Pony Tools suspends operations

[Dave Lehnert]

This is kinda a surprise.
Pony Tools closed.

https://blog.lostartpress.com/2016/05/30/pony-tools-suspends-operations/

[Ray Newman]

Saw that a few minutes ago and made me think about all of the old time tool makers that we lost over the years.

[glenn bradley]

I've been watching for the enterprising outfit that will buy up all their stock and blow it out at reduced prices like the Gross Stabil stock several years back ;-)

[Joe Jensen]

The founders statement makes it sound like the brand will continue to be sold through their sales arm and manufacturing in Chicago will cease. Bet the are closing the US legal entity and opening a new one in Asia.

[Ben Rivel]

Wow, thats too bad. I bet the name will live on though and will now be made entirely in china.

[Martin Wasner]

Ugh. Time to clean out my wholesaler on pipe fixtures

[Rich Riddle]

"Issues unique to Chicago"..... Companies flock away from California and Illinois. Though they will likely land in Asia, it would be nice if they could find a friendlier host state in the USA.

[joe maday]

I had sent an email to PonyTools, inquiring about the "rumor"...... asking for more information/clarification, hoping to hear if they are just restructuring or moving to another state/country....anything/anywhere........The only response from A. Orme @ sales was "The company is permanently closed"

[Frank Drew]

"Issues unique to Chicago"..... Companies flock away from California and Illinois.

Whether or not the Chicago business environment played a part in the company's decision, what the owner of the company actually said was that the closing was due to "issues unique to the Chicago business [as distinct from the company's Easy Wood Tools division]", not issues unique to Chicago.

[Chris Fournier]

That is sad.

[Mike Henderson]

It's a shame to see a company go out of business. But Bessey makes good pipe clamps (http://www.amazon.com/Bessey-BPC-H34-4-Inch-Style-Clamp/dp/B0012YNJRO/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1464665717&sr=1-2&keywords=pipe+clamp) so you can still buy pipe clamps. I actually prefer the Bessey clamps because of the foot they have on the clamps. The clamps sit up and stay in position when you're doing a glue up.

I got rid of all my Pony clamps and converted them to Bessey just because of that.

Mike

[Rockler (http://www.rockler.com/sure-foot-plus-3-4-pipe-clamp?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=pla&utm_campaign=PL&sid=V9146&gclid=Cj0KEQjw7LS6BRDo2Iz23au25OQBEiQAQa6hwHzOABKk SKlOJ1BSeGfXejEy7ntoN2qgBfu5xTHre4gaAnoo8P8HAQ)als o makes pipe clamps with the foot. Never used them but they get good reviews.]

[Bruce Page]

It's a shame to see a company go out of business. But Bessey makes good pipe clamps (http://www.amazon.com/Bessey-BPC-H34-4-Inch-Style-Clamp/dp/B0012YNJRO/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1464665717&sr=1-2&keywords=pipe+clamp) so you can still buy pipe clamps. I actually prefer the Bessey clamps because of the foot they have on the clamps. The clamps sit up and stay in position when you're doing a glue up.

I got rid of all my Pony clamps and converted them to Bessey.

Mike

Irwin also makes them.

[Mike Heidrick]

Very sad. Those boys are top knotch.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Irwin also makes them.I wouldn't hit a dog in the.....
err...ahem...

I should say, I struggled through a whole kitchen build with a pair of Irwin pipe clamps - along with a few others also.
The Irwin's were sheer aggravation. Unless they were really babied, they would get all catty-whompass and skewed when cranking them closed.

The pair of Ponys I had worked flawlessly.

[Bruce Page]

I wouldn't hit a dog in the.....
err...ahem...

I should say, I struggled through a whole kitchen build with a pair of Irwin pipe clamps - along with a few others also.
The Irwin's were sheer aggravation. Unless they were really babied, they would get all catty-whompass and skewed when cranking them closed.

The pair of Ponys I had worked flawlessly.

LOL! I haven't use the Irwins, haven't used the Bessy's either. I do have a small barrel full of Pony's that haven't been used in years. I never cared much for pipe clamps.

[Glenn de Souza]

Is Pony and Jorgensen the same company?

[Keith Hankins]

shame, first clamps I ever bought was pony 3630's. I don't use those clamps much anymore but they are cool. Hate folks are losing their jobs.

[Michael Yadfar]

I don't see how they're out of business! I see Jorgenson clamps at almost every home goods store, and every wood worker I know uses them. Did minimum wage go up to $15/hr in Chicago or something? Dang, I really liked those clamps

[Jim Andrew]

Glad I bought so many clamps now. Sad thing is, the last cabinet masters were a big jump in quality over the usa built ones. The chrome is much thicker, and the new plastic handles grip easy, much better than the wood handles. Maybe there will be a big closeout sale now.

