How Many Clamps?

[Jeff Erbele]

I know the saying, "You can never have too many clamps" and why.

I have a few, a small assortment of various types and brands but not near enough. Yesterday we visited our new home under construction and for the first time saw the just poured basement walls, and those of the garage, delineating the space, size and location. One one hand it was great to see but now I have the "can't wait fever", worse than ever.

After we close and move, I am planning on buying a lot of shop machinery and tools in a relatively short time period, including a basic set of clamps. If you had none (for all practical purposes) and with a fair budget set aside, what would you buy for a basic set so you could work without major impairments?

Which types or styles, how many of each, and which brand?

I'm thinking at least two or a pair of anyting and maybe sets of 4 or 8.
Corner clamps, at least one set of 4 and maybe 8?
Bar clamps, what sizes, up to how long?
What would you avoid?
Any brands to avoid? ...I am not a Harbor Freight fan and avoid them.

[Bob Johnson Lake Geneva]

Good to avoid Harbor Freight

Avoid, Avoid, Avoid any clamp by Irwin, total crap.

Pipe clamps - Jorgenson Pony with 3/4" galvanized pipe, get at-least 8
Bar clamps - Bessey K-body Revo 2@ 24" and 2@ 50", if you can afford it get 4 of each and get the KP blocks and won't need corner clamps

[Alan Bienlein]

Harbor freight 6" to 24" bar clamps are just as good as the jorgies and cost a lot less.
3/4" pipe clamps in what ever lengths you might need for your projects.
I also use the 2" and 3" spring clamps sometimes on my projects.

Paying a lot of money for a clamp doesn't guarantee you will get the best.

[Rob Feldner]

I've broken the plastic handle on harbor freight clamps. The rubber pads also left an oil spot on a project that I was gluing up. I like the Jorgensen bar clamps a lot. I have pairs that have seen 15+ years of use and are still good as new. I like their pipe clamps as well. You shouldn't skimp on parallel clamps because they need to be, well, parallel. Fortunately you tend to only need a pair or two, because they are pricey. If I need a LOT of clamps to hold something to a form, I usually make cauls with holes in either end and use threaded rod cut to length.
This is a bit fancier than I get since I make them to suit what I'm clamping, but the concept is the same: http://www.newwoodworker.com/cauls.html

[Keith Hankins]

You will never have enough clamps. I've been buying them for going on 30 years. They all have their place. As to how many depends on what you will make. I have some bar clamps not many though. Jorgensen 3730's are good but for small jobs. I like the bessy parallel clamps and have them from 12" - 60". Get a couple of the long ones. I've used them on case work alot You can also get bridge connectors and put two of them together to get even longer. I've got quite a few of the bessy 3/4" pipe clamps really nice. They have good feet to stand on benches and make it easy to hang them on the wall out of the way when not in use. Groz, is producing a line of bessy copy's that go on sale from time to time that are good. I've also got a ton of crftsman C clamps, and a few wooden clamps. I will say I've got a good chunk of money in clamps. Now I did not get them all at once. I tend to get a single set of the bessy pipe clamps (15$) ever couple months. Does not take too much time to build a collection. You can also watch craigslist and ebay for them. www.searchtempest.com is your friend. Watch amazon they run sales, and I just get some everynow and then. You will be surprised how quick they build up. Don't neglect the short one's. I tell my kids every year, get dad a single 12" bessy and I'm happy. BTW, there is a rule in physics that states, "no matter how many clamps you have, the job at hand will require one more". Good luck!

[John A langley]

Jeff the pipe clamps are great , do not use galvanized pipe use black pipe. I have quite a few of various kinds I like Jurgensen F clamps , Bessie Parallel clamps are excellent

I would start with 8 pipe clamps for 4 4' and 4 6' have the pipe cut 6 inches longer and thread both ends and buy a couple of couplers I got from 4 to 8 Bessie Parallel clamps various lengths couple hand screws come in handy The Jorgensen F clamps I get at least eight 6" eight 12 eight 18

The best way to do this
to get what you need for each project and you'll eventually get a collection

I also disagree with the Irwin being crap I have a few and they work fine
Sorry about the busted up sentences Siri and I were arguing this morning

[Rich Harkrader]

Bessey makes good clamps. You might try this set.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Trad...lamp-Kit/H5115

I'm also a big fan of Jet clamps, both bar and parallel.

