Woodworking Parallel clamps, advice on brands.

[rlitman]

...One nice thing about Bessey is their Clamp Extender. You can connect two smaller clamps to make one larger clamp. Really comes in handy at times, but it does require a bolt hole in the end of the clamp

That works with the current generation Bessey REVO. My first generation clamps don't come apart, so I'm lacking quite a number of new and useful features.

I bit the bullet and bought some from Rockler, they ended up being just under $40 each for the 40" and 31" clamps, they were $1 difference between the two. I bought 6 total, 3 of each size, these are built like tanks and I can see using them for metal fab as well as many other things. They were probably 2.5 times more expensive, but they have a special use and I think they will be great to have in the future.

So you went with the Bessey?

 

[SRSemenza]

That works with the current generation Bessey REVO. My first generation clamps don't come apart, so I'm lacking quite a number of new and useful features.

I have some 15 ish year old K-bodies that come apart. I be interested to see a picture of older ones that don't come apart.

In a pinch, in some situations, you can hook them together to extend without the extenders. Hook the fixed ends to each other on the flat / on edge (or one flat , one perpendicular) and use the sliding heads on each side of the piece being clamped.

Seth

 

[Strouty]

I did get Bessey, one of the main reasons was that they offered the extension kit as well as the option to buy a positionable end piece, so you can use long clamps for shorter projects and balance out the bar. Otherwise the weight would try and tip things over.

 

[tarbellb]

That works with the current generation Bessey REVO. My first generation clamps don't come apart, so I'm lacking quite a number of new and useful features.



So you went with the Bessey?

Funny, im thinking of grinding off the stupid pinch on the bar stock of my old Besseys that acts as the stopper. Why- mine always jam up on that pinch and get stuck, to the point I have knock them with something to loosen.

Grind off that pinch, add whatever accessories, then add a simple nut/bolt through the bar stock and eliminate the jamming issue. Win win right?

 

[SRSemenza]

Funny, im thinking of grinding off the stupid pinch on the bar stock of my old Besseys that acts as the stopper. Why- mine always jam up on that pinch and get stuck, to the point I have knock them with something to loosen.

Grind off that pinch, add whatever accessories, then add a simple nut/bolt through the bar stock and eliminate the jamming issue. Win win right?

Aah, they used to be pinched. Yeah, grind that off on at least a couple so they can be reversed to be used as spreaders.

Seth

 

[rlitman]

Funny, im thinking of grinding off the stupid pinch on the bar stock of my old Besseys that acts as the stopper. Why- mine always jam up on that pinch and get stuck, to the point I have knock them with something to loosen.

Grind off that pinch, add whatever accessories, then add a simple nut/bolt through the bar stock and eliminate the jamming issue. Win win right?

Yeah, I keep thinking about it. I actually have several static jaws from Craftsman clamps that I got on clearance that would fit my bars if I grind those pinches off. I just haven't gotten the nerve to deface them yet. Once day, perhaps.