I will never ever buy a jet clamp again

[toolaholic]

I should of known better when the 1st 12 inch jet parallel clamp was bowed from zoro. I bought 2 from eBay for 103.09 tax and shipping after I sent zoro one back . That’s slot for a 12. I liked the trigger on clamp. Easy to move on rail. I asked eBay seller only to ship them if they are straight. They were brand new from jet in unopened box. They were bowed. I tried contacting jet but the phone waits are unbelievably long. I didn’t think they would help anyway since technically I bought from a unauthorized dealer. I found 2 Bessey revo jrs new for 57.34 with tax it had free shipping. So I must pay 17.25 to send back. I’m sure I lost my 17.25 shipping to receive them. So 103.09-34.50 for both shippings is 68.59- 57.34 _= 11.05. I save 111.O5. But when the smoke clears it’s a lot to pay for Bessey jrs. 57.34 + 34.50 in lost shipping charges is 91.84 for clamps I could have got at Rockler for $33 each or $66. So you guys have been warned . Jet is junk. The 31 jet I have was 70 something and will be kept but even that one is slightly tweaked at last 2 inches.

 

[shawhite]

I’m a little confused. You received a clamp from zoro who is an authorized retailer that was bowed and you the decided to buy two off eBay who the seller may or may not be an authorized retailer with the hopes they would be straight. This is a head scratcher for me.

 

[toolaholic]

Yep cause I’m stupid. I thought the zoro one was a fluke since the 31 was straight for all but last inch. Plus I told seller only to ship if they were straight. Plus I really liked the trigger on theme. But If rather work a little to position the Besseys. Least they are straight. Can’t believe they charge a premium for a product with lousy quality control. But again yes I’m stupid. Fool me once Shame on you . Fool me twice Shame on me.

 

[toolaholic]

Wow actually got a actual human jet. Told her they are in the way back to seller and what bad quality control they have

 

[shawhite]

Jet is not the company it use to be.

 

[The Frisco Kid]

That is really, really disappointing! I have about 14 Jet parallel clamps and I LOVE them! I bought them several years ago and I use them all the time. At the time, I picked them over the Besseys (I have several of those as well) and the Jorgensens. I hate to think that their QC has gone downhill so bad.

 

[The Frisco Kid]

Wow actually got a actual human jet. Told her they are in the way back to seller and what bad quality control they have

Did Jet offer any kind of solution or support?

 

[purplezr2]

Should have called Jet before returning them.

Usually manufactures will make it right at no cost to you.

 

[rlitman]

Jet is not the company it use to be.

Was Jet EVER anything other than an Taiwanese importer?

 

[seber]

Was Jet EVER anything other than an Taiwanese importer?

Yes. They used to import from Korea. There is some real Jet junk out there.

 

[shawhite]

Was Jet EVER anything other than an Taiwanese importer?

No but they use to have decent QC for what they imported

 

[toolaholic]

Did Jet offer any kind of solution or support?

I already sent them back. Called to tell them they sell junk. Was shocked someone answered right away. They told me to email my complaint which I did. Friday I was on hold forever so I decided to send them back . My jet 31 will be the unicorn in my clamp collection.

 

[The Frisco Kid]

That's just crazy to me. I know of several other guys who bought and own twice as many as I have and they are all 100% quality. I guess the pandemic is taking its toll on Jet manufacturing.

 

[tarbellb]

***** they arent straight from the factory....


but couldnt you just straighten the bar? (its the least complicated part of the tool)

 

[toolaholic]

***** they are straight from the factory....


but couldnt you just straighten the bar? (its the least complicated part of the tool)

Bending fatigues the metal and if you can’t even forge the bar straight what’s the rest of the clamp like. 3 bowed. 3 strikes your out.

 

[slowtwitch73]

How are they bent.. I cant tell from the pics. Side to side or vertically?

If they are bowed vertically it could be on purpose to counteract bowing from clamping action.

 

[dnschmidt]

You appear to actually think that they care? I have several Jet clamps that I bought twenty years age that are fine and I have no idea what there current offerings are like but l've used mine without issue.

