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Thread: Upgrading parallel clamps

  1. #31
    Quote Originally Posted by glenn bradley View Post
    Sorry I didn't run into this sooner.
    Glenn,
    I agree 1000% with "the type of work you do" and perhaps moreso to workflow. If you get your material very close to finish prior to glue up things like squeezout, clamp marks, and so on, are more of an issue. That said, the old tried and true clamps dont exhibit ANY flaws that you mention? Flex, size, price, and so on. If we are going to glue up a 24" x 24" end table top we will use 3 pipe clamps (one to balance bow) or 3 parallels (same one to balance bow). One operation cost $54 worth of clamps (pipe) or $90 worth of clamps (parallel). Where does the parallel excel? The panel is over sized. It doesnt require any special clamping as it will be dimensioned once out of the clamps. Any whiffle waffle in the panels sections will be a result of poor jointing not clamping. If the jointing is off, and we use cauls to force the panel flat, likelihood is the panel is going to go where it wanted to initially (or close) once it eqillibrates?

  2. #32
    Quote Originally Posted by andy bessette View Post
    Mark--we'll have to disagree. When using glue such as WEST epoxy, saturation takes time. So, if you squeeze out all the glue, a dry joint can result. (The formulator warns of this) On the other hand, if you wait too long to apply clamping pressure, the glue may harden before you can get the joints fully closed.

    Also too much clamping pressure may distort a delicate or fragile glue-up.
    Well now your fudging the math lol. ;-) Its pretty much a given that most general woodworking conversations would be pertaining to every day wood glue ups using PVA. If one is going to insinuate that a single conversation is going to encompase every thing from PVA, to uF, to Epoxy, and then on through to RF cured glues, we're lost. WEST in a general clamp conversation is a stretch to say the least. But touche' ........

  3. #33
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    "Every day" wood glue-ups around boats, and thus for me, deal with such as WEST epoxy. So generalizations, like "you can't put too much clamping pressure" are bound to fail. With epoxy glues, and good fitment, not much pressure is required.
    "Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're doing."

  4. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by andy bessette View Post
    "Every day" wood glue-ups around boats, and thus for me, deal with such as WEST epoxy. So generalizations, like "you can't put too much clamping pressure" are bound to fail. With epoxy glues, and good fitment, not much pressure is required.
    Again, touche. This isnt a boat building forum. ;-)

  5. #35
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    FYI- Jorgensen went out of business last summer.
    "Remember back in the day, when things were made by hand, and people took pride in their work?"
    - Rick Dale

  6. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Bolton View Post
    Again, touche. This isnt a boat building forum. ;-)
    Agree..........

  7. #37
    I agree with Mark Bolton. Parallel clamps are mostly too expensive, too heavy, too clumsy, too limited in length choices, too difficult to tighten to the needed force. I find pipe clamps to be far superior for most applications.

    The large jaw surface of Parallel clamps is actually an impediment in many situations compared to the shape of pipe clamps. They actually aren't all that parallel and can throw a box out of square whereas the pipe clamp squeezes on the edges and avoids such problems. You can crank the pressure easily to anything you need because the grip is designed for leverage instead of some ridiculous screwdriver handle.

    Using bowed cauls is also easier with pipe clamps, because it is easier to quickly crank over a longer clamp range and draw up the bow in the cauls.

    It may be useful to have a set of 4 parallel clamps, but I wish I had bought fewer of them and more pipe clamps. In the future, I will be adding more pipe clamps, but I won't be buying anymore parallel clamps.

    I will also try some of the Dubuque clamps in the 36" length as they are super light and easy to adjust. More expensive than pipe clamps, but there are times when I would like a set of really light clamps.

    Still, most of my clamps should be pipe clamps.
    Last edited by Sean Tracey; 02-06-2017 at 6:01 PM.

  8. #38
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    They do have their place when a pipe clamp just won't work...
    IMG_0405.jpg

  9. #39
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    You should have a variety of clamps for different situations....

  10. #40
    Quote Originally Posted by jack duren View Post
    You should have a variety of clamps for different situations....
    Agreed 100%

  11. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Rude View Post
    Then if you want some lighter ones Dubuque Aluminum Bar Clamps. Lee Valley carries them and will have free shipping starting on the 2/7. The are also available from http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/uniclamps.htm and https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/...sal_Bar_Clamps. I do not own them yet, but reviews are great. Dan

    I have a dozen of these and are all I use. I also have some parallel jets, and some pipe clamps, but never use them unless I have to.

  12. #42
    you can get the alum bar clamps for a lot cheaper other places then lee vally.

  13. #43
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    I used to build replacement kitchen cabinets in my small commercial shop and I have a bazillion of the 24" "Universal" brand aluminum bar clamps that I used for gluing up panels for raised panel doors and face frame glue up to the carcase where I did not want to use any fasteners. I have some of the older style "I Bar" Jorgensen clamps in various lengths that I used for glue work on cases, furniture, etc, but the aluminum bar clamps work very well and are much, much lighter to handle.
    David

  14. #44
    I have about 40 Jorgenson parallel clamps, and like them for assembly, as they help you clamp things up square. I use my I beam clamps for panels, have 18 of them in various lengths. I use 12" F clamps for the cauls, on glue up panels. Only time I use the I beams for assembly, is when something does not want to pull together. And once in a while it does not. Interested in the aluminum bar clamps, just not the Harbor Freight ones. Only break out the pipe clamps when out of everything else.

  15. #45
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    To repeat, the same 24" Universal brand (same as Dubuque) aluminum bar clamps have served me for 30 years or so and were not (at least when I got them back when) not very expensive when I bought them a dozen at a time. The only maintenance they get is a wire brushing with liquid graphite (or WD 40 if I am out of the good stuff) as a lubricant on the screw gets sticky and won't spin freely with a finger flick.
    David

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