Parallel Clamps worth it over Pipe Clamps? Jorgensen

[Patrick Irish]

I'm doing a few cutting boards a month and everytime I change up my glue up process. I saw some youtubes of guys using PVC pipe as a base and then clamp across. Tried that and worked alright. Some cranking levers got in the way.

I've also used some aluminum blue clamps from Rockler and laid the board pieces on that. Worked out alright. Neither way have I gotten one board totally flat, all have needed belt sanding or trip to a local shops wide belt sander.

Enter, parallel clamps. Are these worth it if I'm mainly doing cutting boards? I'm mid 30s and woodworking is only a hobby.

I was going to offer $150 for 5 jorgensen cabinetmaster clamps, being sold locally. some 48", 31" and 24" lengths. Will these improve my glue up process that much?

I've bought these a while back but haven't milled the wood to make them yet.

https://woodcraft-production-weblinc.netdna-ssl.com/product_images/woodriver-clamping-system/5843c0e769702d0253000368/zoom.jpg?c=1480835303

[Mike Ontko]

Those parallel clamps look like they'd do the trick but they seem overly complicated -- a Rube Goldberg kind of contraption. Why not simply use cauls made of maple or another suitable hardwood?

[Doug Garson]

I agree with the first part of Mike's comment but not the last. I don't have those clamps but I think they would be simpler to use than clamps and cauls. With clamps and cauls at each location you need to juggle two cauls plus two clamps (above and below the cauls) plus a third clamp to pull the boards together. If you tighten the cauls too tightly before you tighten the third clamps then you can't apply adequate pressure to pull the boards tight, if you tighten the third clamp too tightly first then it's difficult to flatten the boards with the cauls. I suggest you mill up the wood and try the parallel clamps. I'd love to hear back whether my analysis of how they are supposed to work is correct. Doesn't look like that would be any more effort than making up a set of cauls.

[Jim Dwight]

I don't think there are shortcuts to flat glue-ups. I am normally dealing with wood that isn't straight and flat and hoping the glueup helps. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. Next I hope when it is incorporated into the piece I am making that it flattens out. Always gets better, almost always good enough. What clamps I use makes very little difference. I do not own parallel clamps but cauls make little difference.
If you want flat glueups you need to start with straight and flat boards. If you have those, then glueing up on a flat surface and clamping down to that flat surface is rumored to help. There is a nice piece about "getting the most out of your mft" that is work reviewing. The author makes custom furniture and claims to get consistently flat pieces by clamping up with the clamps on top and some short clamps pulling the glueup to the MFT style workbench. He uses butcher paper under the glueup. I plan to try that sometime - when I get lumber flat enough to support that process. The author uses parallel clamps but doesn't claim, to my memory, that they are important to the result. My opinion is that properly prepared wood does not need a lot of pressure to pull it together during glueup and how you apply that pressure is not terribly important - so I will probably never own parallel clamps. I think the main advantage is that it is just nicer to work with nicer tools.

[David Kumm]

i have a bunch of those and the concept is better than the execution. I used mine for heavier entry door glue ups but the plastic caps are easy to break and the steel clamps are cheap and poorly made. They do work and may be great for your purpose but something similar but made better would be preferable. Dave

[John TenEyck]

Straight, flat stock with squarely jointed edges are the key to flat glue ups. The type of clamp you use is a distant second. I have parallel jaw clamps and pipe clamps and don't see one being better than the other type for panel glue ups.

Next time you want to glue up a panel take your boards after jointing and stand them up on edge in the orientation they will be in the panel glue up. They should stack up at a right angle to your bench with no lean. Anything other than 90° to the bench means they aren't edge jointed properly.

John

[Frederick Skelly]

Hi Patrick,
I did some posts on this topic that garnered a lot of folks experiences and inputs. Here are 2 threads that might give you insights.
First one (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?249948-OMG-!!!!!-I-just-discovered-Parallel-Clamps&highlight=Parallel+clamps) , Second one (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?252370-Thoughts-about-glue-ups-and-clamps&highlight=Parallel+clamps)

An alternative is the dubuques, and they are discussed here:
third thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?252515-First-impressions-Dubuque-bar-clamps&highlight=Parallel+clamps):

Good luck,
Fred

[I don't mean to blow my own horn or anything by flagging these. Just trying to pass on what Iearned.]

[Mark Bolton]

I will toss in my normal comment... Parallel clamps have no where near enough clamping pressure to clamp any form or production or multiple part glue up. They are fine for a single cabinet door or some glide-fit, precision figured joint. If you are trying to draw together a large interior door, or a BATCH of cutting boards (when we make cutting boards we are gluing up 8-10 boards in a single clamp up). Pipe clamps, or better yet Ibar clamps, are your best solution. There is not a parallel clamp on the market that can exert enough pressure for a multiple panel glue up.

