Jorgensen and Pony clamps COO

[Jim C.]

I'm currently working on a project that requires a few more pipe and/or bar clamps.... Like the old saying goes, "You never have enough clamps." Anyway, I figured I'd head over to my local Home Depot to pick up a few more "Made in USA" clamps. Now I know they carry a ton of chinese made clamps, but I went there thinking I'd buy the familiar orange, USA made "good ones" and was fully prepared to pay a little more for them. Well, they had plenty of both styles (bar and pipe) in stock but NONE of them had "Made in USA" either cast into them or stamped on them like my older ones do. (See photos below) As a matter of fact, their packaging had NOTHING printed on them that indicated where the clamps were made. I'm guessing china/asia??? I looked at all styles and types of Jorgensen and Pony clamps on the shelves/hooks and I couldn't find a single one that said USA on it. When did they stop making those in Chicago? To add a little insult to injury, I also needed a couple lengths of black pipe. I proceeded down the plumbing aisle and found plenty of black pipe in various lengths, all of which was made in..... mexico!! Do we make anything here anymore?!?!? I ended up buying nothing. I'll have to start looking for used USA made clamps and pick them up as I see them. Needless to say, it was a VERY discouraging trip to HD.

Jim C.

 

[KEH]

Thanks for mentioning that, I will have to check next time I'm in a store. All my Jorgensen clamps, some bought new, some used, are USA made. If you are going to have to buy Chinese clamps, you may as well go to Harbor Freight. Most of them work well, bu I have had some with factory problems so a close inspection is in order, maybe even bringing a piece of pipe and assembling them at the counter.

KEH

 

[Jim C.]

Thanks for mentioning that, I will have to check next time I'm in a store. All my Jorgensen clamps, some bought new, some used, are USA made. If you are going to have to buy Chinese clamps, you may as well go to Harbor Freight. Most of them work well, bu I have had some with factory problems so a close inspection is in order, maybe even bringing a piece of pipe and assembling them at the counter.

KEH

Right! So are mine. Every clamp I own was made in the USA. I just figured I'd go get a few more because I needed them and I'd support a company that's still making tools in the USA. I guess not anymore. Interestingly, the Jorgensens and Ponys were still more expensive than those that were clearly marked as having been made in china. I'll pay more for a tool made here. Why would anyone pay Made in USA prices for a tool made in asia? I've bought used Jorgensens and Ponys in the past, and they've all been fine. I'll just keep buying them used when I see them. I'm not buying tools from china.

Jim C.

 

[jjjrmx5]

Jorgensen moved the production of the bar clamps to China some time in late 2012 /early2013.

My local Ollie's Outlet had a screamin' sale on them this past early spring. I don;t know why Jorgensen would be clearing house of a bunch of new stock, but I didn't ask. I just whipped the wallet out.

Most were stamped USA made with a few non-stamped and those had tags saying Made in China.

There is a lot of old stock out there, but the Ollies prices were $2.99, 4.99, and 6.99 and 8.99 for the 12", 18" , 24" and 36" orange bar clamps.
I scooped a ton up at those prices.
They aslo had the USA made Pony heads for the pipe style bar clamps using black iron pipe.


The small Pony Clamp clips clamp/spring clamps have been made in China for several years now.

It's all so so sad.

 

[Big Bad Pete]

I purchased some Jorgensen heavy duty bar clamps in April of this year (2014) on Amazon and they are USA made. Amazon currently states that the heavy duty bar clamps are still USA but not the standard duty bar clamps.

 

[mikegt4]

Jorgensen moved the production of the bar clamps to China some time in late 2012 /early2013.

My local Ollie's Outlet had a screamin' sale on them this past early spring. I don;t know why Jorgensen would be clearing house of a bunch of new stock, but I didn't ask. I just whipped the wallet out.

Most were stamped USA made with a few non-stamped and those had tags saying Made in China.

There is a lot of old stock out there, but the Ollies prices were $2.99, 4.99, and 6.99 and 8.99 for the 12", 18" , 24" and 36" orange bar clamps.
I scooped a ton up at those prices.
They aslo had the USA made Pony heads for the pipe style bar clamps using black iron pipe.


The small Pony Clamp clips clamp/spring clamps have been made in China for several years now.

It's all so so sad.

I grabbed a bunch of them at my Cincinnati Ollie's (Hamilton ave. at Waycross). Home Depot sold their stock to Ollie's when they switched over to Chinese clamps (not Jorgensen brand), the HD price tags were still on them.