Clamp pricing

[Tim Allaire]

I have pipe clamps I have been using for many projects now and need to up grade to parallel. What sizes are most used and how much do people typically spend to outfit a small shop (mostly small projects-but looking to do a bed, table and smaller furniture)?

TIm

[Robert Reece]

FWW had parallel clamp review in current issue. Jet and Jorgenson are the winners. Jet's somewhat more expensive.
I just paid $150 for a Jet clamp kit. It has four clamps (2 @24, 2 @40) and some clamping blocks and such. I paid $30 more for the same kit a few months ago.
Somebody (rockler or something) had the clamps on sale, which you rarely see, but Amazon still had a better price on the kit.
As for size - the Jet clamps can be bolted together with an extender kit. So I wouldn't go much over 50 for any single clamp, maybe not even over 40".

[glenn bradley]

Tough question and there is no "right" answer. I build flatwork with a large project being a dresser and a small project being a fliptop decorative box type thing. Working within that scale I have parallel clamps that meet my needs (could use a couple more 12" UniKlamps but, I digress) as follows:

2 - 12"
6 - 18"
10 - 24"
4 - 31"
4 - 50-something"

Obviously I used the 24" more than anything and just kept picking them up on sale until I no longer found myself reaching for one more and not having it. Others will have different requirements as probably will you.

If you are looking to get a starter set, a couple 24" and a couple 31" will do most doors and give you a feel for what you may or may not want. I still find original K-body clamps on sale here and there. These are my favorite. The UniKlamps are great for smaller stuff that require parallel action but are over priced so watch for sales. My .02.

P.s. I have over a dozen pipe clamps that have hung in a rack behind a toolbox for a few years . . . just never use them anymore BUT, I know if I get rid of them, I'll need them the next day.

[Philip Rodriquez]

I'm with Glen. I find the 24" to be the most used clamp in the shop. I have 8 that are 50"+ and they very rarely see use.

Go with a mix of 12,24, and 30. Unless you make doll houses :D

[daniel lane]

In the deals and discounts forum, there's a link to a store selling 48" Jorgensen cabinet master parallel clamps for ~$20/ea. The 24" is something like $16. Shipping is high, but delivered price is still a deal. I am in a similar situation as you describe, so I took advantage of the opportunity to pick some up.


daniel

[Danny Hamsley]

I, too, am in the 24" camp. They are the go-to clamps for most of my glue-ups. It is aggravating to have to glue up a 16" panel using the 40" clamps, but I am no stranger to that!

[Paul Ryan]

I am in the same camp. I have mostly bessy clamps because my local lowes keept getting them in and putting them on clearance last year. So in the end I think I bought 24 bessy clamps. I picked up a set of the jorgy's recently, I have not used the jet's. I use mostly the 24" bessy's I have the most of those because that is what I reach for. They are nice because they are short and fairly light, really light compared to the 40 and 50" clamps. I have a whole slew of pipe clamps that I don't use anymore since I switched to the parallel design. I wish I would have just spent the money on the parallel right away. But in the end I bought the bessy's so cheap the cost of those plus the pipe clamps probably equal what I would have paid for bessy's are regular price. I also have some 48" aluminum bar clamps that I really like. I have 8 of those I bought off ebay they work really nice, aren't the stongest things but you really don't need a lot of force if you did your work properly. The nice thing about pipe clamps is you can make a 10' clamp pretty cheap if needed. I will always keep my pipe clamps for that reason.

[johnny means]

Murphy's Law states, "The clamps you need at any given moment will be the ones you failed to purchase. Further more, after purchasing any given size/type of clamp your next project will call for no less than four more of said size/type of clamp. This law is unbreakable and no amount of clamps will ever end the cycle of need more, buy, need more, buy..."

So buy whatever, you will never have what you need.:D

[Rick Fisher]

I have Bessey clamps.. Actually bought 3 more today.. its becoming a disease..

I have purchased .. 10? in the last month.. Maybe 11..

The new Revo clamp is fantastic.. I love it.. Cant be happier..

Biggest use is 24" .. Then 31" ... Then 40" ..

For smaller than 24", I use the Bessey Tradesman clamp.. The tradesman clamp is excellent.. Really high quality..