# wood clamps



## will26354 (Nov 2, 2014)

Looking to buy some clamps with the purpose of cutting boards and other projects. if you were just starting up your shop again which clamps would you purchase? which clamps should I avoid?


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

I've got 12 or 14 of these....and wouldn't be without them....

http://www.amazon.com/JORGENSEN-802...d=1415847807&sr=8-10&keywords=jorgensen+clamp


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Do not know of any clamps I would avoid. Which ones I would buy would depend upon what projects I was planning to do.

In my life clamps, as with most items, are purchased based on need. As you plan a project it is pretty evident just what clamp you will need.

If I was just shotgunning it I would get half a dozen bar clamps, a few spring clamps, "F" style quick clamps in several sizes and an assortment of "C" clamps. And I would go in a tool shop and just browse their clamp selections to see just what was available.

George


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I think I get more use from pipe clamps. For the fixture I use the Jorgensen 50 for 3/4" pipe. The next would be C clamps which I have mostly 5". The next would be hand screws which I have 4 10" and 4 14". Then there is some more unusual clamps I use occasionally. One is a universal clamp for when you are putting together a frame which is too large for pipe clamps. It just self clamps itself to one rail. The other is welding clamps for when you need to clamp something that is hard to reach.


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## BaldEagle2012 (Jan 25, 2012)

Clamps, can't have too many. I have over a hundred clamps, different styles and sizes. Pipe clamps, 1/2 and 3/4, 18" to 48", bar clamps 12" to 36" c clamps, spring clamps, hand squeeze clamps, 12" to 36". wood clamps with the two screws, they all get some use in my shop. My GF asked me this year what I wanted for Christmas, my reply was; Lowes has a lot of items on sale like CLAMPS, drill bits etc.


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## JimMacLachlan (Dec 15, 2014)

The cheaper bar clamps can be a bit of a pain. They don't have great teeth & rely just on the angle of the jaw to lock them in place. They'll also bow more under pressure since the bars aren't as thick. That being said, I have bought cheap sets just to have enough to go around when the occasion arises & it does. I try to just buy a few decent ones when I see them on sale. Those are always better.

Once you do get 'enough', you'll also need to hang them all so you can get to the right sizes quickly. I have some hanging on the wall, but most are on a rolling cart.


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## Chamfer (Sep 6, 2014)

I prefer bar clamps primarily and occasionally use pipe clamps. Never been a fan of the one handed 'quick grip' style clamp. Most are made of plastic and have nowhere near the ft lbs of clamping force that bar/pipe clamps do.

Ive had good luck with Bessey, Craftsman and Jorgensen.


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## sawduststeve (Jan 11, 2009)

Pony Clamps may be a bit pricey but they have stood the test of time in our woodshop. We use mostly all 1/2 pipe clamps have never found that anything heavier was needed.


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

I did glue up today (4 pieces of cherry that came to 57 " x 20 ") I used
Four 3/4 inch pipe clamps (clamps from HF and pipes from Lowes)
Two bar clamps (Bessey)

Three sets of cauls (6 F-Style clamps Bessey)

Six Bessey F style clamps (used for where the boards met at the ends)

So I needed 18 right there!

I have had good luck with the HF pipe clamps.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

mengtian said:


> I did glue up today (4 pieces of cherry that came to 57 " x 20 ") I used
> Four 3/4 inch pipe clamps (clamps from HF and pipes from Lowes)
> Two bar clamps (Bessey)
> 
> ...


The Harbor Freight pipe clamps are a great start with the price. Get a few and move on to other clamps as you need them. 

Bought 2 of the Jorgensen Gear clamps tonight to try. $43+ for the pair:huh:


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

My Bessey k body's are great.


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## Mort (Jan 4, 2014)

I have the Bessey clutch style bar clamps. I like them, although my smaller ones have the wood handles, and they're slippery and too small. I'd spring for the ones with the plastic/rubber handles. My larger ones are like that, they're much easier to work with.


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## fensty247 (Nov 4, 2013)

I agree with most others on the topic. you cant go wrong with bar clamps, and lots of them, but there are also many uses for c clamps as well... but one interesting set of clamps I have laying around my shop have served me well several times, and I tend to go for them before the others for many reasons. They are a set of wooden bar clamps I made out of necessity while making a butcher block style cherry countertop piece. I had no bar clamps at the time, and couldnt afford to buy any, so I made my own from a few peices of 1"x2" oak stock I had laying around, and the blocks and cams were made of the cutoffs from the cherry I was working with. They are a simple design, working by applying perssure by turning the cam levers on one end, which were drilled with a 1/4" hole for a short length of rod, just 1/4" off from center, being planted firmly in a hole on the end of the oak stock. The rest of the oak stock has 1/4" holes drilled 1" deep, spaced at 2" intervals all the way to the other end. For holding blocks, I drilled a 1/4" hole into a 2"x1&1/2" cherry block so that it was also off center by about 1/4" This allowed for 4 different lengths from the same post hole. 
My first glue-up using them actually clamped together so tight, that I cracked a peice of the cherry I was using! (aparently there was a flaw I missed while selecting peices, but still!) Very effective clamps for wide projects, and you cant get any cheaper than that! After just having bought 4 HF bar clamps, 3 of which were lemons, I was so pleased with the abillity and grip of the homemade ones, that I made up 4 each @ 4', and 6', and 8 @ 2' They are far lighter than any bar clamp Ive used, do not flex or bow as easily, and if I ever manage to break one, Ill just cut myself another!


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

I have a few of the Bessey K style that I use for glue ups like cutting boards. I also have some pipe clamps for the same purpose.

If you buy pipe clamps, buy a 10 foot stick of pipe and have the store guy cut them for you. I know HD does it.

