Aluminum bar clamp shootout..

[Rick Potter]

Couldn't resist. Sounds like a cover blurb from Motor Trend.

I needed a couple more 36" aluminum bar clamps for the collection, and bought two yesterday. My current collection of this type clamp is all Jorgenson's which I picked up for $5 each when the ShopSmith store closed a looong time ago.

While the Jorgies have served me well and will probably continue to do so for the duration, I always liked the looks of the Duluth, which are made in, well...Duluth.


The Duluth's have a slightly thicker wall thickness on the bar and are very stiff for this type clamp, maybe 1/64 difference, but it is there. Side note....Both are thicker than Rockler, forget the HF. Point Duluth.

The indents on the bar are closer together on the Duluth. For every 3 notches on the Jorgie, it's 4 on the Duluth. Point Duluth.

They both have Acme threads on the screws, but the Duluth are a finer thread. I would think you could tighten them a bit more, but wonder if that makes them a bit weaker? Same size screw. Draw.

The shoulder that the screw threads into wraps around the stationary bar on the Jorgie, not on the Duluth, but the threaded shoulder on the Duluth has 1 5/16 of threaded depth, while the Jorgie has 3/4" of threads. That loop on the Jorgie seems there mainly to allow a little foot to raise the bar above the table 1/4", while the Duluth has no feet. Draw?

The Jorgie has a sliding bar (like a vise) to tighten with, while the Duluth has a large cast in wing nut. The sliding bar is 3 5/16, and the wing nut is 3 1/2" with better purchase. Point Duluth.

The pads on the Jorgie are slightly taller and thicker, like 1/64" thicker. Point Jorgie.

This may vary for individual clamps, but the actual max opening on my Jorgie was 36 1/8", while the Duluth opening was 36 5/8". Point Duluth.


OK, on points the Duluth seems to be the winner, but we should take into account the fact that the Jorgie has been used for years with NO problems. The winning points were all fairly minor.

If I were in the market for new clamps I would go Duluth, and I will buy more as needed, but no way am I retiring the Jorgies for new ones. Mine are all older made in the USA models.


Footnote: I also have a dozen or so Rocklers, which were bought used. They are definitely in a less HD class, but there are also two things about them I really like. They have taller feet, and a nice crank shaped handle to tighten.

I also have a few 12"(?) HF models for small work, and that is all they are good for.


There you have it. I are now a revuer.

WAIT.........They are not Duluth clamps, they are Dubuque clamps. My bad. Another senior moment.

[Jim Andrew]

I don't have any aluminum bar clamps. Used to use several pipe clamps, and when I was younger and stronger, bent some of the pipes. So started buying I beam clamps. Those babies are stout.

[Matt Melville]

I think you mean Dubuque clamps which are made in Dubuque Iowa. I have several of the old Jorgensen bar clamps in all sizes up to 8’ but man do they get heavy. I find my self more and more grabbing my aluminum clamps from Dubuque for most of my glue ups. They also make some cool cam clamps that work great for smaller glue ups. The other thing I really like about the aluminum clamps is the glue doesn’t react with them and stain the wood with those annoying black marks like the steel ones do.

[Matt Day]

And I thought Duluth just made pants! ;-)

[Rick Potter]

Boy Matt (s), you really got me on this. Of course you are right. Funny thing is that I was writing the post I mispelled Duluth every time, and had to correct it. It kept bothering me, and now I know why.

YES, I meant Dubuque clamps, not Duluth which I am wearing right now. Sheesh, I was broken down in Dubuque for several days once, maybe it was a Freudian thing.

Sorry

[Neil Gaskin]

I bought a few dozen Dubuque earlier this year. Before I was using a random bunch of parallel bar clamps. While I do think the parallel clamps excel at some things. for panels I like the aluminum Dubuque clamps hands down.

Less expensive by a third and way less weight.

[David Buchhauser]

Hi Rick,
I have just ordered some of these clamps based on your review. I found the best prices at Tools For Working Wood. These look like really nice clamps.
Thanks,
David

https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/dept/CDC/item/MS-ABAR.XX

407192
(https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/dept/CDC/item/MS-ABAR.XX)

[Phillip Gregory]

I don't have any aluminum bar clamps. Used to use several pipe clamps, and when I was younger and stronger, bent some of the pipes. So started buying I beam clamps. Those babies are stout.

I don't have any aluminum bar clamps either. My Dad has a few which he used extensively when I was growing up and worked with him in the shop. They were okay, but were expensive and he only had four of them, and between those and two very rusty four foot long orange Jorgenson clamps, we'd clamp together dowel-joined pine boards to glue into wider panels with yellow Elmer's glue. The results led to a lot of belt sanding.


I have a good amount of pipe clamps, which I prefer to bar clamps. The pipe clamps are much less expensive and can be made in whatever size you want. I haven't bent any, but I use 3/4" pipe instead of 1/2" pipe for anything longer than 3 feet. A 3/4" pipe is pretty strong unless you use a 10 foot long piece as a cheater bar.