 

[gte718p]

Bending fatigues the metal and if you can’t even forge the bar straight what’s the rest of the clamp like. 3 bowed. 3 strikes your out.

First they are not forged. They are pulled off a roll of metal and pulled through an extrusion die. Bellow the fatigue stress limit you have infinite cycles. You could be over the stress limit straightening it, but you are one cycle in a several thousand to failure.

A clamps is a pretty simple machine. Fix it and move along. Maybe yours isn’t but my time is to valuable to be calling companies to ***** at them. It might have made you feel better, but no one at Jet cares. Who ever had the misfortune of answering the phone and having to pretend to be polite to you, immediately forgot about you as soon as you hung up.

 

[toolaholic]

First they are not forged. They are pulled off a roll of metal and pulled through an extrusion die. Bellow the fatigue stress limit you have infinite cycles. You could be over the stress limit straightening it, but you are one cycle in a several thousand to failure.

A clamps is a pretty simple machine. Fix it and move along. Maybe yours isn’t but my time is to valuable to be calling companies to ***** at them. It might have made you feel better, but no one at Jet cares. Who ever had the misfortune of answering the phone and having to pretend to be polite to you, immediately forgot about you as soon as you hung up.

True but not worth my time to fix them either. And yes I’m not stupid we live in a f ed up not caring world. At least I can warn people to stay away. We live in a sad world where jerks win and good people loose. And I not saying that out of anger I mean it and I lived it.

 

[lardy1]

I had been getting ready to purchase some. When I read the first post I scratched Jet off my list. I bought Jorgensen and I'm getting ready to buy more.

 

[tarbellb]

Fatigue the metal? Ha, what do you think happens every time you clamp something down?

Straighten them out by counter flexing them over your knee and move along.

 

[finn]

I don’t think he knows what metal fatigue is.

 

[toolaholic]

Fatigue the metal? Ha, what do you think happens every time you clamp something down?

Straighten them out by counter flexing them over your knee and move along.

I did move along . I sent them back . You can buy 3 Besseys revos to 2 jets. I went to Home Depot to check out the Besseys. Everyone of them was straight. I went to lowes to check out the Jorgensens everyone of them was straight. So either the jets are metal that bends easy or they were made wrong. You can buy up all the jets clamps and fix them. Have fun with then. Get yourself a straight edge if you don’t have one and bend em perfect. I have faith in you . You can do it.

 

[toolaholic]

I don’t think he knows what metal fatigue is.

Probably not but I do know for a premium price I want a product that I don’t have to try and fix.

 

[PCustoms]

You say clamp and I think:

Pipe clamp: Pony
Parallel clamp: Pony or Bessy

Pony was bought/renamed a few years ago, Jorgenson seems to have kept the quality.

Any other brand, YMMV.

That said I would have straightened the thing (which it would probably do on its own under tension) and moved on. Calling jet to complain reeks of old man yelling at clouds.

 

[toolaholic]

You say clamp and I think:

Pipe clamp: Pony
Parallel clamp: Pony or Bessy

Only was bought/renamed # few years ago, Jorgenson seems to have kept the quality.

Any other brand, YMMV.

That said I would have straightened the thing (which it would probably do on its own under tension) and moved on. Calling jet to complain reeks of old man telling at clouds.

You answer me this . Why are the other brands straight? And you can inform the manufacturer that the products are not being checked . It’s up to them . What time do with it. You live in Pa? Come visit the jet 31 it slightly off. Fix it for me! I want to learn and watch.

 

[toolaholic]

I’m going to drop the ultimate comment and get off this forum for awhile. I had colon cancer. I drove a stick shift car to work 50 miles with a chemo pump on. I mowed my own grass 4 days out from colon surgery . Most of you internet toughies would sit in the corner like a little be otch crying for your mom. Oh yeah my mom died when I went through what I did. I didn’t yell at clouds. I walked my husky sky and worked. Never complained to anyone. Not once. Sucked it up and lived . All I wanted was some straight clamps. Didn’t get them moved on.

