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Thread: First set of clamps: pipe or heavy-duty F?

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Griswold Connecticut
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    6,926
    If you're on a budget, pipe clamps are hard to beat. It's just a matter of buying, or scrounging pipe when you can.

    I have the following clamps
    2-10' 3/4'pipe clamps.
    4 -1/2" pipe clamps 5' long.
    At least 20 F-style clamps of various lengths.
    4 sets of Bow Clamps, cauls.

    A tip for the pipe clamps for panel glue up.
    Use a 3/4" dowel run along the length of both edges. Apply the clamp pressure to the dowel and it transmits the force to the material in a more centered manner.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Baton Rouge, LA
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    Wow guys, thanks for all the replies!

    And yes from all the readings & watching I've done, I get that parallel clamps are the kings (and that's well supported here it appears), but I've gotta start somewhere a little bit more modest to my wallet I will definitely keep this thread as my guide on future clamp purchases though.

    Meanwhile, I just could not pass up the 40% off + free shipping double deals (the latter of which ends today) at Rockler on those Jet F clamps, so I ordered a several 36" ones. I saw them at my local woodworking store just recently and vaguely remember thinking that they looked pretty well built (but what do I know as I've never used an F clamp in my life...). Since there were no reviews on any of Jet F clamps on Rockler website, I suspect they are fairly new products???

    What do you guys look for for the quality of clamps? Just try clamping something as hard as you can? If anyone's interested, I can post my impressions when I get them and use them.

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Baton Rouge, LA
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    103
    johnny,

    Quote Originally Posted by johnny means View Post
    My first set of clamps was a 30 peice set of Bessey Tradesmans fire like $350. I have a lot more clamps now including another set of 30 Tradesmans.
    Good to hear this. I've been considering getting this exact set.

  4. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Kesh Ikuma View Post
    What do you guys look for for the quality of clamps? Just try clamping something as hard as you can? If anyone's interested, I can post my impressions when I get them and use them.
    There's really not anything to look for. Stick to Jorgenson and Bessey, and you'll probably end up with good clamps. Just about the only place that you can skimp is maybe with C clamps. Even a factory in China that's never seen a clamp before seems capable of making a decent C clamp out of whatever metal happens to fall into the furnace. For everything else, I stick to those two if I can.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    LA & SC neither one is Cali
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Coloccia View Post
    Stick to Jorgenson and Bessey, .
    Don't forget Jet as well, I prefer the Jet parallels with Jorgenson right behind them. I find the trigger extremely useful.
    Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.

    Deep thought for the day:

    Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Wake Forest, North Carolina
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    Kesh,

    I'm the same as John, I like Jorgensen and Bessey. In my case probably not a coincidence that's what my local Woodcraft was selling back when I was buying my clamps.

    Maybe try a few different clamps to figure out which ones you like and work well for you and then buy a lot of that type.

    Try to buy them on sale if you can, or maybe used.

    Good luck with it.

    PHM

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Griswold Connecticut
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    6,926
    I've also got pretty much all Tradesman and Jorgie's.
    Keep an eye on your Home Depot. The one near me sells Jorgies and Bessey tradesman's and has a habit of marking them wrong. I've picked up more than a few with the wrong SKU. They also yellow tag them every so often.
    Flea Markets, garage sales and antique stores are good sources of clamps. I have some pretty cool looking F-Clamps from an antique store. They have a retro Steam Punk look to them. Cheap too!
    You will need those pipe clamps if you start to do large case work, or big projects. Being able to pull across the diagonal to set square is necessary sometimes.

    You're going to spend a good amount on clamps. It's just part of woodworking. Cheap, crappy clamps can bring a project to a halt quickly, or ruin a lot of prep work hours in minutes. Get good ones whenever possible.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

  8. #23
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    MA
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    2,253
    The other type that get a LOT of use in y shop are the quick grip type.

    And recently I picked up a couple Irwin quick grips that had higher clamping forces. Have become my go to when wanting to hold something on the bench, etc.

