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Thread: Do Parallel Clamps ever go on sale?

  1. 03-02-2010, 5:12 PM #1
    Peter Koutsovitis
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    Do Parallel Clamps ever go on sale?

    This is my first post on SawmillCreek.org, and I hope a get some good responses!

    I'm just starting-out with my new woodworking hobby, and although I have acquired tools including a table saw, drill press, bench top mortiser, jointer, planer and vertical sander, and a number of various clamps, I'm still pretty short on parallel clamps.

    I live in Chicago, and Menard's had a sale on 48" Jorgensen Cabinet Master parallel bar clamps this past December for $29.99. They've been out of stock since then, and I have a rain check that expires soon, but before I "pull the trigger" on four of these, I'd like to know if I should hold-off.

    Based on what I've read, Jet Parallel clamps are considered to be excellent, but the price tag seems a little crazy to me. Do these things ever go on sale, and if so, what should I expect to pay for a the 50" version? Should I go ahead and buy the Jorgensens for 30 bucks, or do the Jet 50" clamps go on sale periodically for around $30-$35?

    R/
    Peter
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  3. 03-02-2010, 5:23 PM #2
    Dan Forman's Avatar
    Dan Forman
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    It seems the Jets go on sale very rarely, and if so they are usually the sets of 24 and 48 , two of each.

    Dan
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  4. 03-02-2010, 5:31 PM #3
    Frank Drew
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    Peter,

    Welcome to the board!

    Bessey's K-body clamps, which I like a lot, went on sale about a year ago when they were bringing out a new version; those are long gone by now, but keep your eyes open and you'll probably see a sale on somebody else's clamps every now and then; consider looking on one of the online auction sites, too.

    Enough clamps to properly stock a shop can cost as much as a piece of machinery, but it's absolutely worth buying good ones and if you use them carefully they'll last practically forever.
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  5. 03-02-2010, 5:32 PM #4
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    Rockler had Jets on sale for several months last fall - so it can happen.
    Stan
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  6. 03-02-2010, 5:50 PM #5
    Ben Martin's Avatar
    Ben Martin
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Koutsovitis View Post
    I live in Chicago, and Menard's had a sale on 48" Jorgensen Cabinet Master parallel bar clamps this past December for $29.99. They've been out of stock since then, and I have a rain check that expires soon, but before I "pull the trigger" on four of these, I'd like to know if I should hold-off.
    Welcome to the board!

    I got lucky and took the Menard's ad to Home Depot for a price match on those, they still had them for full price of $39.99, ended up getting the clamps for around $17-18 a piece (this was the 24"ers).

    Buying the Jets on eBay in the door frame set is a deal too, you get 2X 48" and 2X 24"
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  7. 03-02-2010, 5:51 PM #6
    Jason White's Avatar
    Jason White
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    They're all pretty good, regardless of brand.

    The Bessey K-bodies go on-sale at Woodcraft once in a blue moon.

    You might try scouring Craigslist for some used ones.

    Jason


    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Koutsovitis View Post
    This is my first post on SawmillCreek.org, and I hope a get some good responses!

    I'm just starting-out with my new woodworking hobby, and although I have acquired tools including a table saw, drill press, bench top mortiser, jointer, planer and vertical sander, and a number of various clamps, I'm still pretty short on parallel clamps.

    I live in Chicago, and Menard's had a sale on 48" Jorgensen Cabinet Master parallel bar clamps this past December for $29.99. They've been out of stock since then, and I have a rain check that expires soon, but before I "pull the trigger" on four of these, I'd like to know if I should hold-off.

    Based on what I've read, Jet Parallel clamps are considered to be excellent, but the price tag seems a little crazy to me. Do these things ever go on sale, and if so, what should I expect to pay for a the 50" version? Should I go ahead and buy the Jorgensens for 30 bucks, or do the Jet 50" clamps go on sale periodically for around $30-$35?

    R/
    Peter
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  8. 03-02-2010, 5:58 PM #7
    bruce buren
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    woodcraft has had the woodriver brand( looks like bessey k body) on sale for 25% off. They are actually made by bessey. I have some of each the bessey and woodriver and seem to be about the same performance. I also have the jorgies cabinetmaster and like those as well just a bit heavier then the besseys.
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  9. 03-02-2010, 6:00 PM #8
    glenn bradley's Avatar
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    I have never bought parallel clamps that were not on sale. The prices are painful but, I have spent a lot on a bunch of f-style clamps that almost never get used anymore so, there you have it. I did eventually educate myself as to what I was after and what would and would not work for me. Some old saying about good luck favors the prepared or some such. At any rate, I have missed many deals in other areas because I was not sure what I was looking at.

    In the area of parallel clamps, I was prepared and took advantage of many Bessey sales fed off the announcement of their new version. Also online sales announcements like you get when you sign up at Peachtree and such (don't bother with the Peachtree knock-offs however; not worth it). So, the sales do happen, you just have to put yourself in the info flow or locations where they occur.

    Jets do seem to go on sale off and on but they always seemed heavy and awkward to me. This is not a fact, it is an opinion. The Jets are great clamps and many folks really love them. I just wouldn't pass up a deal on a pair of Jorgie Cabinet Masters because they were orange is all I am saying. I do have some Stanley's from back when Big Lot's got a load of them from somewhere. They too are clunky but, at $6 a clamp I can live with it. YMMV.
    Last edited by glenn bradley; 03-02-2010 at 6:05 PM.
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  10. 03-02-2010, 6:14 PM #9
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    Yeah, the sales on parallel clamps are hit or miss. I too got some when Woodcraft closed out the previous style Bessey clamps. The 40" were about 25.00 each, and the 24s were about 20.00 each. I've chased a few sales, including the Big Lots Stanley clamps without any success. Since I've been in a position to gather in some clamps, I haven't seen the big sales that the "old timers" talk about so affectionately. ie the Jorgy orgy, Bessey blowout, etc. Like Glenn said, get on the notification lists for several of the online merchants and be ready to pounce when a good one comes along.
    If you are happy with the cabinet masters and Menards still hasn't gotten any in to fulfill your rain check, I'd go in and ask for the rain check to be extended.
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  11. 03-02-2010, 6:46 PM #10
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    Jets have been on sale at the local Woodcraft for a couple of months. Individual clamps, all sizes. I personally like the Jets much more than the Bessey's.
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  12. 03-02-2010, 6:56 PM #11
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    My local Lowe's had all of their Bessey's on sale... this last month, I picked up several... someone posted that they are a "different" Bessey... I seemed to remember that they said Made in the US on the tag... I'd have to look to verify
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  13. 03-02-2010, 7:41 PM #12
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    My local Lowes had the 40" Bessey K body Revo for 34.95 and the 30" for 29.95 last Sunday when I was there, not an exceptional deal but good enough that I would have picked some up if I needed some.
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  14. 03-02-2010, 9:58 PM #13
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    HD closed out Besseys in the past (4-5 yrs ago?). Very good sales. The 125th anniversary sale also prompted very good deals on Besseys. 98" clamps for $21 with free shipping stands out in my memory.

    That's probably not much help tho.

    Maybe someone has a big backlog of pre-revo besseys they'll put on sale one day.
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  15. 03-03-2010, 12:07 AM #14
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    Keep your eye on Amazon for the Jet parallels. I bought all of mine there. I have 40 now, and they have been on sale several times in the last couple years
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  16. 03-03-2010, 1:03 AM #15
    Dave Clermont
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    I got a pretty decent deal on Ebay from Tool King for a set of 4 clamps I think normally they are 190.00 and I got them for like 120 + Bing Cash back of 10%
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