Clamp choice?

[Peter Pedisich]

Hi,

I have some Bessey K-body clamps that I really like but sometimes they are too heavy for some projects. I would like to hear your opinions on the Bessey Uniklamps.
Lee Valley and others will have a sale on the K-Body in about a week and then they may be close in price to the lighter Uniklamps which makes me feel like I'm getting less for my money by getting the Uni's.
But if I hear good things I'm just gonna get some Uni's, probably (4) 18" ones.

Thanks!

Pete

[John Keane]

I have four of them. They do come in handy, and are particularly useful when you really don't want to use something heavy like the Bessey's. Big Red Bessey is still number one.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Peter, I bought some uniklamps because I was making small boxes out of 1/4 and 3/8 stock and the Kbodies were overkill. They have the same advantages and disadvantages as the kbodies although I think they are more finickey to move the head because they are so light.

[Jim Becker]

I also have some of the Uniklamps and like them as light-duty "put-er-togethers" within the size range they have. And on sale they were the same as or less costly than the Tradesman F-clamps that I also really like. One thing...the Uniklamps are not "true parallel jaw" clamps like the K-bodies and similar from other manufacturers. They are good, but not as good as the more expensive (and heavier) units. I will be adding more of them to my clamp wall as time passes...very handy...and they are less likely to mark the wood noticiably than F-clamps.

[Tony Falotico]

One thing...the Uniklamps are not "true parallel jaw" clamps like the K-bodies and similar from other manufacturers. They are good, but not as good as the more expensive (and heavier) units.

Not to knock the K bodies, but I have found that on the longer bessey K's (the 55"s) when you crank down hard the bar will deflect slightly (bow in) giving non parallel pressure on the joint. Had this happen just the other night. Anybody else noticed this or is it just a local issue ?? :D

Also, not to hijack the thread, I like the K bodies, but I also have a few Jorgy Cabinet masters. The bar on the Jorgy's seems a little heavier and the handle is a little beefier, making it easier (for me) to crank down hard on it. I do not have any long Jorgy's so I really don't know if the deflection problem is in them also.

BTW: I collect both K'bodies and Jorgy cabinet masters every time I find them on sale. They are both super excellent clamps IMHO. I have seen the smaller Bessy's and have been tempted to pick up a few for lighter duty work.

[Hank Knight]

Peter, I bought a couple of the Uniklamps a year or so ago just to give them a try. I now have a bunch of them hanging over my bench. I use them all the time for light clamping and I prefer them to the standard "F" body bar clamps. They are lighter, I like the larger clamping area, and , while they may not be true parallel jaw clamps, they are way better than standard bar clamps at holding work in position. Dennis mentioned that they are a little finiky and I find that to be true, but it's not a real bother. I've recently found that I can remove the lower jaw, slip the bar through the dog hole in my bench, put the lower jaw back on and clamp work solidly to my bench top. The big red Bessys are too big for that. Big Reds are still tops for heavy clamping.

[Peter Pedisich]

Thanks all!

I may buy 2 to try them out!

Pete

[Mike Vermeil]

Not to knock the K bodies, but I have found that on the longer bessey K's (the 55"s) when you crank down hard the bar will deflect slightly (bow in) giving non parallel pressure on the joint. Had this happen just the other night. Anybody else noticed this or is it just a local issue ?? :D

Also, not to hijack the thread, I like the K bodies, but I also have a few Jorgy Cabinet masters. The bar on the Jorgy's seems a little heavier and the handle is a little beefier, making it easier (for me) to crank down hard on it. I do not have any long Jorgy's so I really don't know if the deflection problem is in them also.

I have Bessey K-bodies and Jorgy Cabinet Masters, both in long, medium and short forms. I've found that although the Jorgy bar seems beefier, the Bessey bar actually deflects less than the Jorgy. I'm not sure why, but that's been my experience. I do like the bigger handle on the Jorgy though. And since this discussion started with concerns about weight, the K-body clamps are lighter than the Cabinet Masters, inch for inch.

[Gary Herrmann]

As far as the handles are concerned, try wrapping some grip tape around them or routing shallow grooves in the handles. That will help you grip them better. Fwiw, I haven't found the weight of the Ks to be an issue for me...

[Larry Norton]

I have 16 of the Uni's (10 18's and 6 12's) Like everyone else, I use them for smaller glue ups. One thing that causes a minor problems is the head on the opposite end of the tightening end sometimes slips up causing that end to be a little higher than the other end. When you're glueing up panels, it could cause a problem. A good wack on the top of the head will cure that.

[Dan Forman]

A good wack on the top of the head will cure that.

Which head? :D

Dan

[Alan Turner]

Not to knock the K bodies, but I have found that on the longer bessey K's (the 55"s) when you crank down hard the bar will deflect slightly (bow in) giving non parallel pressure on the joint. Had this happen just the other night. Anybody else noticed this or is it just a local issue ?? :D


A suggestion: When I glue up a flat panel, I have several dead straight mahogany boards, probably 1.5" thick, and 2.25" or so high. I cover one edge of each with cellophane packing tape so that glue will not stick. Put your stock on top of the two boards (perpendicular, of course) and then slide the K-Bodies under them. They need to be tall enough so that the bar of the Bessey is below the stock by about 1/4" or so. Then do your glue up. If there is some deflection of the bar, as there is under heavy pressure, it will be in the air, and will not push up the center of the stock.

[Steve Clardy]

No K-bodies here. I have all Cabinet Masters