Oh, and Iowa >> Minnesota. :D

[Frederick Skelly]

Hi Rick,
I have just ordered some of these clamps based on your review. I found the best prices at Tools For Working Wood. These look like really nice clamps.
Thanks,
David

You won't be disappointed. I bought a bundle of 10 Dubuques from The Best Things about 18 mos ago. They are premium tools and they perform like premium tools should. Love those things.
Fred

[Kevin Jenness]

I have a couple dozen aluminum bar clamps, mostly Jorgensen with a few Dubuques- pretty much equivalent. First choice for panels, cabinet doors, face frames, boxes. I have a dozen I-beam Jorgensons but they only come out when I need to pull together a large door or such-like. The aluminum ones are a lot easier on the back when in production and plenty strong enough for normal joinery. Pipe clamps are for extra-long pulls and little else.

[Patrick Irish]

Been meaning to get some of these. Tough part is figuring out what size. I've acquired about 8 parallel clamps and honestly, they're pretty cumbersome to use and when I get glue on the threads I freak out because they cost so much. I've heard very good things about the dubuque clamps. Some will add a piece of wood that fits perfectly inside for some rigidity depending on what you need to clamp.

I found a site while back that was the cheapest, think it might have been Klingspor. They might sell them. I'll see if I can find that. With shipping I was getting them to be around $25 a piece.

[David Buchhauser]

Here is the Klingspor's link for the Dubuque bar clamps. They are a little bit higher priced than the Tools For Working Wood site, but still much cheaper than Amazon.

https://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/dc93600/

407217

[Jim Andrew]

I bent the 3/4" pipes with no cheater when I was younger. No longer. If I bought any of the Dubuque clamps, don't know where I would store them. My racks are FULL.

[Rick Potter]

For the locals, I paid $26 each for two 36" clamps at Reel Lumber in Riverside. I think that was with a 10% discount because the WW club was meeting there. That would make their regular price about $29. Still a good price, and a chance to thank Reel Lumber for their generosity.

[Jack Frederick]

I bought 4-24 and 4-36's some months ago and they have been excellent. I have some of the Bessey bar clamps and assorted pipe clamps. These fit in nicely.

[Gary Ragatz]

The Dubuque bar clamps have been on my "wish-list" for a while, but I haven't yet pulled the trigger. Harry Epstein has pretty good prices (not sure what happens when you add in shipping - haven't gotten that far):

https://www.harryepstein.com/index.php/catalogsearch/result/?q=dubuque

[Ron Selzer]

I bought Dubuque bar clamps 3-4 years ago, 2 of each size. Like them a lot, so bought 2 more 36" and 6 more 24". Light weight, non staining, easy to work with, very strong. Have used for 30+ years 3/4 pipe clamps, can still bend the pipes if I want, these stain the wood and are heavy. have Jorgenson and Beesey I beam clamps, heavy and stain the wood.
Bought my Dubuque from Tools for working wood, very happy with the first order. When ordered the second batch my CC was charged and a month later no clamps even tho they were supposedly in stock. Sent an email questioning what was going on and my CC was charged a minor charge, the clamps were shipped. No explanation, no apologies, nothing but the BS charge. Next order for 4-72" Dubuque's will be to someone else instead of an automatic reorder to Tools for Wood Working.

[Tony Zaffuto]

I have quite a few Dubuque, from 24" through 72". If they don't get the job done, then look to ill fitting joinery! Now there are instances when other clamps are needed, think deeper reach clamps and for those instances, handscrews are my choice.

[Neil Gaskin]

https://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/uniclamps.htm

the best things also has pretty good price.

[Rick Potter]

Better read that again Neil. It says they are retiring and not selling them anymore.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Lee Valley also has them, and it's currently free shipping.

[Jacob Reverb]

FWIW, I found some pretty darn good-looking knockoffs of the Jorgensens at HFT for less than half the price that Amazon charges for the Jorgensens. Haven't tried them yet, but they look almost identical to the Jorgs.

Just bought a 24" for $10 and a 36" for $11.50 ... and that's without the 20% discount (I used my coupon for something more expensive). Here they are:

https://www.harborfreight.com/36-in-aluminum-bar-clamp-60539.html

[Frederick Skelly]

FWIW, I found some pretty darn good-looking knockoffs of the Jorgensens at HFT for less than half the price that Amazon charges for the Jorgensens. Haven't tried them yet, but they look almost identical to the Jorgs.

Just bought a 24" for $10 and a 36" for $11.50 ... and that's without the 20% discount (I used my coupon for something more expensive). Here they are:

https://www.harborfreight.com/36-in-aluminum-bar-clamp-60539.html

IIRC, there are various approaches to stiffening the HFs out there on the web. I think Sellers inserts a piece of stiff wood. You might look them up.

Please understand that I'm not trying not to be a tool snob when I say this: the Dubuques are really worth the extra money if your budget allows. Their performance is that good, IMO.

[Mike Henderson]

Better read that again Neil. It says they are retiring and not selling them anymore.

Wow, I hadn't seen that they were shutting down. I wonder why they didn't sell the business.

Mike

[Frederick Skelly]

Better read that again Neil. It says they are retiring and not selling them anymore.

Man, I am surely sorry to hear this. At least he's going to "continue to sell antiques & antique tools in retirement."

[Tony Zaffuto]

I've purchased from Lee Richmond/The Best Things, through the years and for the past several years he has been "thinning the herd", with new tools for sale. He still shows regularly at tool sales/auctions, such as the recent Brown auction this past March.

He always has some of the best prices on certain items, such as the Dubuque bar clamps when they first came on the scene.