Do Parallel Clamps ever go on sale?

[Peter Koutsovitis]

This is my first post on SawmillCreek.org, and I hope a get some good responses!

I'm just starting-out with my new woodworking hobby, and although I have acquired tools including a table saw, drill press, bench top mortiser, jointer, planer and vertical sander, and a number of various clamps, I'm still pretty short on parallel clamps.

I live in Chicago, and Menard's had a sale on 48" Jorgensen Cabinet Master parallel bar clamps this past December for $29.99. They've been out of stock since then, and I have a rain check that expires soon, but before I "pull the trigger" on four of these, I'd like to know if I should hold-off.

Based on what I've read, Jet Parallel clamps are considered to be excellent, but the price tag seems a little crazy to me. Do these things ever go on sale, and if so, what should I expect to pay for a the 50" version? Should I go ahead and buy the Jorgensens for 30 bucks, or do the Jet 50" clamps go on sale periodically for around $30-$35?

R/
Peter

[Dan Forman]

It seems the Jets go on sale very rarely, and if so they are usually the sets of 24 and 48 , two of each.

Dan

[Frank Drew]

Peter,

Welcome to the board!

Bessey's K-body clamps, which I like a lot, went on sale about a year ago when they were bringing out a new version; those are long gone by now, but keep your eyes open and you'll probably see a sale on somebody else's clamps every now and then; consider looking on one of the online auction sites, too.

Enough clamps to properly stock a shop can cost as much as a piece of machinery, but it's absolutely worth buying good ones and if you use them carefully they'll last practically forever.

[Stan Mitchell]

Rockler had Jets on sale for several months last fall - so it can happen.

[Ben Martin]

I live in Chicago, and Menard's had a sale on 48" Jorgensen Cabinet Master parallel bar clamps this past December for $29.99. They've been out of stock since then, and I have a rain check that expires soon, but before I "pull the trigger" on four of these, I'd like to know if I should hold-off.

Welcome to the board!

I got lucky and took the Menard's ad to Home Depot for a price match on those, they still had them for full price of $39.99, ended up getting the clamps for around $17-18 a piece (this was the 24"ers).

Buying the Jets on eBay in the door frame set is a deal too, you get 2X 48" and 2X 24"

[Jason White]

They're all pretty good, regardless of brand.

The Bessey K-bodies go on-sale at Woodcraft once in a blue moon.

You might try scouring Craigslist for some used ones.

Jason



This is my first post on SawmillCreek.org, and I hope a get some good responses!

I'm just starting-out with my new woodworking hobby, and although I have acquired tools including a table saw, drill press, bench top mortiser, jointer, planer and vertical sander, and a number of various clamps, I'm still pretty short on parallel clamps.

I live in Chicago, and Menard's had a sale on 48" Jorgensen Cabinet Master parallel bar clamps this past December for $29.99. They've been out of stock since then, and I have a rain check that expires soon, but before I "pull the trigger" on four of these, I'd like to know if I should hold-off.

Based on what I've read, Jet Parallel clamps are considered to be excellent, but the price tag seems a little crazy to me. Do these things ever go on sale, and if so, what should I expect to pay for a the 50" version? Should I go ahead and buy the Jorgensens for 30 bucks, or do the Jet 50" clamps go on sale periodically for around $30-$35?

R/
Peter

[bruce buren]

woodcraft has had the woodriver brand( looks like bessey k body) on sale for 25% off. They are actually made by bessey. I have some of each the bessey and woodriver and seem to be about the same performance. I also have the jorgies cabinetmaster and like those as well just a bit heavier then the besseys.

[glenn bradley]

I have never bought parallel clamps that were not on sale. The prices are painful but, I have spent a lot on a bunch of f-style clamps that almost never get used anymore so, there you have it. I did eventually educate myself as to what I was after and what would and would not work for me. Some old saying about good luck favors the prepared or some such. At any rate, I have missed many deals in other areas because I was not sure what I was looking at.

In the area of parallel clamps, I was prepared and took advantage of many Bessey sales fed off the announcement of their new version. Also online sales announcements like you get when you sign up at Peachtree and such (don't bother with the Peachtree knock-offs however; not worth it). So, the sales do happen, you just have to put yourself in the info flow or locations where they occur.

Jets do seem to go on sale off and on but they always seemed heavy and awkward to me. This is not a fact, it is an opinion. The Jets are great clamps and many folks really love them. I just wouldn't pass up a deal on a pair of Jorgie Cabinet Masters because they were orange is all I am saying. I do have some Stanley's from back when Big Lot's got a load of them from somewhere. They too are clunky but, at $6 a clamp I can live with it. YMMV.

