aluminum bar clamps

[Jason Beylerian]

hey everyone. i was scrolling through the mcfeelys catalog and come across these aluminum bar clamps. i did some more searching and found rockler and harbor freight has them too. my question is, has anyone used these and how well do they work? the price seems to be a pretty good deal. http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/UBC-...num-Bar-Clamps

[Ryan Baker]

I have some that are similar to those and I hate them. They are light weight, but they are sloppy and don't have much clamping force. The McFeelys ones may be better quality ... can't tell from the pictures.

[Von Bickley]

Jason,

I have some clamps that look exactly like that and they work great for me...

[Jon Bonham]

The look exactly the same as the Rockler clamps. I also saw some at my local lumber yard that looked exactly the same. I think a lot of companies are rebadging those clamps as their own. The Rockler clamps work OK. I've found that you can't clamp out of the edges. You really have to have your work piece fully resting against the bar and clamp.

[John R Green]

for me. Have 10 -48" for 4 years. On sale right now at Rocklers for $25 ea.

[Jon Bonham]

Those clamps are actually in my Rockler sale flyer for $19.99. I purchased 8 of them a couple weeks ago for $19.99.

[Rob Parsons]

I bought a pair recently to try out and really like them.

Toolsforworkingwood.com also has them.

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/M...tegory_Code=TL

[Philip Johnson]

I have 3 Rockler ones because I broke one and I cuss em every time I use them.
Save your money and buy some good clamps

Phil

[Van Huskey]

They are not "bad". But, I am always a big fan of GOOD clamps. I suggest buying only high quality clamps (parallel and med/heavy steel bar clamps) and do it on a regular basis a few at a time until you have a full compliment for the things you need to clamp. EVERY time I have tried to find a cheaper way to clamp those clamps ultimately have been replaced.

[Lee Schierer]

Aluminum is 1/3 the weight of steel and is also much more flexible. Aluminum clamps are going to flex more than steel clamps.

[Phil Thien]

I have some of the Harbor Fright aluminum clamps. Two styles. One is the 48" long that they still sell today. The other has adjustable bar lengths (using a pin to set a telescoping bar), and a crank that is more beefy like the Rockler. They (HF) don't sell this adjustable length version any more.

The key with any aluminum clamp is your joinery. You aren't going to muscle a bad joint much with these clamps.

If your joints come together nicely, they're great. I like the cost, but also the light weight.

If your are edge gluing wider boards that aren't perfectly straight, don't expect the aluminum ones to close the joints for you.

[glenn bradley]

Sounds like folks run hot and cold on these. I imagine a lot depends on what ou do and how you do it. I took a pass on them for the reasons others who don't care for them state. At the price they were close enough to the cost of good parallel clamps (on sale) to take me that direction. I find K-body clamps more versatile than most any other clamps I have but that could just be because I am used to them.

[Jim Heffner]

I have those HF adjustable bar clamps, they work great for me. I especially like the fact that they are lighter in weight but still have good clamping
pressure.I use them on a lot of projects with never a failure yet. I feel that
if anyone would need a heavier clamping pressure than these clamps could/should exert they are using the wrong ones to begin with. If a heavier
clamp is needed..for instance..to square up a large glue-up, a large parallel
clamp or 3/4" pipe clamp should be used.I'm not using my pipe clamps nearly
as much as I thought when I first bought them....but am using my other clamps more and more all the time.

[Paul Ryan]

I have 4 48" I bought off ebay for dirt cheap about 6 years ago, they look identical to the rockler clamps. I dont use them much any more since most of my clamps are parallel now. But when I did use them I prefered them over my pipe clamps. They don't bend as easy as black pipe and are super light weight. I wouldn't pay more than about $15 each but under that they are a good value. If over $15 spend a few bucks more and by parallel clamps.

[Rob Parsons]

Not all aluminum bar clamps are created equal. Fine Woodworking reviewed bar clamps in issue #172, and the "Universal" brand came out on top of 3 other aluminum clamp brands.

I think they make a good complement to other types and styles of clamps.