Adjustable Clamp/Jorgensen Made in USA or China?

[Andrew Joiner]

Just a warning to look closely at the clamps. Handscrews and some other clamps are now made in China.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?191915-No-Jorgensen-Clamps-or-Vises-in-the-new-Lee-Valley-Catalog

We could use this thread to document actual clamp changes. Adjustable Clamp/Jorgensen is kinda vague on what is switching.

[John Fabre]

It was going to happen sooner than later.

[Larry Edgerton]

Another product I will not be buying any more of.........

Larry

[Andrew Joiner]

Today I went to a new expanded Ace hardware nearby. They had a new stock of Jorgensen clamps. Only the Pony spring clamps are made in USA. The small orange C- clamps are made in china. The large C- clamps, bar clamps and Pony pipe clamps have no country of origin marked on them or the packaging.

[Myk Rian]

Home Depot switched from a USA Jorgensen, to a Chinese Irwin.
I wrote corporate an e-mail complaining about it. It was answered, but saying it might only be one or 2 stores. I wrote back saying that was BS.
Every HD I've been in has switched.

[John Schweikert]

Home Depots in Nashville, TN have completely moved to Irwin clamps. Not overly thrilled.

[glenn bradley]

Home Depots in Nashville, TN have completely moved to Irwin clamps. Not overly thrilled.

Some out here on the left coast as well. I can't see indicating that those rattly-headed Irwins should be a cost equivalent replacement to Jorgie Cabinet Masters(???) Parallel clamps aren't much good if the jaws don't line up.

[Rick Potter]

I have one of those outlet stores that sell a lot of cheap junk nearby. I stop in occassionaly because they seem to get leftover tools from out of business stores or NOS from a warehouse somewhere.

Anyway, from time to time, I have found a few tools in older packaging that are made in the USA. Picked up some large Jorgy spring clamps just the other day. They also had Jorgy 3-way cabinet clamps and C clamps, all made in the USA, at pretty good prices. Also picked up all they had of pads for the Jorgy bar clamps, still need 5 sets.

I also picked up a dozen paint brushes, mostly made in USA at about 1/3 the normal price. They still have some of those.
I also got the only four HD casters they had. You just have to watch for the gems amongst the dross.

I stop in every couple months, sometimes I score, usually not, but you never know what you will find. I bought half a dozen various metal car signs for Christmas, and they had over a hundred various ones.

Maybe you have a place like this nearby.

Rick Potter

[Maurice Arney]

There are some stores still selling Jorgensen clamps. Don't know if they are made in China or not though... I just ordered a bunch of these 6 inch HD clamps. This is a decent price with free shipping. Maybe the "PK" suffix on the part number stands for "Peking?" Oh no... That's Beijing now.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Adjustable-Clamp-6-in-Heavy-Duty-Bar-Clamp-3706HD-4PK/203598174?N=c266#.UVAbRxc3uSo

[Andrew Joiner]

This is Jorgensen/Adjustables reply from this thread: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...Valley-Catalog (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?191915-No-Jorgensen-Clamps-or-Vises-in-the-new-Lee-Valley-Catalog)
------------------------------------------------------
Although many of our core products are still made in the U.S., our handscrew clamps are now imported.

The import line was added in order to stay competitive in today’s market. They are made to our specifications and are carefully inspected for quality and performance. We wish to assure you that we would not allow an inferior product to be sold under the JORGENSEN, PONY or ADJUSTABLE brand name. Our domestic and import products carry the same warranty and we stand behind all our products 100%. If you should have any problems, please do not hesitate to contact us.

[Andrew Joiner]

I think that most if not all new Jorgensen/Adjustable brand is not USA made. Most of the new stock I just saw had no country on it . If it was USA made it would be dumb not to say it. Lee Valley stopped selling the entire line because of the lack of USA origin worries.

The sad part is the Jorgensen/Adjustable response led us to think only a few things were being made in China.

[Jeff Duncan]

Not sure why people act surprised by this stuff.....if people don't buy your tools b/c they're more expensive than the other guys tools that are made in China.....then you have to make your tools cheaper by having them made in a country like China as well! If guys are OK filling their shops with Jet and Grizzly machines, why are Jorgensen clamps made in China different:confused:

I guess I just don't get it, if it's well made and does the job, where it's made is mostly irrelevant to me:)

JeffD

[Maurice Arney]

Not sure why people act surprised by this stuff.....if people don't buy your tools b/c they're more expensive than the other guys tools that are made in China.....then you have to make your tools cheaper by having them made in a country like China as well! If guys are OK filling their shops with Jet and Grizzly machines, why are Jorgensen clamps made in China different:confused:

I guess I just don't get it, if it's well made and does the job, where it's made is mostly irrelevant to me:)



JeffD

I don't think anyone is surprised, and I feel the same way about the tools. But I would much rather be putting my money into someone's salary in the U.S. than in China.

