Swapped from magnetic clamps to toggle clamps on my jig table

Used to just slap magnetic clamps on everything and hope they held steady, but after that 12-inch pipe joint slipped on me three times in one shift I finally switched over to toggle clamps last Tuesday... anyone else find a simple swap that cut their setup time in half?

2 comments

2 Comments

green.noah3d agoMost Upvoted

Wait, did you ever try adding a rubber pad to the toggle clamp feet? I did that on mine and it grips way better, no more micro-slip on smooth surfaces. You could basically double your setup speed if you pair them with those quick-release pins instead of bolts.

emma_garcia3d ago

...and honestly my buddy Mark had the exact same issue with his welding table. He swore by those magnetic squares until a 4-inch flange popped loose mid-tack and nearly took out his thumb. He switched to these old school c-clamps he found in his grandpa's toolbox, just ground the feet flat on a belt sander. Now he sets up his whole fixture in like ten minutes flat and hasn't had a single part shift on him since. Ngl I think he still keeps the magnets around for quick holds but the toggle clamps are his new ride or die.