# Clamps



## VIFmike (Jul 21, 2012)

I think I am a little nuts when it comes to clamps. At my job I had to buy a lot of new ones when I started there in January. I had several C clamp vise grips, both with pads and without. But I had no C clamps except for a 5" and an 8" my brother gave me. 

So I started buying 2 clamps per week. Some weeks if I had overtime I bought more. I bought C clamps in 8', 6" and 5" for use in my metal shop at work. I also bought more C clamp vise grips until I had 10 of each one. I also bought some Pony pipe clamps also in pairs. 

That may be the crazy part. I always buy in pairs. My wife asked why and I said "because if you clamp one side of something the chances are you are clamping both sides". So I am really anal about buying pairs. I was at Sears to buy a pair of 8" C clamps but they only had one. They also only had one 6" and one 5" so what did I do? Did not buy! I ended up with a pair of pony pipe clamps. Man those things are handy!

Anyway, when I started woodworking I started the clamp buying all over again. Only this time its sliding clamps. Buying in pairs until I have 10 of each. Then if that's not enough I will start buying more pairs. 

So now I am working on places to hang them all. No room for a caddy for them so I am hanging them from the rails in the shop.

So am I crazy for buying in pairs? 

I also do not buy Chinese clamps at all. If the Craftsman ones are made there then I am good with that because they work great on metal and are guaranteed forever. 

So what's a good number of clamps to have in a wood shop? 

I do more than one glue up at a time here lately.


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Good number is as many as you need for what you're trying to do. I too don't like single clamps, always got to be pairs. My mom bought me 1 Jorgensen parallel jaw clamp several years back. Finally got around to getting its mate.


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

You know the old sayin' :You can never have too many clamps". 

Only you will know how many is two too few!  And that time will come.


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## jharris2 (Jul 9, 2012)

I buy them in even numbers too. I really couldn't say why. Seems a little odd but so what right?

Jeff


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## VIFmike (Jul 21, 2012)

So what are your favorite clamps?


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## 65BAJA (May 27, 2012)

I ordered 5 pipe clamps from Rockler the other day. But I already had 5 Jorgensen pipe clamps. So now I have an even number of pipe clamps. :thumbsup:


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## davester84 (Aug 28, 2012)

I have been using the irwin quick grip sliding clamps.. I thought I liked them but after only having them for a year or so, one broke a few weeks ago and another broke today. I guess the plastic gives out over time. Could I be clamping down too hard? Anyways, now I am in the market for some more.... Any suggestions?


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## VIFmike (Jul 21, 2012)

I have several of those that I have had for years. I have not broken any yet. They are pretty nice but rather light weight. They are handy for lots of things


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## Treeoflifestairs.com (Jan 9, 2012)

I love my bessy clamps. I bought 25 and feel I could use another 25. I do a lot of bending rails and cap for my staircases.


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## jharris2 (Jul 9, 2012)

What type of clamps do you use for bending?

Jeff

Edit: I just checked out the gallery section of your website. Beautiful work John.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

VIFmike said:


> So what are your favorite clamps?


My favourites are the Jet parallel clamps. Quick release feature instead of having to tilt the jaw to release and easy to grip handles.

I just wish they were made in 18in length. I have 4 @12in, 4 @ 24in and 2 @ 30in.

For most of my projects I use the shorter lengths.


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## VIFmike (Jul 21, 2012)

Pics of these clamps?


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## HandToolGuy (Dec 10, 2011)

Dave Paine said:


> My favourites are the Jet parallel clamps. Quick release feature instead of having to tilt the jaw to release and easy to grip handles.


I have pipe clamps, a selection of Bessey and Jorgenson F style clamps and a few squeeze clamps (Bessey and Irwin).

I have been thinking about getting some of the parallel clamps, but they seem pretty spendy. Do I need to bite the bullet on this? If so, which brand should I consider? I have seen prices all over the map. Are the cheap ones even usable? Are the expensive ones worth the extra money?


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

HandToolGuy said:


> I have been thinking about getting some of the parallel clamps, but they seem pretty spendy. Do I need to bite the bullet on this? If so, which brand should I consider? I have seen prices all over the map. Are the cheap ones even usable? Are the expensive ones worth the extra money?


I decided to bite the bullet because my quick release clamps and pipe clamps do not clamp parallel. This is the design of the clamp.

As I started to make projects which had tighter tolerance, I was frustrated by movement of the pieces as I tightened the clamps. This is minimized by the parallel clamps.

I first purchased some Gross Stabil clamps, they were less expensive. I did not like them and recently gave them away.

I then purchased some Irwin parallel clamps. They were on sale at a Grizzly tent sale.

When Jet came out with their parallel clamps with the clutch, I switched to these. The 30in Irwin's no longer are used.