    And spring clamps are useful ( and cheap... Maybe harbor freight for these? )

  9. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Van Huskey View Post
    Don't forget Jet as well, I prefer the Jet parallels with Jorgenson right behind them. I find the trigger extremely useful.
    Ja ja....I have a set of Jet parallel clamps and they work very well.

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Baton Rouge, LA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Van Huskey View Post
    Don't forget Jet as well, I prefer the Jet parallels with Jorgenson right behind them. I find the trigger extremely useful.
    Yeah, I've been reading good things about Jet's parallels. So, I'm optimistic on their F's.

  11. #26
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    Jan 2010
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    LA & SC neither one is Cali
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kesh Ikuma View Post
    Yeah, I've been reading good things about Jet's parallels. So, I'm optimistic on their F's.
    I bought 20 or so of the 40" versions for $9 each free shipping from WC a couple of years ago on closeout. They are heavier than Bessey med duty Trademan and just a little lighter than the HD Tradesman. I haven't use mine much at all since my plan was to cut most of them down since I rarely use longer F-clamps (parallel for longer than 24" most of the time). They seem to be very good and again they also have the trigger which I like BUT for some reason my brain forgets the F clamps have a trigger and I try to close them the normal way since I have always used the standard type.
    Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.

    Deep thought for the day:

    Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.

  12. #27
    I build my workbench out of laminated 2x3" and needed more clamps then I had so I went to Harbor Freight. Their F clamps are very good and very reasonable at least 1/2 the cost of brand name ones. With their 20% off coupons that are in the paper every week you can get them for under $10 dollars. Add the discount to when they go on sale and the savings are even greater. TYhey also have pipe clamps and ratchet ones. I just got a 12" ratchet clamp for about $1.60 cents!

  13. #28
    IMHO, you should start investing in cabinet clamps. They are stronger, clamp deeper, and don't flex. F clamps are good under 18". Longer than that, even quality ones can flex.

    Rockler has Irwin 24" cabinet clamps on sale right now. It's a good buy.
    Woodcraft has a jorgensen 4 pack on sale now too.

    This being said, I think you should have a bunch of f-style clamps as supplements and for jigs and small clamping. I'd get a 6-8 pack from ebay (noname). Even if a couple don't clamp properly - which is a risk with no-name - you will be way ahead on price. Also, look out for clearance sales on branded (like Jet) 6-12" f style clamps; they happen often.

    I would not buy no-name cabinet clamps.

  14. #29
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Ft. Wayne, IN
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    OK, I am the first to admit that I have a lot of clamps... For what I do at least. I just don't want to run one clamp short when I'm working I guess.

    Anyway, I have Bessey K-Body Revo's 4-24", 4-30", 4-40", 4-50", 4-60", 2-82", and 2-98". I love and use them all the time. Plus, I also have a dozen of the Bessey Mighty Mini's (everyone should have some these versatile little clamps), several wooden handscrew clamps, spring clamps, etc.

    All of those aside, I have to say that my "go-to" clamps are f-body style. And I got mine cheep! Harbor Freight... That's right, Harbor freight. They may be inexpensive, but for the price, they work just fine. Compared to Bessey Tradesman to Jorgensen, no they don't have acme threads, no they don't have as much clamping pressure, yes they do flex more, and no they aren't a "pretty", but they work. They get the job done. I have about a dozen each of their 6", 12", 18", and 24" "Quick Release Bar Clamps".

    http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...ase+bar+clamps

    For $2.99 to $4.99 each you just can't beat them. Just my humble opinion of course.
    "I've cut the dang thing three times and it's STILL too darn short"
    Name withheld to protect the guilty

    Stew Hagerty

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    augusta, GA
    Posts
    367
    I too have many clamps and like my jet parallels the best . +1 on harbor freight for small f-clamps. You need to sort through them to find the good ones. I also rec getting a couple of large wooden clamps which have many unique uses - also available at HF, but u really have to search for ones with square jaws.

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