[Andrew Joiner]

I guess I just don't get it, if it's well made and does the job, where it's made is mostly irrelevant to me:)

JeffD

I agree. This thread was started for those who might think country of origin has something to do with quality. What if we test and compare the new Chinese clamps to the old USA clamps,and report it here. This thread might be valuable for that.
Interesting that the new made in China Jorgensen/Adjustable clamps are close to the same price as the old made in USA clamps.

[James Baker SD]

I agree. This thread was started for those who might think country of origin has something to do with quality. What if we test and compare the new Chinese clamps to the old USA clamps,and report it here. This thread might be valuable for that.
Interesting that the new made in China Jorgensen/Adjustable clamps are close to the same price as the old made in USA clamps.

I ordered several clamps from Lee Valley in different sizes when they were still carrying Jorgensen. The order arrived as a mix of US made and Chinese made clamps. The fit and finish and even the gripping power of the jaws (they slipped badly when not parallel) was night and day poorer on the Chinese clamps. I called Lee Valley CS and they were unaware of the change in manufacture. Checking stock, while I was on hold, they found they had a mix of US and Chinese clamps and had not been informed of the change by their supplier. They graciously offered to refund my money for all the clamps. I half took them up on their offer and returned all the Chinese clamps while keeping the US ones. I then bought the missing sizes at a local lumber yard that carried a different, but still quality made in US, brand.

Only 1 data point I know, but I felt there was a significant quality change for no reduction in price.

[Andrew Joiner]

I then bought the missing sizes at a local lumber yard that carried a different, but still quality made in US, brand.

Only 1 data point I know, but I felt there was a significant quality change for no reduction in price.

Thanks for the report James. What USA brand did the lumber yard carry?

[Peter Kuhlman]

I purchased my Jorgensen Cabinet Master clamps about 5 years ago. Have had way too many failures with them and quit purchasing them. Have had the metal inside just emit a loud cracking noise and the inside metal pieces fall out or shoot across the room. Terrible product. Using the Besseys mostly.

[Andrew Joiner]

I purchased my Jorgensen Cabinet Master clamps about 5 years ago. Have had way too many failures with them and quit purchasing them. Have had the metal inside just emit a loud cracking noise and the inside metal pieces fall out or shoot across the room. Terrible product. Using the Besseys mostly.

I assume the Jorgensen are stamped USA made?

[James Baker SD]

Thanks for the report James. What USA brand did the lumber yard carry?

Unfortunately they are buried out in my shop in the middle of a remodel. I am still too close to hernia surgery to have doctor permission to lift over 10 pounds so I cannot dig them out. Memory wanted to say Iowa clamp or something midwestern like that, but it doesn't feel right. Lee Valley now carries Dubuque clamps and I am 99% sure that is what they were, but only looking would get me to 100%. Frustrating to want to work in the shop to get new toys running, but doctor says wait till May. :-(

[Alan Bienlein]

I assume the Jorgensen are stamped USA made?

Yes the "F" style bar clamps are stamped on the bar "Made in the USA". I bought the last from the home depot by me and which I would have gotten more sooner.

The chinese irwins cost more than the Made in the USA jorgensen .

[Caleb James]

I have been a member of this forum for a short time compared to most but sometimes it can feel like a mob of grumps. There have been a few threads on the creek critiquing the manufacturing practices of the Adjustable Clamp Company. While some of their products have been outsourced to please some of their major distributors (HomeDepot, for better or worse), most of their other products are still produced entirely in the U.S. There was a recent thread on a competing forum discussing this very thing. HERE (http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=6193794&page=&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=all&vc=1). "Clampman" is a representative for the company and tries to explain (patiently, I might add) their current manufacturing model. With all that said, it may be a good idea to contact the company directly and get the story straight from them instead of perpetuating the half truths that can result from some of the fervent discussions had on this forum. It would be a shame if we pushed them entirely over to offshore manufacturing because we refused to buy any of their products now that they make a couple of their lesser products in China/Taiwan.

[Peter Quinn]

Well, I stopped buying jorgie pipe clamps some time ago because every body else seems to be doing it better. I love the rocker shure foot design, seems bessey has gotten in on the pipe clamp act too in a good way. But after trying every brand under the sun, I still like the jorgenson bar clamps the best in the medium duty category. THey are easy to place, the ratchet mechanism is flawless, good pressure for the size of clamp. I don't much care where they are made as long as the quality is decent. I figure if they are made here, they employ very many machines and very few people. High tech manufacturing. But the QA is likely better unless they do it on this side. I've never liked their cabinet clamps, I prefer bessey's and put my money there. For heavy duty F clamps I use bessey's too, man do they squeeze. Are those still made in Germany? Given a choice between employing Germans or Chinese, I don't much care, as the end user its a quality issue for me. I do like the jorgenson wooden screw clamps too, the best I've tried. I have a few very old and large ones from a flea market that still work as well as my new ones, very solid product which are still quite useful and often over looked by wood workers these days.

