Lacking a quick and easy way to clamp a workpiece to the top of my workbench, I devised the clamp you see here based on a commercially available clamp design. Its low profile makes it easy to sand or plane the workpiece. The base is made with two dowel pins that slip into a pair of holes in the benchtop. I keep a ratchet wrench handy for adjusting the clamp. It’s a simple solution that’s quick to set up and use yet stores easily under my bench.
The holes are opposite a bench dog. A hole is drilled through the edge of the base and a threaded insert installed. The clamp is loosely fastened to the long bolt with lock nuts and washers. It should rotate freely on the bolt.