Clamps...the Best
I have tried them all & the best I have found are Bessey K-Body clamps. Very well made & much more versatile than pipe or bar clamps. They are not cheap...you can find a set of 4 (2-24" & 2-40") on the net for about $150. It's a lot but once you get a set all of your other clamps will gather dust.
Kevin
I have tried them all & the best I have found are Bessey K-Body clamps. Very well made & much more versatile than pipe or bar clamps. They are not cheap...you can find a set of 4 (2-24" & 2-40") on the net for about $150. It's a lot but once you get a set all of your other clamps will gather dust.
Kevin
I use the Irwin quick clamps and think they're great. I was a bit dubious at first (I have plenty of Record G clamps), so I only bought two. But they were good, so I bought three more. Then I discovered that it's easier to make a loudspeaker box almost all at once, so I bought another five. But that still wasn't enough, so I bought the remaining four in the shop.
Why/when do I like them? It's a lot easier using a clamp that requires only one hand. Manoeuvring everything carefully into position only for it to slip as you tighten a G-clamp is frustrating. Agreed, they can't apply as much force as a G-clamp, but it's usually enough.
By the way, the full quote is, "I'd rather have a full bottle in front of me than a full frontal lobotomy" (Tom Waits).
Why/when do I like them? It's a lot easier using a clamp that requires only one hand. Manoeuvring everything carefully into position only for it to slip as you tighten a G-clamp is frustrating. Agreed, they can't apply as much force as a G-clamp, but it's usually enough.
By the way, the full quote is, "I'd rather have a full bottle in front of me than a full frontal lobotomy" (Tom Waits).
I think they should do you just nicely. Do make sure you buy the longest clamps, though. You pay for the clever bits, not the steel bar, and it would be a shame to buy some that are too short for a later job. Just so that we're talking about the same thing, the ones I have are the 24" Quick Grip.
I've got tons of the irwin quick grips, 6", 12" and 36". they're really good for what they are, obviously they won't give you as much hold as some of the more aggressive grips but they are strong enough for most of my applications and they're very easy. the only downside is that the feet don't always remain perfectly parallel so if you've got a torsional issue with pieces to be clamped you need to be a little careful.
It really does depend on what you're trying to achieve with clamps. Irwin quick grips, no matter what size, are no good for glue-ups. You just can't get enough pressure to ensure a good bond. What they're good for is holding things in place while you work on them, and that's what they were designed for. Jorgenson or Bessey parallel clamps are good for glue-ups, but do you really want to spend that much money? You'll need quite a few. Jorgenson Pony clamps with 3/4" (NOT 1/2") tubing are the best in terms of clamping pressure, because they have offset handles, not just round handles as do the Besseys and their ilk. Nobody, no matter how strong, can get as much pressure on a Bessey type as they can on a Pony. Pony clamps are pretty cheap as well - around $13 plus pipe each, and HD (in the US) will cut and thread pipes free for you. Buy in 10' lengths and get them to cut to three or four smaller pieces, or pay a little more and buy pre-cut. Pony clamps are so strong that they will flex 1/2' pipe, so go 3/4". The other great thing about Pony clamps is that with a plumbing connector, you can disassemble them and add pipes together to make extra long ones for one off uses. Definitely the best bang for the buck. You should have several 'C' clamps, too, in various sizes.
I completely agree. Many builders don't realize just how much clamp pressure is needed to get a proper glue joint. Some (most?) think that too much clamp pressure will squeeze out all of the glue, when in fact it is nearly impossible to do this. Good clamping pressure actually forces the glue to penetrate deeper into the wood fiber making an even stronger joint.
Thank you. I just researched these. Not being a woodworker I am not in the know. However, having a little common sense tells me that these 3/4 pipe clamps are the way to go. Looks like a several companies make them. I am still going to buy a few quick clamps for working on flat stock (sawing, routing etc) but not for gluing.
Thanks again everyone for the valuable information.
My only question based on these 3/4 clamps is just how much to tighten. Looks like you could do some damage with these.
Thanks again everyone for the valuable information.
My only question based on these 3/4 clamps is just how much to tighten. Looks like you could do some damage with these.
Interesting. Count me in their number. Now I have an excuse for clamping everything as hard as I can.
A word of warning - Yes you can overtighten with these clamps. I'm quite a big lad, and I will NEVER tighten more than I can with one hand - you must use cauls (bits of wood to spread the load). Don't buy the red Chinese knock-offs - they use inferior steel for the threads and they do give out. They're only a dollar or so cheaper anyway - not worth the saving. The orange Jorgenson Pony ones are the best. Use clamps alternately - i.e. one on top, the next underneath, the next on top,etc. and spread them evenly. If you clamp all on one side, you will distort the wood and open the joint up on the opposite side. Oh, and you always need more glue than you think you do...if the excess squeezes out, just clean it off thoroughly and you're fine, but if you didn't use enough in the first place...
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.