Caulking Gun Makes a Sure-Shootin' Hold-Down

When designing a panel-cutting jig for my tablesaw, I wanted a way to clamp a workpiece firmly into the jig. I found the solution in the paint department of a discount store.

I bought an ordinary bar-style caulking gun for less than $3, threaded off the nylon nut that holds the plunger pad to the rod, and attached the clamp to a hardwood block as shown in the Clamp detail drawing at top. The block moves back and forth in a channel on the panel jig, which I built as shown.

To use the clamp, I simply slide it over my workpiece. A few quick squeezes of the trigger secures the piece for a safe cut.
—Rusty Bentzinger, Leighton, Iowa