[Jerry Olexa]

The 24's are handy too....Agree 2 of each, 2,4 and 6's..I've grown to love the Jet clamp over the Bessey,jorgy etc but they are heavy...Pipe clamps good for start up.. G'Luck

[Harvey Miller]

Am I the only one who uses parallel clamps 99% of the time? The only others I seem to reach for are quick clamps to hold the work down.

[Steve Kohn]

Am I the only one who uses parallel clamps 99% of the time? The only others I seem to reach for are quick clamps to hold the work down.

You are not the only one.......I use the older style Bessey's almost exclusively.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Just get some, then get some more! When I first started, I had three clamps, all different, and slowly added from there. What I found that I reach for most are lighter simple bar clamps. I ended up with an assortment of Bessey. I also bought a huge pile of K body Bessey before the Revos, but I rarely use them. The stuff I build usually has some mechanical connection (dovetail, tenon, screw) that makes parallel clamps unnecessary. I've found that I use the simple bars to fix trouble spots more than anything. You can also buy about 4 bars clamps for the price of one parallel, and I'll take four (good) clamps over one any day.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not getting rid of the parallel clamps, but the other clamps work better for me often. They can't be beat for drawers though.

[Ralph Butts]

I am a fan of the Jet parallel clamps especially when they are on sale for Black Friday at 50% off.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Depends on what type of work you will be doing.

I do a lot of panel glue-ups, for everything from large table tops to normal-sized panels for panel-and frame. I use pipe clamps exclusively for that. IIRC, I started with maybe 6 - 8 clamp sets, and got pipe sized to the project as needed. I personally don't like using clamps that are very much longer than the workpiece - clumsy, too much weight overhanging. The ones that get the most use are 40" - 10' cut into thirds.

This approach grew over time - get a couple more clamps, a couple more pipes, someone here had a dozen clamps for sale many years ago, go those............ Now I am up to 30 or so that are mounted, plus a half-dozen extra pipes in the really long lengths - 8' -
10'. I got bored swapping the clamps to different pipes.

Casework, like bookcases - parallel clamps. Bessey, but I like the Gros Stabil better - but that style isn't made any longer after Bessey bought them 5 years ago or so. Got maybe a dozen of those, but bought them over time as project needs require.

Bunch of 24" Jorgy medium weight F-style for holding all kinds of stuff. High-use item. 8 - 10 Quik-Clamp style to position things.

A tip on using the pipe clamps:

Get a short length of 1" PVC pipe. Cut it into 1" - 1-1/4" lengths. Use the band saw to cut out a section of the circle that is just less than half. Now you have an arc that will easily snap on the 3/4" pipe. These rest on myworkpiece, keeping the pipe off the wood and away from squeeze-out.

On the Bessey parallel - mine have wood handles. Use a handplane or bandsaw to cut two parallel flat surfaces into the handles. Close and tighten the clamp so it won't move. Now you ahve a surface that is much easier to grip and apply serious torque. In fact, I took a scrap of wood and cut an elongated hole in it - with parallel flat sides - that fits over the modified handles. A clamp handle wrench.

[Mark Wooden]

I agree to start with the pipe clamps and couplers; I also have an assortment of pipe nipples12"-24" long when I needed to get just a little longer.
The Bessey and Jorgensen "f" style clamps are indispensable for me, the Bessys are stiffer, but the Jorgensens are easier with one hand because of the clutch. I don't have any K body clamps so I can't comment on them.
So-
4 pipe clamp heads with a bunch of pipes
4 12", 4 16", 4 24", "F"style (maybe start with 2 each)
A few spring clamps

This will get you started on your first project where you will most certainly run out of clamps.

[jack forsberg]

how many clamps you need is based on the work you do. me i need tons of all types and that would include a vacuum.