to keep the board from wobbling. Here is before-and-after pics of flattening a really curvy board. A board this bad does take many passes, but it would with a jointer, too. The results are reliable and consistent. And the process is much safer than using a jointer (a process that I always found rather terrifying). I can face-joint boards up to 15" wide I'd be miserable without my planer but have never once missed my jointer.