Clamps?

[Robert Delhommer Sr]

Thinking about getting some on handed operation clamps like these http://www.lowes.com/pd_516216-281-1922159_0__?productId=50277111&Ntt=clamps&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dclamps&facetInfo=
Are these the ones people brag about or is there a better brand? :)

[Marc Seguin]

The Irwin's are great for sure. That being said, just before Christmas I bought a bunch of 'tektons' off Amazon for less than half the price of Irwins and so far they've been just as good.

A lot of the time I'll use those kind of clamps to hold something in position while I'm holding it with the other hand. Then I'll put an F or C or bar clamp beside it for more secure holding or more clamping force and remove the quick clamp for the next awkward piece.

http://projects.mykos.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/inwhale-temp-clamp.png

Glue jobs like this make quick clamps invaluable.

[Brian Henderson]

I don't know that anyone brags about them but they certainly do the job. Heck, you can just go to Harbor Freight and get some for a couple of bucks and they work just as well.

[Judson Green]

I've some little quick clamps like those and they've more miles on em than there bigger brothers. Mine are 10+ years old from craftsman, but look very similar.

[Jon Nuckles]

I managed to break 2 of the 4 Irwins I had while doing a glue lamination, so I ordered a few more that Rockler had at half price. They seem a little more heavy duty than what I had and what Lowe's has pictured. They also have a head that swivels and they can be reversed to use as a spreader. An email from Rockler in the last day or two showed them still on sale with free shipping. I haven't used the new ones enough yet to opine on them.

[Robert Delhommer Sr]

I have one from HF and it is fair. Looking for a little better quality.

[Kent A Bathurst]

I have 8 - 10 of the Irwins. No problems. Use them all the time. They are not what I use for most glue-ups, though - limited grip. But - small parts glue-up, they are fine. Usually for holding parts in place for alignment, things like that.
They work great for what they are designed to do, and they have never failed me.

If you are looking for that style, you can't go wrong wt the Irwins I realize there are alternatives, at lower $$ - I have never tried those, so I can't comment either way.

[Brian Henderson]

I have one from HF and it is fair. Looking for a little better quality.

Just keep in mind that quick clamps are not intended to give the same kind of clamping pressure that bar clamps or pipe clamps are. They are for relatively light to medium duty easy clamping. Don't expect more from them than they are intended to do.

[Ray Newman]

I have been using that style clamps for a good 20 years or so. As Brian Henderson posted, they are for satisfactory relatively light to medium duty applications.

Found out it is not advisable to use them to hold anything that will be subject to vibration while clamped -- the clamp will loosen/slip a bit.

[Bill Ryall]

I've got a couple dozen each of those and their bigger brothers. Use them all the time. No issues as long as you don't expect them to have the same clamping power of C or F clamps.

[Bob Hoffmann]

I have 3 one handed clamps that I really like ... Bessy Duo-Clamps, Dewalt Extra Large trigger clamps, and Bessy quick clamps. The dewalts will go up to 600 # pressure (not verified, but they really have a strong clamping grip) ...

They seem very sturdy, and will go all the way up to 50" ... I have the 24" size, and they will be the ones that I will get as a add more clamps.

The Duo-clamps are the ones that I go for for most of my clamping needs ... they provide enough grip for anything that I am doing, they will grip with // pressure, and are really easy to manipulate ...

[Charles Li]

I actually think my HF clamps have more clamping power than the Irwin and will buy HF ones in the future. I have the Bessy Duo clamp as well and seem to give the strongest hold (and maybe slightly better build). Like people said though, this is limited pressure from any brand. The Irwin XP line of clamps are supposed to be much stronger if that's a requirement. I have no experience with them. All that said, I use the exact clamps you list in your link the most for the fact that I'm always needing quick light clamping. I just don't use them for glue ups if I can avoid it.

[Keith Hankins]

Those are good, I've had them since the days when whey were quickgrip. I've also got the chepo HF ones, the Irins are much better. Can never have enough clamps!

[Michael Peet]

I have a bunch of the Irwins. I use them frequently but I don't really like them. They tend to shift whatever it is you are clamping as you tighten them, and the pads leave some sort of oily mark on wood if you leave them on, say, overnight.

They are handy though.

Mike

[Shawn Pixley]

I have a pair of the 18" Irwins but an earlier version. Mine work well for quick clamping. The current version doesn't seem quite as substantial. 3 out of 4 of my clamps from Harbor Freight broke. Never again will I waste money. The Irwins are far more durable and very handy. Things can shift under these clamps if you are not fastidious in your alignment.

For clamping glue-ups, I am a believer in Bessey Parallel clamps and cauls.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Like the rest of the gang, those work fine. I like these Bessys a little better for most jobs though, the balance is better and they are cheaper.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41R5Tsx996L.jpg

[scott spencer]

I've got 4 of the Wolcraft quick clamps that have given me good service. The HF quick grip style clamps haven't fared well at all (black w/orange pads), though I like their Pittsburg F-style bar clamps quite a bit.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/718S5aihRQS._SX522_.jpg

[Robert Payne]

I've used those same Irwin clamps for several years and they are very reliable for light weight clamping -- at $5 each, you can't go wrong with their purchase. I probably have a dozen of that 6" size, plus some 12" ones. Very handy. But they won't replace my Bessey K-Body clamps for glue-ups.

