Decent C-Clamps?

[JBradley500]

I'm looking to get a few C-clamps, probably 6". These will just be for mainly collapsing calipers and holding stuff together. Nothing too extreme. I've been trying to find some used USA made ones without any good luck. What brands should I look for new? I tried to talk myself into getting some real cheap junkers but I just couldn't do it.

 

[Hafen_Kafer]

Kant Twist

 

[wild cowboy]

my advice is anything old and made in USA from yard sales - C-clamps don't really ever wear out usually, so as long as they are rust-free, pretty much any USA-made are great!

 

[PT Doc]

Kant twist are super nice. Machinist parallel clamps are useful as well.

 

[Ruger_556]

I just bought some Proto's that weren't all that expensive brand new. Might be worth a look

 

[1950mercury]

Where did u buy them^^^

 

[thebeekeeper1]

I have many old USA ones, but the Harbor Freight cheapos are not half bad. Not kidding. They are just clamps, so they don't need to be machinist precise. The 6" HF ones are like $6.99 each. ::shrug::

 

[Outlawmws]

decent hardware stores carry "Adjustable" (AKA Jorgensen...) My Ace has them.

But the Yard sale suggestion is a good one. LOTS to be had there cheap. And a little, or quite a bit of rust won't hurt them, as it wire wheels off easily. Just pass on any frozen in rust.

Adjustable Malleable, Cincinnati, Stearns, Williams, Armstrong, and many other good made in USA brands floating around out there.

 

[Ruger_556]

Where did u buy them^^^

Zoro tools

 

[southalabama]

Outlaw is king of clamps. Good advise to follow.

Do some googling sometime and you'll see where he posted all of his.

 

[Tejaas]

I'm addicted to the older government contract Diecraft C-Clamps...


~Tejaas~

 

[BK13]

decent hardware stores carry "Adjustable" (AKA Jorgensen...) My Ace has them.

Everything around here is, at best, Pony (PRC). I swear, Portland is tool purgatory...

 

[monomach]

Menards has big wire bins full of US-made clamps. The names on them are mixed Jorgensen, Pony, and Adjustable Clamp Co, but they all come from the same factory in Chicago.

 

[BD1]

My collection has Armstrong and Williams.
Check ebay or craigs list if available in your area.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Set-of-3-Wi...163?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item233fbeff4b

 

[PFSard]

Couple of threads if you need more info. As southalabama said on the king of clamps, Outlaw has a list in one of these. :

C Clamp thread?
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=218074

C Clamp Recommendations?
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=256106

 

[back2class]

I see piles of them at the local flea market every time I go. Do you want me to look for you? If you only want one may not be worth shipping, but I can throw 1/2 dozen in a flat rate box and that may make sense. I sometimes buy them when they are $1 each, but I think they are pretty abundant in the $3-5 range here.

 

[tarbellb]

Buy only as many C-clamps as you really need, ie for brake jobs and ?. Other then that, C-clamps are my very last resort when clamping anything! I truly believe there is a style of clamp for every situation.

Welding- vise grips and bar clamps
Wood working- bar clamps (plastic) and spring clamps
General DIY- bar clamps (plastic and metal)
Etc.....

Really, the standard F-style bar clamp trumps the C-clamp in most ways IMO.

 

[alex95eg]

I bought a *** ton of them from lowes when they offed bessy!!

 

[dr_clyde]

My favorites are Wilton, Armstrong and Williams. If buying new, I'd get Wilton.

My all time favorites are Grand Tank Clamps, but they're hard to find.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Check out MSC Direct, their monthly fliers always have clamps in them and they offer some Made in USA.

Cheap clamps **** as they walk off of your work piece as they deflect.

 

[mrwhite29]

Buy a blue point caliper compressor and stop working so hard.

 

[b-body-bob]

I have many old USA ones, but the Harbor Freight cheapos are not half bad. Not kidding. They are just clamps, so they don't need to be machinist precise. The 6" HF ones are like $6.99 each. ::shrug::

The clamp pads pop off the threaded rod if you aren't careful. I've got a bunch of them that are junk, but at least they were cheap, right?

 

[WWIIjeep]

Everything around here is, at best, Pony (PRC). I swear, Portland is tool purgatory...

Pony, Adjustable and Jorgensen are all the same company. Pony was one of the brands, and now it's the corporate name encompassing all three brand names. Some new models of Pony clamps may be PRC origin, but others, and almost all of the older ones, are USA.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

The clamp pads pop off the threaded rod if you aren't careful. I've got a bunch of them that are junk, but at least they were cheap, right?

The ones I have with the pads popped off are all USA made, but it happened before I had them, so I don't know the how/why. I have put considerable strain (gluing wood) on my cheap ones and they have worked perfectly. YMMV

 

[back2class]

Buy only as many C-clamps as you really need, ie for brake jobs and ?. Other then that, C-clamps are my very last resort when clamping anything! I truly believe there is a style of clamp for every situation.

Welding- vise grips and bar clamps
Wood working- bar clamps (plastic) and spring clamps
General DIY- bar clamps (plastic and metal)
Etc.....

Really, the standard F-style bar clamp trumps the C-clamp in most ways IMO.

I agree 100%. I pretty much never use a C clamp. The only time I can vision needing a quality C clamp is pinning down a heavy piece of metal for welding that is bent. I use my F clamps and wrap around vise grips often. C clamp once in a rare while as a last resort and can't really see why cheap ones would not work fine. I have mostly all good ones and still never reach for them. I think in the last decade I have never used one other than as a makeshift valve spring compressor. What are ya'll doing that I am not that people need these things so much?

 

[Tyberius]

I usually use my C clamps as makeshift pullers (means I probably should buy a puller) or to hold a vise or grinder down.

My circular saw's straight edge came with C clamps, but I just use my little Irwin quick-grips.

Oh, I have a brake caliper compressor, but autozone and the like will loan you them.

 

[BJ42LX]

My circular saw's straight edge came with C clamps, but I just use my little Irwin quick-grips.

These types of tool guides are very useful and beat the hell out of the cheap/holey fences and guides provided by saw and router manufacturers:

http://www.amazon.com/Bora-541024-24-Inch-Straight-Circular/dp/B00310MXE2/ref=sr_1_2

 

[Snap_cap]

I have many old USA ones, but the Harbor Freight cheapos are not half bad. Not kidding. They are just clamps, so they don't need to be machinist precise. The 6" HF ones are like $6.99 each. ::shrug::

 

[cgv69]

Buy only as many C-clamps as you really need, ie for brake jobs and ?. Other then that, C-clamps are my very last resort when clamping anything! I truly believe there is a style of clamp for every situation.

I tend to agree with this man /\

I have one, no name 6" clamp that I bought close to 30 years ago for a brake job and have used it ever sine for that one and only task. I have never felt the need or desire to use a c-clamp for any other type of work. I don't weld but I do wood work and have many other types of clamps and vises.

If you just need one for brake work, you may even want to skip the c-clamp and get something designed for the job like the Kastar/Lang 279...