I have several lengths of pipe.


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## hawkeye10 (Feb 18, 2015)

Do the pipe for pipe clamps still have to be threaded? If so does HD do that to?

Don


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

One end needs to be, which they come threaded on both ends. So unless your cutting a pipe into more than two pieces, you won't need to thread anything.


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## Pirate (Jul 23, 2009)

How about making your own?


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Just yesterday I needed clamps that were longer than what I had ready at hand. I added the couplings and another piece of pipe and wah-lah! :thumbsup:


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## tom d (Oct 23, 2013)

Bar Clamps from Jorgensen probably the best. I like the Universal, which has best price on The Best Things, haven't double checked the Jorgensens.


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## Alchymist (Jan 2, 2011)

Have a few of everything - bar clamps, C clamps, pipe clamps, spring clamps, etc. Have about a dozen of these from Lowes, (but they were $3 something when I bought them, think they still are):
http://www.lowes.com/[email protected]]&pl=1&productId=999913855

I like the quick grip clamps for initially clamping something (especially the three handed scenario) just to get things lined up, then follow up with the bar or F clamps. Previous posts are right, there are never enough clamps.


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## LostHasher (Oct 14, 2015)

GeorgeC said:


> Do not know of any clamps I would avoid.


Avoid trigger clamps with plastic parts, even if it's "just" the handle. 

I mention this because many humans go to big box stores, and big box stores sell a lot of them. Harbor Freight sells all sorts of them. Not even worth the tiny price you pay.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

LostHasher said:


> Avoid trigger clamps with plastic parts, even if it's "just" the handle. I mention this because many humans go to big box stores, and big box stores sell a lot of them. Harbor Freight sells all sorts of them. Not even worth the tiny price you pay.


 I have never seen a trigger clamp not made of plastic. A good plastic clamp is plenty strong. I have never broke one under normal use. I have broke one abusing it, but it was definitely my fault.


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## LostHasher (Oct 14, 2015)

hwebb99 said:


> I have never broke one under normal use.


Interesting. Then I will suggest a new slogan for HF:

HARBOR FREIGHT
Not For Normal Use


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## Alchymist (Jan 2, 2011)

LostHasher said:


> Avoid trigger clamps with plastic parts, even if it's "just" the handle.
> 
> I mention this because many humans go to big box stores, and big box stores sell a lot of them. Harbor Freight sells all sorts of them. Not even worth the tiny price you pay.


A good many of my smaller clamps are either part or all plastic, some a good many years old. Can't recall ever breaking one.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

LostHasher said:


> Interesting. Then I will suggest a new slogan for HF: HARBOR FREIGHT Not For Normal Use


 I don't have any harbor freight clamps.


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## OkSixPack (Mar 24, 2015)

I will never buy another Harbor Freight trigger clamp. 4 out of 6 I bought literally never worked once. They wouldn't tighten up. The other kinds worked ok for the price though.
Jim


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## RJweb (Feb 25, 2011)

I agree HF trigger clamps are junk bought a few and they really don't work correctly, now there F style clamps work ok.


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## d_slat (Apr 10, 2012)

The only trigger style clamps I buy are the Irwin brand. They work great.


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## pweller (Mar 10, 2014)

I have some of the Harbor Freight trigger/squeeze clamps. They do make two different types, the 'heavy duty' ones only come in 1 or 2 lengths, but they are nicer than the standard ones.

The thing I've noticed about the squeeze clamps is that they won't tighten as evenly as a threaded clamp. In other words, sometimes when you squeeze the clamp (if you want very carefully) it just squeezes and then retreats. So, you think you're adding more pressure, but you really aren't. This is why I usually prefer a simpler 'direct threaded action' type clamp, because they never back up on their own.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Guess it depends on what you are using plastic clamps for, they work fine to hold two boards in contact with each other until the glue dries, not so great to close gaps in 2X6's.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

What's the service? Are you clamping for glue or are you clamping for alignment or are you clamping for stability?

I have 2 wood carvings on the bench, story poles, 5" x 64". Two ratchet strap clamps.


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

Robson Valley said:


> What's the service? Are you clamping for glue or are you clamping for alignment or are you clamping for stability?


Well this _was _originally asked in November of 2014, by a member with a grand total of 8 posts in a year. I have a hunch he's not around to join in on the conversation.

I have exactly four parallel clamps, they're Irwins, and I absolutely freaking hate them. They're heavy, clunky and have never operated smoothly. 

I have exactly two pipe clamps, they're 60' pipes I bought specifically for one project. They're Irwins, and they suck too. Well, one is OK, the other slips on the pipe and is worthless.

I guess you can say I'm not a fan of Irwin.

I get most use out of el cheapo Harbor Freight F style clamps, they do what they're supposed to do every time. The longer they are the more prone they are to flexing though. Their trigger style clamps came in two different styles, one style was OK and I use them sometimes, the other was junk and I've been meaning to throw them away for a couple years now.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

Bleedinblue: Old threads sometimes need to come around again. These WW sites keep picking up new members and the same questions get asked over and over.
I'm a carver. Most of my clamping needs are for stability, some for alignment and some for glue-ups.
I have 4 ratchet strap clamps, tedious to open up and snug down again. But, I'm doing roughout at the moment with a RotoZip turning 30K rpm on 5" x 64" poles. I need rock solid.


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## 406Rich (May 15, 2016)

LostHasher said:


> Avoid trigger clamps with plastic parts, even if it's "just" the handle.
> 
> I mention this because many humans go to big box stores, and big box stores sell a lot of them. Harbor Freight sells all sorts of them. Not even worth the tiny price you pay.


Found that out on a quick project, needed four clamps, bought and brought home, snapped the handle off two of them within five minutes of use....:surprise2:


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