# hold down clamp



## Nick2727 (Jun 14, 2020)

After seeing the prices of commercially available hold downs, I thought I'd at least try at making my own.

The aluminum conduit was a piece of scrap from the garbage pile at work. I'm having a hard time sourcing the exact stuff online. Which is sort of key, the f clamp squeezes in perfectly as you will see in photos.

Drilled the holes for dowel with a step bit. Wish I got the Milwaukee one for the extra $20. I gave up trying to make it full 3/4, and shaved down the dowel rod with chisels to compensate.


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## JayArr (Sep 18, 2018)

Looks like it will work just fine!


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## ducbsa (Jul 6, 2014)

What is that brand info stamped on the inside?


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## Nick2727 (Jun 14, 2020)

Found it.

Thomas & Betts - superstrut.

I can only seem to find online sources for larger orders? Maybe local metal distributors? I'm not the guy to ask where to find it. But it works well to hold in a f-clamp!





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ABB 1-5/8 inch x 1-5/8 inch x 10 ft A Series A1200 12-Gauge Pre-Galvanized Strut







www.gescan.com


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## ducbsa (Jul 6, 2014)

At some Home Despots: Superstrut 2 ft. 14-Gauge Half Slotted Metal Framing Strut Channel - Silver Galvanized-ZB14HS2EG - The Home Depot

Looks similar, I'll look at it.


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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

You really can do the same thing by grinding off the nipple on the end of the bar of an F clamp, pull off the piece with the screw down and use the part with the bar pushed up through a hole in your table top and reattach the whole thing backwards..


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## Bullseyeguy (Apr 28, 2017)

Hey Nick,
Unistrut can be found sometimes at the big box stores, but it is usually more a commercial application. Unistrut, Superstrut...all basically the same stuff. If you run across an electrician working a job on a commercial building (not residential) you may be able to squeeze him for some cut offs. They use it a lot to support raceways and conduit. Pipefitters and Sprinkler fitters will use it too, but mostly the electricians. What it looks like you have though is the compact size. The larger version is a little deeper. I have a ton of it that we used to run the trolleys on the shooting range at my store, but it would cost a fortune to send it to you I think. If you want to try it, I'll send you some, but you would have to pay me for the shipping. The stuff I have is the larger size though...you may not want it. The cost of shipping it to you would probably take all of the fun out of your good idea anyways.

Looks like Allpurpose had a good idea though.

Brad


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## Nick2727 (Jun 14, 2020)

I do have 7 or 8 pieces. Far more than I'll need haha. I just grabbed them because they were going in the trash.

But ya. It was the electricians using them, that built the new veneer dryer at work. Lots and lots of cable trays!


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## ducbsa (Jul 6, 2014)

I got a piece of that shallow type of strut, but it was too narrow for my thinnest clamp to fit in. Maybe I'll go beg a piece of the square cross section type to try?


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## Nick2727 (Jun 14, 2020)

I can take measurements when I get home.. I'm not sure what kind of clamp that was, came from estate sale. Cheapest feeling f clamp I have, it broke on its own I didn't need to grind the nipple. 

That's how I ended up trying to jam it in the steel conduit. just messing around with pieces of junk I had. lol


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