Parallel clamp door set?

[david brum]

Anybody use one of these sets? I've always been curious about the purpose of the 2nd set of clamps, the ones which don't actually pull the rails and stiles together.

http://www.amazon.com/Jet-70411-Parallel-Clamp-Cabinet/dp/B000F79022/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1298181312&sr=1-1

[Neal Clayton]

looks like 4 small bessey clamps to me.

only thing is the besseys don't cost 200 bucks.

[Van Huskey]

Anybody use one of these sets? I've always been curious about the purpose of the 2nd set of clamps, the ones which don't actually pull the rails and stiles together.

http://www.amazon.com/Jet-70411-Parallel-Clamp-Cabinet/dp/B000F79022/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1298181312&sr=1-1

Use them, love them. Parallel clamps are very cool and not just for cabinet doors.

You use 2 in each direction they sit on the blocks which hold the clamps perpendicular during the process. A half dozen or so companies make them, Jet are my favs followed by Jorgensen then Bessey, but everyone has their pereferences. FWIW FWW did a test and liked the Jets and Jorgys the best as well.

[Van Huskey]

looks like 4 small bessey clamps to me.

only thing is the besseys don't cost 200 bucks.

If you call 40" and 24" small. I do have some 50 and 60 inchers but rarely use them. In fact the 40" versions are a little big for many cabinet doors, the work just more unwieldy if the door doesn't require the full length. The Jets and Bessey K bodies are pretty much the same price just depends on which one is on sale. I have never paid more than $130 shipped for the 24/40 cabinet sets of Jets but haven't seen a good price in the last 2-3 months. The Bessey 24/40 set is currently $150 on Amazon.

[Neal Clayton]

guess it's just the picture that makes them look small, i scrolled down and saw it was 2 40s and 2 24s.

i use the 40" besseys as well, but don't remember paying that much for them, seems like they're always on sale somewhere.

[Jamie Buxton]

You might want four clamps per door if you're making ones with mitered corners.

[Van Huskey]

i use the 40" besseys as well, but don't remember paying that much for them, seems like they're always on sale somewhere.

Parallel clamps are something you want to try never to buy on the spur of the moment as they go on and off sale regularly but particularly the Jets will swing from really good sale price back to the $190 price for the door set with blocks and stay there for months. I picked up a dozen 24" Jets last year off Amazon for $35 a pair (half price). The other good deal if you are are Menard's country (although I am not I travel there often) they have "Made in USA" sales once in a while and you can get the Jorgesens for half price. I picked up 4 36" and 4 48" last time for just a smidge over $200 with tax. The Bessey door set is the best priced at the moment at $150 from several etailers, the "regular" price is $180 about $10 cheaper than the Jets regular price.

[Peter Quinn]

I have the older besey k bodies in the door sets with the blocks. I bought the door sets because they were on sale cheap at the time. I have had only a few circumstances where I have actually used the blocks and both sets, and none of them have been door glue ups. I too am confused as to why they think you need clamps pulling in the other direction for doors. Mitered doors would make sense, and drawer boxes often needmclamps in both directions too, but not doors.

That said I really prefer parallel clamps for door and sash glue ups, though I just use a single set for each.

[david brum]

I too am confused as to why they think you need clamps pulling in the other direction for doors. Mitered doors would make sense, and drawer boxes often needmclamps in both directions too, but not doors.


Thanks Peter. I've seen these "door sets" from various manufacturers over the last couple of years. I thought it looked like a great idea until it occurred to me that clamping the tops of stiles probably wouldn't accomplish much. I'm glad that for this once I didn't miss the point.


Parallel clamps are something you want to try never to buy on the spur of the moment as they go on and off sale regularly but particularly the Jets will swing from really good sale price back to the $190 price for the door set with blocks and stay there for months. I picked up a dozen 24" Jets last year off Amazon for $35 a pair (half price). The other good deal if you are are Menard's country (although I am not I travel there often) they have "Made in USA" sales once in a while and you can get the Jorgesens for half price. I picked up 4 36" and 4 48" last time for just a smidge over $200 with tax. The Bessey door set is the best priced at the moment at $150 from several etailers, the "regular" price is $180 about $10 cheaper than the Jets regular price.

I agree, Van. I got some 48" and 60" Jet parallel clamps last year at HD. I was walking through the tool crib and saw them marked down to $18 each. I grabbed all 6 and the checker took another 20% off because one of the little red plastic stops was missing ( I didn't even ask). That was a good day. I like them just fine, although they add considerble weight to a glue up.

BTW, It looks like Rocker is running a pretty good sale on Irwin parallel clamps.
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18181

[hank dekeyser]

Absolutely LOVE my K-bodies ! As far as using this set as intended, I never have. Mainly I use them for gluing up panels. I normally pin all my R&S doors so I rarely use them for that. Like others have said- wait for a sale - Maynards is awesome when they have the Jorgs on sale ! BUt a few years back x-mas time Amazon had all the K-bodies at amazing prices so I bit the bullet and bought quite a few of them. (OK I bought alot of them - $1000 worth- ouch)

[Peter Quinn]

Thanks Peter. I've seen these "door sets" from various manufacturers over the last couple of years. I thought it looked like a great idea until it occurred to me that clamping the tops of stiles probably wouldn't accomplish much. I'm glad that for this once I didn't miss the point.

I suppose if used as intended or as directed the second set of clamps together with the blocks could help to force the door into square and possibly flush the rail and stile edges if using space balls, but I have never found this necessary if the parts are accurately milled and cut square to begin with. I have used the blocks for squaring drawers made with a drawer lock cutter, but I usually leave the second set on just long enough to get the thing together then pull them. Well now we know there are at least two of us who don't use the blocks much. :D

[Doug Colombo]

I have this Jet set of clamps and they are great ! I used them to build up four raised panel doors that they were a pleasure to use. Since I got the jet set I have added some additional 40" parallel clamps when they were on sale.

[Neal Clayton]

Thanks Peter. I've seen these "door sets" from various manufacturers over the last couple of years. I thought it looked like a great idea until it occurred to me that clamping the tops of stiles probably wouldn't accomplish much. I'm glad that for this once I didn't miss the point.



doesn't accomplish much unless you have no tenon. if you do have a tenon you'll be hard pressed to make clamping a door vertically accomplish anything ;).

[Rick Davidson]

Thanks Peter. I've seen these "door sets" from various manufacturers over the last couple of years. I thought it looked like a great idea until it occurred to me that clamping the tops of stiles probably wouldn't accomplish much. I'm glad that for this once I didn't miss the point.



I agree, Van. I got some 48" and 60" Jet parallel clamps last year at HD. I was walking through the tool crib and saw them marked down to $18 each. I grabbed all 6 and the checker took another 20% off because one of the little red plastic stops was missing ( I didn't even ask). That was a good day. I like them just fine, although they add considerble weight to a glue up.

BTW, It looks like Rocker is running a pretty good sale on Irwin parallel clamps.
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18181

I actually just ordered the Irwins from Rockler today. They have a free shipping promotion right now so it was 99 bucks out the door. It says there back ordered, but when I asked about it they said they had just come in and were in receiving and should ship the next day.

[david brum]

Cool. Please let us know what you think of the Irwins.

[Bill Edwards(2)]

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/th/content_26/Q4_2009/jet-B000F79022-1-sm.jpg