[JayStPeter]

I purchased my Jorgensen Cabinet Master clamps about 5 years ago. Have had way too many failures with them and quit purchasing them. Have had the metal inside just emit a loud cracking noise and the inside metal pieces fall out or shoot across the room. Terrible product. Using the Besseys mostly.

I've had similar problems. Adjustable Clamp does stand behind them and has always sent me replacement parts for free. They told me they redesigned the part that always breaks a few years ago. It became black instead of silver. I haven't had a black one fail ... yet anyway.

[Andrew Joiner]

There was a recent thread on a competing forum discussing this very thing. HERE (http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=6193794&page=&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=all&vc=1). "Clampman" is a representative for the company and tries to explain (patiently, I might add) their current manufacturing model.
Thanks Caleb. The reason this thread was started was to track what clamps are still made in USA.
Interesting "Clampman" says:
----------------------
1. We still manufacture clamps here in the U.S.A. right here in Chicago, IL
2. The reasons stated here for Lee Valley Tool and some of the Home Depot stores not selling our products anymore is NOT accurate.
3. Do we import SOME product? Yes, we have to, to be able to survive in todays competitive market. Some buyers especially in "big box" stores could care less about made in U.S.A.
4. We still build Jorgensen Bar Clamps, Pony Spring Clamps, Jorgensen Handscrews right here in the U.S.A.
5. We do import a handscrew clamp for Home Depot, at Home Depot's request.
-------------------
I wonder why the large C- clamps, bar clamps and Pony pipe clamps I saw at Ace hardware have no country of origin marked on them or the packaging? I couldn't see the back side of the pipe clamps with out opening the packages so they may be stamped USA on the back side.
The Grizzly catalog last year had made in USA labels next to all the classic Jorgensen/adjustable clamps. The current catalog still has the clamps but no made in USA labels.

[Marcus Isaacson]

I recently purchased a couple of Jorgensen parallel clamps at Menards and they were USA branded. I guess I will have to check again and see next time I go there.

[Charlie Jones]

I just bought some Cabinet Masters at Amazon. They are stamped "Made in USA". The quality seems very good.

[Jeff Duncan]

I have pretty much the same experience as Peter....I never liked the Jorgy parallel clamps as the plastic broke within days of getting them, so I stick with Besseys. The Jorgy I-beam clamps are great and my go to clamp for large tops, interior doors, and any place I need a little more oomph from the clamp. I have some of the Jorgy style pipe clamps, but the Rockler ones are an improved design and a better way to go IMHO.

JeffD

[Andrew Joiner]

s. The Jorgy I-beam clamps are great and my go to clamp for large tops, interior doors, and any place I need a little more oomph from the clamp.
JeffD
I love the Jorgy I-beam clamps.

[David Winer]

I bought six of these Jorgensen clamps at Home Depot a couple of days ago. Definitely stamped made in USA. Of course they could be old stock.

[Maurice Arney]

I just bought 10 of these from Home Depot (Good price with free shipping) http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/203598174?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=3706-HD&storeId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=203598174 All stamped "Made in U.S.A."

[Andrew Joiner]

I wonder why the large C- clamps, bar clamps and Pony pipe clamps I saw at Ace hardware have no country of origin marked on them or the packaging? I couldn't see the back side of the pipe clamps with out opening the packages so they may be stamped USA on the back side.
The Grizzly catalog last year had made in USA labels next to all the classic Jorgensen/adjustable clamps. The current catalog still has the clamps but no made in USA labels.


I went back to double check Ace stock. I was wrong before the#3700 light duty bar clamps ARE stamped USA.
The #2600 light C- clamps have China on the package. The #1400 heavy C- clamps have no country of origin marks. The new #50 pipe clamp has no country of origin marks and no USA cast in like my old#50 clamps have.

[Mike Heidrick]

At Menards all the F's and parallels and the Cabinet Claw said made in the USA. Nothing written on the pipe clamp heads.

[Maurice Arney]

I went back to double check Ace stock. I was wrong before the#3700 light duty bar clamps ARE stamped USA.
The #2600 light C- clamps have China on the package. The #1400 heavy C- clamps have no country of origin marks. The new #50 pipe clamp has no country of origin marks and no USA cast in like my old#50 clamps have.

I could be mistaken but I thought the "country of origin" was only required if not made in the U.S.