[Jim O'Dell]

Yeah, the sales on parallel clamps are hit or miss. I too got some when Woodcraft closed out the previous style Bessey clamps. The 40" were about 25.00 each, and the 24s were about 20.00 each. I've chased a few sales, including the Big Lots Stanley clamps without any success. Since I've been in a position to gather in some clamps, I haven't seen the big sales that the "old timers" :D talk about so affectionately. ie the Jorgy orgy, Bessey blowout, etc. Like Glenn said, get on the notification lists for several of the online merchants and be ready to pounce when a good one comes along.
If you are happy with the cabinet masters and Menards still hasn't gotten any in to fulfill your rain check, I'd go in and ask for the rain check to be extended.
Oh, and glad you found us and joined on in!! Jim.

[Matt Winterowd]

Jets have been on sale at the local Woodcraft for a couple of months. Individual clamps, all sizes. I personally like the Jets much more than the Bessey's.

[Terry Welty]

My local Lowe's had all of their Bessey's on sale... this last month, I picked up several... someone posted that they are a "different" Bessey... I seemed to remember that they said Made in the US on the tag... I'd have to look to verify

[trevor adair]

My local Lowes had the 40" Bessey K body Revo for 34.95 and the 30" for 29.95 last Sunday when I was there, not an exceptional deal but good enough that I would have picked some up if I needed some.

[Gary Herrmann]

HD closed out Besseys in the past (4-5 yrs ago?). Very good sales. The 125th anniversary sale also prompted very good deals on Besseys. 98" clamps for $21 with free shipping stands out in my memory.

That's probably not much help tho.

Maybe someone has a big backlog of pre-revo besseys they'll put on sale one day.

[Lance Norris]

Keep your eye on Amazon for the Jet parallels. I bought all of mine there. I have 40 now, and they have been on sale several times in the last couple years

[Dave Clermont]

I got a pretty decent deal on Ebay from Tool King for a set of 4 clamps I think normally they are 190.00 and I got them for like 120 + Bing Cash back of 10%

[Van Huskey]

I am one who will only buy Jet parallels. The best price I have seen on idividual ones makes the 50" ones just under $40. The sells do happen you just have to watch for them.

For a beginner buy the clamps you need at the best price you can find when you need them as long as they are a solid clamp (the Jorggy parallels are second only to the Jets), then get what you really prefer when you get the best price. Probably the best way to buy the Jets is in the cabinet door sets which come with bench dogs and frame blocks.

[Fred Floyd]

I picked up most of my collection of Besseys on sale at Rockler -- 30% off. Parting with $$$$ was hard that day, but in the last 5 years, I have used them a lot.

Their performance has been all that I could expect. For gluing 1" or less stock, they are just fine -- for cabinet work unbeatable. However, I just finished a Maloof style rocker which was all 2" stock. For this, the real heavy duty bar clamps would be better as I feel you need more clamping pressure.

[Brian Penning]

Noticed these at Woodcraft...

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2000315/29373/Bessey-K-Body-Clamping-System-Set.aspx

[Jeff Sudmeier]

This is my first post on SawmillCreek.org, and I hope a get some good responses!

I'm just starting-out with my new woodworking hobby, and although I have acquired tools including a table saw, drill press, bench top mortiser, jointer, planer and vertical sander, and a number of various clamps, I'm still pretty short on parallel clamps.

I live in Chicago, and Menard's had a sale on 48" Jorgensen Cabinet Master parallel bar clamps this past December for $29.99. They've been out of stock since then, and I have a rain check that expires soon, but before I "pull the trigger" on four of these, I'd like to know if I should hold-off.

Based on what I've read, Jet Parallel clamps are considered to be excellent, but the price tag seems a little crazy to me. Do these things ever go on sale, and if so, what should I expect to pay for a the 50" version? Should I go ahead and buy the Jorgensens for 30 bucks, or do the Jet 50" clamps go on sale periodically for around $30-$35?

R/
Peter

Talk to the store manager and get your rain check renewed. Menards has done that for me in the past where they didn't get the item back in stock on time.

[Tom Godley]

I have bought the Jet "kit" -- 2 of each size plus the square lock and pin. I bought them online for between 90 -100 bucks. They pop up -- you just have to be looking. Over the past few years I have picked up 4 sets.

[Tom Hildebrand]

I read somewhere either here or on another forum that HD had the Jets on clearance this week. 50" for 16.00. I went to my HD and they only had Jorgensons and many others said the same. So I guess it depends on your local market....

[Peter Koutsovitis]

I thank everyone IMMENSELY for your replies, and feel much more comfortable in making a decision now...

A couple of days prior to my rain check expiration date, I visited my local Menard's and asked to be issued a new one, as they were still out of stock for the 48". I now have 90 more days to wait for the Jet or Bessey clamps to go one sale, as I'm not working on any projects that would require parallel clamps.

I'll snap-up some Jet or Bessey clamps if I see a good deal out there - I'll keep my eyes open.

THANKS AGAIN, EVERYONE!!!!

[Cory Hoehn]

I just got an email this morning that Woodpecker's eClub is having a sale on Bessey clamps. All of their clamps were in there, including the K-body revo's. You'll save about $4 or $5 per clamp.

[Jack Lemley]

http://www.woodpeck.com/besseykbody.html I've purchased all my parallel clamps on sale at one time or another.

Jack