OMG !!!!! I just discovered Parallel Clamps

[Keith Weber]

"Bee's knees" is from the 1920's, which, is in the 20th century, so Van had it right.

[glenn bradley]

I too bought here and there as they were on sale. I have long since forgotten the cost but the joy goes on and on.

[Jim Mackell]

I wish I shared all the love you guys have for these clamps. I bought a full set of Bessey K clamps a long time ago. I'm sure they are first generation? I have never been thrilled with the performance of these clamps. They are difficult to tighten.
I researched the prolem and realized I was far from alone in my disappointment. I believe the newer versions have larger and faceted handles that help transfer your effort to clamp pressure? For large table or workbench top glue-ups, I grab old school pipe clamps every time.

I'm with John on this. Never have been able to get the pressure I needed for a good tight joint. IMHO pipe clamps are far easier to wok with.

[David Eisenhauer]

Not trying to start an argument, just curious. I have been clamping glued projects together since the early 80's and don't remember not having sufficient clamping pressure available regardless of which clamp I was using as long as the parts were well fitted. In other words, just how tight do you want to go when clamping? Close fit-glue squeeze out - good to go has worked for me. As it happens, I don't particularly care for pipe clamps, but do agree that they clamp just fine, are very handy for longer length clamping situations and are very cost effective as compared to other clamps. I only have a couple of the newer Bessey parallel clamps and, so far with somewhat limited use, they seem to generate sufficient pressure for my use in panel and case makeup.

[Frederick Skelly]

Not trying to start an argument, just curious. I have been clamping glued projects together since the early 80's and don't remember not having sufficient clamping pressure available regardless of which clamp I was using as long as the parts were well fitted.

Honestly? I had the same thought as David did. Are we missing something?

[jack duren]

I used k-body's today to glue maple to Zebra plywood for tables. Would I glue Zebra solids together using K-body's ?...No,

Different application, different clamp.....

[William Fretwell]

Pipe clamps limited reach can be a problem. Mine only get used when I run out of parallel's.

[Jim Andrew]

I have a bunch of Jorgensen cabinet master parallel clamps, bought over time. The newest ones have plastic handles which make it easier to get them tight. Tried wrapping some gripping material the wife picked up at Walmart on some of the wood handled clamps.

[Frederick Skelly]

I have a bunch of Jorgensen cabinet master parallel clamps, bought over time. The newest ones have plastic handles which make it easier to get them tight. Tried wrapping some gripping material the wife picked up at Walmart on some of the wood handled clamps.

Seems like I remember some famous woodworker (Rob Cosman?) Wraps certain tool handles in the same tape that hockey players use on their sticks. I bet you could find it online, if the Wallymart stuff doesn't work out.

[Jim Becker]

Pipe clamps limited reach can be a problem. Mine only get used when I run out of parallel's.

Interestingly, I only pull out pipe clamps when I need something really long, which is rare. But in concert with that, I'm picking up to 11 footers tomorrow or Friday from a friend who's moving to Florida...he was going to put them in the trash until I 'splained things...

[Larry Edgerton]

Honestly? I had the same thought as David did. Are we missing something?

Yes. There are times that more power is a necessity. One common example is on large entry doors. Things happen, wood moves, and sometimes on glueup parts that dryfit just fine do not cooperate. You don't have a second chance once you start. Interior doors are generally no problem with K bodies, but on a big thick 300 pound door I want a heavier set of clamps around if needed. Besides, I like the big cranks for my old hands.

The other thing is the long thread. You are limited on the K body, where the big Jorgys have a long thread, so this means I can gently pull the tenons into the mortises without resetting the clamps. this is especially useful when doing wedged tenons.

[glenn bradley]

They are difficult to tighten.

I'm with John on this. Never have been able to get the pressure I needed for a good tight joint.

don't remember not having sufficient clamping pressure available regardless of which clamp I was using as long as the parts were well fitted.

Honestly? I had the same thought as David did. Are we missing something?

This has been a good thread with a lot of good conversation from differing positions held by folks based on the type of woodworking they do. This is the type of conversation that can degrade into a "Tastes Great" versus "Less Filling" sort of a situation and my hat is off to everyone for keeping the conversation lively without crossing the line.

The various statements here just demonstrate how many different woodworkers and methods there are. Certainly there are charts for recommended pressures for various species and surfaces being glued (edge, face, etc.). These charts are rough guidelines that generally don't take the type of glue being used or any form of joinery into account; if you want to simplify something you have to give up some level of complexity.

I have worked with folks who get things close enough and then use tremendous force to make things come together so they can brad nail the heck out of it. I have also worked with folks doing larger scale work where the mating surfaces are larger area than the work I do. These people also use some pretty crushing force but, have learned through experience when too much is too much and joints get starved.

I have used rubber tool handle dip for clamp handles with some success. I tend to use hockey tape now for any grips that I need a little more 'grip' on after a Canadian woodworker sent me a few rolls to try; it really stays put. I wrap the handles just like a hockey stick. If I reach the point where I cannot tighten the clamp any more I am obviously doing something wrong or using the wrong clamp for the job. Think 1/4 ton pickup and 1 ton load .

I use everything from lightweight aluminum bar clamps to Jorgy I-beams with K-bodys and UniKlamps getting more use than almost anything else for case work. I do have pipe clamps and use them since when you need that reach or that much oomph, they are the bee's knees . Contrary to another experience in this thread I find K-body's mechanism a breeze to use and loath the clutch plate mechanisms. One is not better or worse, we just do things differently. I also use the heck out of little 4" Bessey might minis which have very little clamping force. This certainly doesn't make them less useful in my shop.

[lee cox]

I am getting a good collection of short Bessey 3/4 inch pipe clamps with threads on the end so they can be extended. I like using the short pipe clamps better than the long ones. The long ones seem kind of clumsy now. But I did have to extend a couple of my pipe clamps to about 7 feet to fix a wood folding door.

[Dave Haughs]

Never have too many clamps.
Attachment 349644

Agreed. I hope Santa brings me more.

[Nick Decker]

Has anyone tried the Yost parallel clamps? I've never used parallel clamps before, but I've read one review that compares them favorably to Jets and Besseys.