Cheep ($13) parallel clamp review

[jim hedgpeth]

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS.

I ordered 4 of these clamps Saturday night, (8-9)
http://www.internationaltool.com/K-Body-Clamps/Fortune-BCP3.aspx
they arrived today (8-13). Not bad shipping time, boxes where in one piece, and banded together for shipping.

I have not figured out how to arrange pics yet, so I apologize in advance if I confuse anyone. They tend to rearrange themselves sometimes when I post, I dont know why. I will try to make it clear what pic I am referring to, though most should be self explanatory.

The box as it arrived (being inspected by my supervisor :rolleyes: he's kinda hard to see though), a little crinkled here and there, but no major damage.

The contents of 1 box, with spacers to keep them from rubbing each other.

Clamped as tightly as I could on an old 2x coffee table. No flex in the bar that I can see, but I did hear the table groan. I will check this out better once I have them in the shop where my squares are handy.

Of course I had to disassemble 1, :rolleyes: and see how it is made. I threw in a box of my bad habit for a size reference. The two little pieces in the upper right are a pin and roller from the jaw.

The screw is acme thread and looks well formed, though dusty. These clamps could all stand to be wiped down.

[Michael Schwartz]

That price is really tempting, wonder how they will hold up or compare to there more expensive counterparts.

[jim hedgpeth]

The piece that holds the screw seems to be cast aluminum, fairly stout. at the back of the "top" and front of the "bottom" of the bar slot is a allen screw used to bite the bar. I don't know if this is typical of this style clamp, nor am I sure what to think of it yet. It seems you could replace them if they wear smooth (good), or they may wear out the bar (bad).

Bar dimensions roughly 5/16 x 1 1/8 and it does have the little foot for preventing them from tilting. Both foot and fixed head have threaded holes on the bottom, for bench dog pegs or other mounting options.

More to come.

[jim hedgpeth]

When I opened the second box the fixed heads were covered with bubble wrap. Did not seam to stop the scuffing though, as 1 clamp in each box was scuffed up on the fixed head.

Overall I am happy with them so far, the handles are cheap plastic with equally cheap rubberized insets, but otherwise they seem well built to me.

I will update next week after I have used them through the weekend.

Jim

[jim hedgpeth]

If there is anyone in or near Fayette county Illinois who has name brand parallel clamps, I would be more than happy to get together and do a side by side. I would like to see the differences myself.

Thanks,
Jim

[jim hedgpeth]

I used these a good bit over the weekend. So far I think they are OK for the price but not great. The fixed head stays parallel, but the moving head does not. They are not off by much, and don't affect the work I do, but I dont think they should be called "parallel" clamps. Someone with a metal lathe could make different rollers and probably fix them but that defeats the purpose of cheap clamps.

I read somewhere ( my other post about these I think) that someone got used clamps, I would have sent them back myself:mad:. I paid for new, discounted or not. Two of mine were scuffed, but showed no signs of being used.

They do apply a lot of pressure, if you want, and the faces are big to spread that pressure. For the $$ I have thought about getting some more just for general purpose clamps. The longer ones are not worth it ( IMO), but the smaller ones spread pressure better and cost about the same as good bar clamps.

At the moment I dont know if I will order more or not, but now you know how they are doing in my shop. Hope this info helps some body out.

Jim

[Mike Heidrick]

Jim, I am in Bloomington if you want to do a side by side test.

I have Bessy K2s, K3s, Revos, Jet parallels, and Jorgensen cabinet masters.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Thank you very much for taking the plunge and being a guinea pig. Awesome follow up on the clamps! I may have to get some since they be cheep.....

Oh, you really didn't have to take one apart just for a report...:)

[jim hedgpeth]

Mike, I will keep that in mind next time I am over that direction.

Kyle, well....... didn't have to, but it was interesting to see how they are made.

Jim

[Gary McKown]

Those look VERY MUCH like some Stanleys I bought several months ago at Big Lots - and at about that price. Do you suppose Stanley went out of the business and these are the same with a new brand? There was no brand on the clamp itself, just on the cardboard packaging.

My impression of the Stanleys pretty much parallels (no pun!) what the OP wrote - O.K. , but not a Bessey and the like. I rarely use them with several red-heads hanging on the rack, but they occasionally come in handy. At $10, who could pass them up?

[Dave Mura]

Thanks for the review!

[ian maybury]

Thanks Jim, that answered a live question for me....

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

when I click the link I get "product not available"

[jim hedgpeth]

Cliff, the link was for 31" , sold out now. Last I looked they only have 60" and 12" left now.

Jim

[jim hedgpeth]

I have used these for a while now, and for the price I may get more if they ever have them again. If I stop spending money on everything else long enough:o.

While they are not truly "parallel" clamps they do have large faces, and a lot of force when needed. They have never slipped, refused to bite, or given me any other problems. Not that special but at $13 ea, like I said, if I get the chance, I may well order half a dozen or more in various sizes.

Just thought some of you might like to know how they are doing.

Jim

[Bob Hallowell]

Those look VERY MUCH like some Stanleys I bought several months ago at Big Lots - and at about that price. Do you suppose Stanley went out of the business and these are the same with a new brand? There was no brand on the clamp itself, just on the cardboard packaging.

My impression of the Stanleys pretty much parallels (no pun!) what the OP wrote - O.K. , but not a Bessey and the like. I rarely use them with several red-heads hanging on the rack, but they occasionally come in handy. At $10, who could pass them up?

I don't think the look like the stanley's I picked up at big lots- but my impressions are different then yours. I reach for my stanleys over my bessey's every time. but it doesn't matter, I can't find any of those clamps listed on the web page.

Bob

[Jon Stinson]

Bob,

When I ordered mine about a month ago, they sent me a couple wrong sizes, and when I called them they only had one in the size I ordered and another longer one. They said they were discontinuing them. I'm sure by now, they are sold out of all of them.

P.S. A quick look on their site and they are selling the Jets now instead of this brand.

[Dave Lehnert]

I don't think the look like the stanley's I picked up at big lots- but my impressions are different then yours. I reach for my stanleys over my bessey's every time. but it doesn't matter, I can't find any of those clamps listed on the web page.

Bob


I with you Bob. I got to use my Stanley's a few weeks ago and I like them better than the Bessey's. I think they clamp things square the first time better.