[Glenn de Souza]

Glad I bought so many clamps now. Sad thing is, the last cabinet masters were a big jump in quality over the usa built ones. The chrome is much thicker, and the new plastic handles grip easy, much better than the wood handles. Maybe there will be a big closeout sale now.

I totally agree with you about the improved quality, but with regard to the bar clamps (I don't have any cabinet masters). I have 30 year old Jorgensen bar clamps and 1 year old versions and I would take the new ones over the old any day. The handles are no comparison. The HD version of the 3700 bar clamp is incredibly powerful with an acme thread screw and super thick bar, not much more in price over the medium duty either.

I have found Home Depot's price on these clamps to be unbeatable. Also, a nice thing about the medium duty 3700 series is the small head which allows you to clamp dovetails and apply focused pressure on just the tail. If this company really is going away, it's a loss.

Although I'll say the good old orange pipe clamp fixtures that seem to have been their claim to fame have been improved by Bessey and Rockler both, with the foot re-design.

[Denny Rice]

Yes. Jorgensen clamps are made by Pony Tool ..

[Jason Lester]

I much prefer them over Bessey and Irwin. I've been buying a couple a month to fill in the sizes and quantities I was missing. When I saw this story last week, I decided to accelerate my purchases. I hit three Home Depot's today and bought out all the HD versions that I needed. I need one more 36 and a few more 48's, but I'm in pretty good shape now.

[Mike Henderson]

I totally agree with you about the improved quality, but with regard to the bar clamps (I don't have any cabinet masters). I have 30 year old Jorgensen bar clamps and 1 year old versions and I would take the new ones over the old any day. The handles are no comparison. The HD version of the 3700 bar clamp is incredibly powerful with an acme thread screw and super thick bar, not much more in price over the medium duty either.

I have found Home Depot's price on these clamps to be unbeatable. Also, a nice thing about the medium duty 3700 series is the small head which allows you to clamp dovetails and apply focused pressure on just the tail. If this company really is going away, it's a loss.

Although I'll say the good old orange pipe clamp fixtures that seem to have been their claim to fame have been improved by Bessey and Rockler both, with the foot re-design.
I assume you're talking about those clamps with the steel I beam. They're excellent clamps - and they allow you to put a lot of clamping pressure, so much so that you can deform the wood. The real problem, to me, is the weight. Once you have a decent number of those clamps on a panel, it's very hard to move - almost impossible to pick up by yourself.

That's probably the main reason I use the Bessey clamps with the aluminum bars - much lighter.

Mike

[pete hagan]

Looks like they are headed to the auction block on Aug 17th.
342105

[Adam Herman]

Maybe someone will pick it up and keep it going?? Its a heck of a brand to loose. infinity or woodpeckers? something along those lines.

[Martin Wasner]

The distributor I buy my hardware through ran out. I was going to order another 60 pipe clamp fixtures, but no dice.

You'd think a company that has been around that long would be pretty darn stable, but maybe they were just done too. Nobody wanted to take over, and the owner(s) was well past when he wanted to retire.

Who knows. It's a bummer though

[Gregory King]

Agree with Mike on the Bessey H clamps. You can sit them on the table top and adjust the screw without having to lift them up. Did use the pony type before I found these though.

[Rich Riddle]

Looks like the entire thing is on the block. If someone buys everything but doesn't want to stay in the business, there will be smaller auctions.

[Jon Endres]

Did not realize until I started digging that Jorgenson a/k/a Pony etc. is also Easy Wood Tools, which is (was?) one of the up-and-coming lines of woodturning tools and accessories on the market. I saw a lot of the Easy Wood stuff as a few local shows and really like what they have.

Apparently, if I am reading the auction notice correctly, there is already a cash bidder for the entirety of the company's assets, including accrued and unpaid vacation time, for $650,000. The purchase agreement is subject to the auction, however, so if nobody else comes up with at least $690,000 (the initial bid plus the minimum bid increment), it will be sold to the initial bidder. So in a couple of weeks there will definitely be a new owner, but no guarantee that the new owner is going to keep the various brands going. I'd be willing to bet that the new buyer will be another manufacturer, or even an individual, who wants to keep it alive. Maybe Rockler, or Grizzly, even?

[Mitchell Garnett]

Anybody know what happened at the auction? I haven't spent hours searching the Internet but a few minutes with Google didn't produce any news.

Mitchell Garnett

[Mark Bolton]

The auction went off back in October. The results of any liquidation are never published. It was not auctioned as a business but for the machinery/tooling/inventory. What happened is *poof* http://www.hyperams.com/ponytools

[jack duren]

I assume you're talking about those clamps with the steel I beam. They're excellent clamps - and they allow you to put a lot of clamping pressure, so much so that you can deform the wood. The real problem, to me, is the weight. Once you have a decent number of those clamps on a panel, it's very hard to move - almost impossible to pick up by yourself.

That's probably the main reason I use the Bessey clamps with the aluminum bars - much lighter.

Mike

How are they comparable?