[Larry Fox]

I have a bunch of the Irwins. I use them frequently but I don't really like them. They tend to shift whatever it is you are clamping as you tighten them, and the pads leave some sort of oily mark on wood if you leave them on, say, overnight.

They are handy though.

Mike

This about sums up my experience. They are also a bit fineky and seem to either open not enough or all the way when you tap the release lever and it always seems they "choose" the option which is exactly opposite of what you need them to do at the time. The experience of others is clearly different but I looked at the HF ones a while back when I needed some disposable ones and I didn't find them even worth investing in for one-time disposable use.

Also - buy extra pads as I always seem to be misplacing them.

[Robert Delhommer Sr]

I have about a dozen of the HF "F" clamps and like them, they serve my needs. I want the Quick Grip to hold something temporarily for alignment till I free up my hands and can put a better clamp on the project. I do have one HF Quick Grip but would not buy more, I got this one free is the only reason I have it. :)

[John Sanford]

I've got a whole herd of Quick Grips, enough that I'm not buying them whenever I get a hankerin' while they're on sale. Mostly Minis, with a few Micros and full size beasts thrown in. In the Micros and Minis, the Irwins cannot be beat. Well, they can, but since you can't get the American made ones (and their Craftsman clones) anymore, the ones the OP shows are quite adequate. In the full size, I prefer the Pony/Jorgensen ISD 3. The clamp as well, and are much, much friendlier to the hand. However, the quality control isn't quite as good.

Like any other clamps, they have situations where they absolutely shine, situations where they're "ok", and some situations where they are suboptimal. They ARE the most used clamps in my shop, yet most of their use is NOT for glueups.

[Mike Heidrick]

I have a couple hand squeeze quick grip bar clamps and a spreader version or two - Irwin and Craftsman copies of Irwin are the brands I have. I find I use the spreader the most as it is handy and already set up.

Mostly I grab a F clamp - Bessey tradesman - when I need a non parallel clamp lighter clamps - I just have them more accessible.

Most may know this but....You can make parallels spreaders as well by reversing the heads on many brands. Also another tip with parallels - with three, because of their larger head, you can make very very long clamps. One in the middle pulls the other two together.

[george newbury]

I don't know that anyone brags about them but they certainly do the job. Heck, you can just go to Harbor Freight and get some for a couple of bucks and they work just as well.


I have one from HF and it is fair. Looking for a little better quality.


I actually think my HF clamps have more clamping power than the Irwin and will buy HF ones in the future. I have the Bessy Duo clamp as well and seem to give the strongest hold (and maybe slightly better build). Like people said though, this is limited pressure from any brand. The Irwin XP line of clamps are supposed to be much stronger if that's a requirement. I have no experience with them. All that said, I use the exact clamps you list in your link the most for the fact that I'm always needing quick light clamping. I just don't use them for glue ups if I can avoid it.


Those are good, I've had them since the days when whey were quickgrip. I've also got the chepo HF ones, the Irins are much better. Can never have enough clamps!


I have a pair of the 18" Irwins but an earlier version. Mine work well for quick clamping. The current version doesn't seem quite as substantial. 3 out of 4 of my clamps from Harbor Freight broke. Never again will I waste money. The Irwins are far more durable and very handy. Things can shift under these clamps if you are not fastidious in your alignment.

For clamping glue-ups, I am a believer in Bessey Parallel clamps and cauls.

Like most of the above. I have broken about a dozen or so HF clamps, never one of the Irwins. I do lose the pads though.

[Brian Henderson]

Like most of the above. I have broken about a dozen or so HF clamps, never one of the Irwins. I do lose the pads though.

I've yet to break any clamps regardless of manufacturer, but I know what clamps are good for and don't push them beyond their design capacity. I suspect that people who break clamps are trying to use them for things for which they were never designed.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I have 40 or 50 of the 6" and 20 plus of the 12" here is where to get them cheap: http://www.cripedistributing.com/irwin-12-quick-grip-light-medium-duty-bar-clamp-4935497-2-clamps.html

I also have a ton of the micro clamps. I use them all in wood surfboard and kayak building along with umpteen other things.

[Robert Delhommer Sr]

Well today I bought a 4 pack of Irwin Quick Grip clamps (2* 6" and 2* 12") at Lowes using a gift card from our oldest son that he gave me for Christmas. Then I ordered 4 of the 6" heavier Irwin Quick Grip clamps from Rockler that were on sale and free shipping. That should hold me for a while. http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif

[Cary Falk]

I don't like the pads on the Irwins because the leave a grease like mark on the wood. I have some larger Irwins that have the hard plastic pads that I love on bigger things. My faborite are the Bessey DuoKlamps

[Shawn Pixley]

I've yet to break any clamps regardless of manufacturer, but I know what clamps are good for and don't push them beyond their design capacity. I suspect that people who break clamps are trying to use them for things for which they were never designed.

My HF clamps broke just clamping boards to the bench. The other clamps didn't break. No inappropriate strain here. No more HF clamps for me.

I did break my 24" bolt cutters though (non-HF). That was definately pushing the limits of the tool. It was exciting when the handle broke.