Looking for WW clamps

[T56 Impala]

So does anyone know who sells inexpensive woodworking clamps? A while back I posted up a note about Ace Hardware selling the Irwin quick grip 18" twin pack for $7.99. I thought this was a fair price for them. I would never spend $25 or so for a single clamp like that as is the normal retail price. Stupid price if you ask me. $7.99 did seem like a steal though.

Now I find I'm in need of longer clamps. 24", 36" or even 42". I don't like pipe clamps. They tend to be heavy and hard to deal with. I tried the HF versions. Less than stellar. Anyone have a source for decent clamps? I don't expect top of the line stuff, but better than HF. K body or quick grip style. I guess that 4, 42" would be useful for various projects I have in mind. Too big for some things, but I can't imagine doing anything larger.

 

[southalabama]

A couple months to late. But lowes dropped bessey and picked up irwin great deals were to be had during the closeout. Including German made bessy bar clamps going for a quarter of regular price.

Home Depot now has bessy and still some decent prices on bar clamps.

Anything over four feet go pipe clamp but I hate them too.

 

[Airframer]

Check epsteins and cripe for Bessey, Pony, and Jorgenson

 

[PBCampbell]

Lots of different styles of clamps used in Wood working. Is there a particular style that you're looking for?

 

[Mavawreck]

I've bought most of mine from flea markets and garage sales and I'm seldom disappointed for the price I paid. My favorites are a set of bar clamps probably close to 70 years old.

I think most clamps are stupid expensive new. Bessey K bodies are pricey but everyone loves them. I'm going to pick a few up and give them a shot. I had a gift card to Home Depot and bought a few of the heavier duty Jorgeson bar clamps, bars have started to gall and they get stuck a lot. Not terribly impressed by them but they do the job.

 

[cnc-me]

Bessey clamps are nice. Can be kind of pricey though.

 

[ouchifellagain]

I started out with Bessey K-bodies, but have since moved to these:

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=70618&cat=1,43838

I know that they are above what you are looking to spend, but I'd figure I'd mention them as I went down the low-cost route in the beginning and would have saved money if I'd have just started with the best, (these). They are light weight, (easy to move around) and I can tighten them down as much if not more than the Besseys. I still have some of the Jet knockoffs of the Bessey for when I need a parallel jaw, though.

or for smaller work:

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=44974&cat=1,43838,47843

and I'd be remiss if I did not mention these cauls:

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=67309&cat=1,43838

A real time/clamp saver. Even if you make your own cauls, you will be glad you did, (yeah, these are a lot of money for a few trimmed up pieces of maple), but cauls spread the clamping force equally over a wide area, so you can do with 2 clamps what would have taken dozens.

Sorry if this isn't what you are looking for; (too much $) but I wish someone would have shown me these early in my woodworking hobby.

I'd also like to recommend sawmillcreek and woodnet as good woodworking blogs to check out, (though folks can get really touchy about the simplest of things).

 

[alex95eg]

I have a bunch of bessys that i stopped using when i got out of ww.

 

[tarbellb]

I started out with Bessey K-bodies, but have since moved to these:

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=70618&cat=1,43838

I know that they are above what you are looking to spend, but I'd figure I'd mention them as I went down the low-cost route in the beginning and would have saved money if I'd have just started with the best, (these). They are light weight, (easy to move around) and I can tighten them down as much if not more than the Besseys. I still have some of the Jet knockoffs of the Bessey for when I need a parallel jaw, though.

or for smaller work:

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=44974&cat=1,43838,47843

and I'd be remiss if I did not mention these cauls:

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=67309&cat=1,43838

A real time/clamp saver. Even if you make your own cauls, you will be glad you did, (yeah, these are a lot of money for a few trimmed up pieces of maple), but cauls spread the clamping force equally over a wide area, so you can do with 2 clamps what would have taken dozens.

Sorry if this isn't what you are looking for; (too much $) but I wish someone would have shown me these early in my woodworking hobby.

I'd also like to recommend sawmillcreek and woodnet as good woodworking blogs to check out, (though folks can get really touchy about the simplest of things).

A lot of good info here, ive never seen those bow cauls. Neat.

I do more metal work then wood work so I tend to crank my clamps a bit harder. Im a fan of the beefier Bessey clamps that feature a rubber composite handle, thicker beam, and heavy duty heads.

I believe they are referred to as the TG series, light, med, heavy with 2K handle.

http://www.besseytools.com/en/subca...d00030023&ASIMOID_MC=000000000001f3f000030023

 

[turbowoodworker]

For general woodworking, there are so many options some of which may be only applicable to certain specialized processes. So it would be helpful to know what you are working on and what your project entails.

For instance, You would not use twin screw wood clamps while making a table top but the Bessey K bodies are great for that. C clamps, edge clamps, face frame clamps are all examples of specialized wood working devices.
OP mentions he wants something between HF and pipe clamps (they are too heavy). While I love K bodies, I have mostly pipe clamps in various sizes becausea they are so good for table tops. You need something heavy and strong for that application. K bodies are strong but not as heavy but wayyy more expensive.

The light duty clamps in the picture posted above by CNC-ME are really good for many projects too. Bessey and Jorgenson/Pony make good sets. There are Chinese versions out there that are variable in quality like Columbian. Rockler and Woodcraft often put these on deep discounts.

Long story but in summary, depending on the breadth of projects you plan on doing, you need a wide selection of clamp types and sizes. Just like our auto shop GJers here, they would not try to do what they do by only having access to 3/4 inch drive tools and the more woodworking you do the more clamps you will own.

 

[Gotcha640]

I was always taught clamps are for holding, not pressing the bejeezus out of the piece. Sometimes rethinking the fitup will be better than grinding on your clamps.

Also, for table tops or other very wide glue ups, the old school method would be to work on a wooden table, fix bench dogs or screw/nail down a "fence," and line up all the parts pressing against the fence. The final board would be laid down, and wedges between it and another fence/dogs. If you need to hold the pieces down flat, you attach a board or two across the face. Think of building a gate with no gap between the verticals and no bracing on the final product.

 

[Msliechty]

You will not be happy with the inexpensive clamps They bow under tension. Get bessy. Parallel clamps and be done with it


ML

 

[KenC]

I've got a lot of clamps. Jorgensen bar and F type, Harbor freight versions of both, old heavy bar clamps, c-clamps, spring clamps and these:
http://www.harborfreight.com/48-in-aluminum-bar-clamp-60540.html

mine are the 24" versions, but I plan to buy some more in 36 and 48" as they are suprisingly good. Light, strong enough and cheap, compared to the original version they copied!