 

[toolaholic]

Sure am glad my surgeons and doctors don’t do there jobs half fast like jet. I’d be dead. Tried to warn you guys to be nice. Go ahead and keep buying them. It’s your money. I work very hard for my money to give to a company that’s making substandard products.

 

[gte718p]

Probably not but I do know for a premium price I want a product that I don’t have to try and fix.

That is something that GJ could get behind. Losing money sending fixable items back or complaining (and based on your tone and responses I am guessing loudly and aggressively) at some hapless customer survive droid or using fancy terms incorrectly to sound like something is a big deal are not.

Since you sent I back it is OBE, but bring it by and I will have it straight and flat to a tenth.

 

[toolaholic]

That is something that GJ could get behind. Losing money sending fixable items back or complaining (and based on your tone and responses I am guessing loudly and aggressively) at some hapless customer survive droid or using fancy terms incorrectly to sound like something is a big deal are not.

Since you sent I back it is OBE, but bring it by and I will have it straight and flat to a tenth.

You weren’t there. I was very nice on the phone. But since we are making assumptions. I guessing your still at home living with mom and dad. Probably on every forum known to man. A internet expert. Gotta love it.

 

[toolaholic]

I think what some of the internet genius’s on this forum is missing is that you can buy 3 Besseys to 2 jets. So you are paying a premium price. If it was Bessey revo jrs , who cares. Harbor freigh again who cares. I bought some Festool this fall imho the live up to the hype and back it with a 30 day return policy. I set high standards for things in my life. Some of you want to accept sub standard things in your life so be it but don’t argue with me to live my life like some of you do.

 

[tarbellb]

You bought (and $ returned) Jets genius

 

[shawhite]

I’m all for a person talking with their money. My confusion came from you buying one that was bent you returned it then bought 2 more for an unauthorized dealer that ended up being bent. This left me scratching my head. If anything I would have gave zoro another chance at getting me a straight clamp and not trust some seller on ebay to do it.

 

[RAS61]

Yes. They used to import from Korea. There is some real Jet junk out there.

I bought a Jet power puller a decade or so ago. I thought the brand name would guarantee quality. Probably my worst tool purchase ever, not only cheaply made but very dangerous. Broke first time used under a light load when the ratcheting gear made out of cast pot metal snapped, Don't think I've bought a Jet product since

 

[toolaholic]

I’m all for a person talking with their money. My confusion came from you buying one that was bent you returned it then bought 2 more for an unauthorized dealer that ended up being bent. This left me scratching my head. If anything I would have gave zoro another chance at getting me a straight clamp and not trust some seller on ebay to do it.

Yes I thought it was a fluke. I was stupid . My bad. Plus they are/ were well thought of on woodworking forums. I was just putting out there to be aware something went south with jet.

 

[shawhite]

Well thanks for the heads up.

 

[txvwnut]

I have those same Jet clamps and while the bars are straight they don't clamp parallel in any direction.

 

[toolaholic]

I have those same Jet clamps and while the bars are straight they don't clamp parallel in any direction.

Well that’s not good. You pay extra for parallel clamps to be parallel.

 

[Mgdoug3]

I don't get why the OP is getting hounded. The guy paid a premium for a product and it was poor quality. I probably would have tried to straighten it but I don't fault the OP for sending the product back and complaining. If you don't complain you're letting the company know that substandard quality is OK.

 

[gatewaysysop]

Probably not but I do know for a premium price I want a product that I don’t have to try and fix.

Why more people don't understand this basic concept, on this forum of all places, I have no idea. Either they don't work very hard for their money, or they don't value their time, or maybe it's both. Either way, the push back to someone trying to warn us about piss poor quality often beggars belief.

Well thanks for the heads up.

This. I will never buy any of their clamps now, especially if the competition is cheaper and can turn out a straight clamp.

The brand zealots and the crowd that would happily fix it themselves are more than welcome to supply their time and labor for free to fix someone else's mistakes. Personally I think life is too short for that **** and I've got better things to do with my time and my hard earned money, but to each his own.

Thanks OP for the heads up.