Kreg KBCIC In-Line Clamp

I read the reviews before I purchased. but was still concern a all plastic clamp would work well. Boy was I wrong, these clamps work very well. It is also surprising how much clamping pressure you can apply. Best yet, when you turn the handle and tighten, it stays tight. As far as versatility, this summer I built a work table and placed dog holes at 4 inches, and this clamp works everywhere I need it. Just the right size. And so easy to use, just slip in a dog hole and turn the handle. I also like the little indent on the end, I can use to push up against a corner or the edge of a board. Can not think of any negative. Only time will tell how they last, though they do seem to be built on the heavy duty side. As heavy duty as you can get with plastic. Have a total of 4 now, probably get a couple more in the future.

Great idea

Tested this Kreg clamp on my workbench with .75 inch holes, it worked great. It's half the money of the Festool clamps (20mm hole) .I've been using the Festool on my assembly table and it takes me 20-40 seconds to move both pieces and some time I have to fool around getting the thread started. The Kreg clamps change in one or two seconds. The Festool clamps handle sometimes get in the way and I have to make changes where as Kreg has a smaller footprint. I see wear on the Festool and I expect it to fail someday. I don't see anything in the Kreg that looks like it might fail. The plastic seems pretty strong. I have not done test but I believe it will clamp tighter then Festool. My table is thicker than these were designed for so when tightened there is a very small gap on the back which does not affect anything. It could be easily fixed with a few strokes of a file. I wish Kreg would include a round shim so I could use them in a 20mm hole but you could probably wrap it in electrics tape or something. I also like the lower profile. When sanding .75 inch material its easy to sand the Festool clamp.

The Kreg KBCIC In-Line Clamp works as described. The blue 3.5” diameter wheel sits 1.25” above the bench top when inserted in the dog hole and the grey prong that contacts the workpiece sits 1/2” above the bench top. The clamp resists rotation in the dog hole but a little less so when fully extended. However, if your dog holes are not perpendicular to the bench top there is a problem. My dog holes are inclined two degrees toward the end vise. The clamps will sit level to the bench top in one direction, but are noticeably not flush when turned in the other direction. This is annoying but still functional.

My woodworking bench has a 3/4" thick sheet of plywood as the top working surface, with 3/4" dog holes drilled in a grid, 4" apart. These Kreg in-line clamps slip in and out of the dog holes with ease. The clamps extend quickly and hold the wooden parts firmly without loosening up. The clamps are made of strong rigid plastic. To get them to deform, even slightly, you really have to apply an unnecessarily excessive amount of force. They hold perfectly tight without going to that extreme. Unlike other in-line clamps I have, the Kreg clamps don't lift the boards up off the bench top as I tighten them down. The clamps and the parts remain flat on the work surface.

I was looking for a hold down solution for a CNC router table. I was a bit skeptical about a plastic hold down but decided to try it based on reviews. After using them for several projects I ordered more and am very happy with my purchase. They are strong and versetile with a low profile to stay out of the way of any passing tool holders. One thing to keep in mind, though is that while these hold side/side, there is just friction holding the part DOWN. So far I have not encountered a problem with any woodworking tasks I have attempted, I wouldn't use them for any metal work that puts more strain on the hold down capabilities. Super strong, convenient and reliable for woodworking, but I'm not sure how they would hold up to metal working.

1st impression, how can these cheap looking pieces of plastic be any good. In practice these "clamps" are very easy to use and are intuitive. additionally the clamping force they can provide exceeds what you expect based on their appearance. The design seems simple but is quite effective. being of the KREG brand they are not cheap, however they work so well they are worth the "Kreg" premium

The 2 words say it all. It works in the sense that it will clamp items, but its plastic so it won't hold them THAT tightly... not as tight as a metal clamp. So good on light wood small parts that are delicate, but don't expect to hold a 2x4