All of that said, unless your buying used, your options for Jorgensen are zero as they are poof. You can buy the Bessey pipe clamps, which I have not tried and hope I wont have to as we have well over 60 jorgensen 3/4" pipe clamps and several Ibars.. When Jorgensen/Pony folded we bought every 3/4" pipe clamp we could find locally or online and still have several new in the packackage waiting for pipes.

If your moving any kind of quantity, dont waste your money on parallels.

[Greg Parrish]

I use the Dubuque clamps on mine with a couple above and below the glue up. Seems to work great for my use.

http://txbonds.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-2/p2573382385-4.jpg

Couldn't find a pic of the cutting board clamp up, but here is same concept making a turning blank from some bandsaw milled maple
http://txbonds.zenfolio.com/img/s10/v98/p2199863043-3.jpg




An alternative is the dubuques, and they are discussed here:
third thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?252515-First-impressions-Dubuque-bar-clamps&highlight=Parallel+clamps):

[Bill Graham]

I'm going to stay out of the pipe vs parallel debate except to say that my Jorgy and Bessey parallel clamps work great and I don't really have a preference for which I grab.

[Bruce Wrenn]

One of the secretes to using pipe clamps is to use a piece of dowel between clamp pad and wood being clamped. This allows pressure to be applied straight into wood. Also alternate clamps between top and bottom.

[Dave Lehnert]

I own Parallel clamps and Pipe Clamps.
I use parallel clamps the most because I have them. But have no problem using pipe clamps if needed.
I got most of my clamps on sale or closeout prices. The yellow clamps in the photo were Stanly brand clamps closed out buy at Big Lots some time ago.

I think all of us at one time used clamps to force a poor fitting joint together. But your joints should be milled correct so the clamps are only holding the work together.

371567

PS- If I remember correct Jorgenson, the first batch of clamps, had a problem with cracking metal near the handle. You could tell the difference between the old and better newer clamps by the color of the metal near the handle. Silver was older, Black was the newer ones. Maybe someone could chime in and confirm this.
I dont own any Jorgenson Parallel clamps so I have no first hand experience with them. Have heard they were very good clamps.

[Joe Bradshaw]

Patrick, I am struggling with the same problem. I make a lot of end grain cutting boards. I mill my boards slightly thicker than needed. I saw them in strips. I run all the strips on edge through my planer twice, rotating them for the second pass. I have used Besseys and Jorgensons, pipe clamps and gasp, ones from HF. The paraell clamps work, but, it's a struggle for me. I will keep trying and if I find a fool-proof method(me), I will post.
Joe

[Curt Harms]

They're hanging on the wall, haven't been used in a long time. They do work but I'm at least one hand short :). The type I have require the jaws to be held into the metal brackets until tightened. Once tightened they stay in place and do what they're supposed to do but I find them difficult to set and clamp.

[Greg Parrish]

For me I like the Dubuque clamps and F clamps. Think mine are 2' and 4' and I have 8 of each size in the Dubuque clamps. I use a ton of the small spring clamps that are like big clothes pins too. The other clamps I use are the welding style clamps that Kreg makes. I've never tried parallel clamps or pipe clamps but do plan to eventually pick up some pipe clamps once my project sizes grow a little more. Like everyone, I need more clamps though. :)

[Prashun Patel]

I prefer pipe clamps for cutting boards. The only time I like parallel clamps is if I need the 3" depth. But for boards, pipe clamps:

engage easier,
are easier to tighten
are lighter
are cheaper

I use a mallet while not too tight to help with alignment.

The biggest ease in production for me came when I realized that edge-grain cutting boards perform about as well as end-grain, and are a whole lot easier to make, sand, and finish. They seem to be appreciated equally by my recipients as the end grain boards, and I've never had one warp.

[Robert Engel]

IMO parallel clamps are in investment only worthwhile for tricky glue ups like thin panels and cab doors. IF not applied just right you can have the same issues with bowing.

Pipe clamps work great you have to alternate them to cancel out non-parallel force directions (true with just about any clamp).

I've found it helps to make stand-offs so the panel doesn't lay directly on the bar/pipe. Simple 2x2's covered with packing tape (be sure there are dead flat).

Sometimes its not the clamps fault & cauls will not help if your edges aren't perfectly jointed. - make absolutely sure your glue edges are 90°.

Follow up on what Joe said, when jointing edges, alternate faces against the fence to cancel out any error off 90.

When clamping, don't over tighten and carefully check the surface for bowing. Adjust pressure on clamps as needed. If this doesn't work, your issue is probably a jointing error.