Jet is the only company with the clutch style parallel clamp. The others tilt the jaw to release. My frustration with this design is that when I need to clamp one handed with the fixed jaw down, the moveable jaw invariably drops and I have to mess around to move it.

If I had 4 hands this would be less of a problem for me. The Jet design stays in place, even when I have to use the clamp "upside down".

I cannot say whether you will find these worth the money. I have not looked back.

FYI, Jet has a sale right now for 10% off tools including the clamps.


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

You never know what you'll have to clamp and having plenty, even if they are not that good, can save the day.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Hammer1 said:


> You never know what you'll have to clamp and having plenty, even if they are not that good, can save the day.


+1 with the old phrase "you cannot have too many clamps".

I love my Jet parallel clamps, but I did keep the pipe clamps, the quick release, and some F style clamps like your picture.

I have a dozen + Bessey Tradesman clamps. Light duty, but easy to use when I only need light duty and a short throat.


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## jharris2 (Jul 9, 2012)

VIFmike said:


> Pics of these clamps?


http://www.rockler.com/m/product.cfm?page=11417

See Video in this link.


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## gomez11811 (Jul 29, 2012)

DSC00173.JPG DSC00174.JPG Wetzler clamp co. in PA. didn`t have time to search and see if they`re still around (I hope so). Bought around 36 of these (why would ANYBODY buy an odd number of clamps (lol), in the `80`s, best $1000 bucks I ever spent.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

gomez11811 said:


> DSC00173.JPG DSC00174.JPG Wetzler clamp co. in PA. didn`t have time to search and see if they`re still around (I hope so). Bought around 36 of these (why would ANYBODY buy an odd number of clamps (lol), in the `80`s, best $1000 bucks I ever spent.


They may still be around. Now owned by another company.

http://www.enter.net/~wetzler/index.html


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

Not sure why, but not that I buy them all at the same time, but I tend to buy my clamps up until I have a dozen of each size I need.... And I buy them in pairs...

Recently I ordered some Pony corner clamps from Amazon... They came in a 3 pack. I was just about epileptic at the problem of them not being in pairs but I found a solution. Buy a pair of 3 packs! Odd number problem solved... 

I will need to buy a single Pony corner clamp though. I have 11. 1 of my originals got left in the bed of my truck and took a walk on me....


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## Calzone (May 15, 2012)

I just love the crap outta Vise Grip clamps. They're so handy and quick for when you need them, and they just hold tight!

I know the ones with the huge mouthes look hokey, but they work just as well. 
My father went down to Harbor Freight and got a 20 pack of them for 90 bucks! We've used every damn one of them at some point or another!


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

Not sure what happened to Wextler. You'll find them in many commercial shops from ship building to welding shops and they last generations under hard use. They were never available except directly from the company, maybe a marketing mistake. If they were on the shelf next to other brands you see and folks ever used them, they would never buy the competition, simply no comparison.


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## Treeoflifestairs.com (Jan 9, 2012)

The first picture is a rail I bent for a balcony section. The second is a curved cap on a rake. The third is the cap after it was installed.


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## VIFmike (Jul 21, 2012)

Now I have a dilemma. I can't find one of my quick grip clamps. I have 14 now. One is missing and presumably under a table, or a stack of wood intended for a project.. OR one of the kids swept it up cleaning the shop. Now I have an odd number. So the dilemma is do I buy a single one to even me out or not? If I do, THEN I find the other one I am odd again. If I don't buy one and don't find the missing one I am odd still. 

And on top of all that HD only sells the quick grip in pairs. I'd have to hit up Ebay for just one. I guess I will make sure I look over every square inch of the shop before I decide. 


also on that note, I was in Sears the other day replacing a socket and saw the larger quick grips in pairs for $21.99. I was shocked at the price so I looked at the UPC code number and matched it. No sale just reg price. I started to buy a pair but then I'd have to have 10 to have the correct number for me so I will wait until I get done stocking up on the smaller ones. I still need more F style bar clamps and more Jorgensen large bar clamps. 

anyone have any odd style clamps that are unusual?


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## gomez11811 (Jul 29, 2012)

I use these clamps (ash sticks called "go bars") when gluing the ribs (braces) on the bottom of piano soundboards.


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## PaliBob (May 15, 2010)

For Pipe Clamps the best that I've found are the 3/4"
Bessey Clamps with the H style standoffs for glue-ups
and come with clamp pads. I get 10', 3/4" black pipe
from HD & cut it in half to make two 5' clamps.

My go to heavy duty one-hand Clamp is a monster
3-1/2 pound Bessey.

I just checked the Bessey Site and 
they have a bunch of new Clamps that I had not seen.
.


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