Need advice regarding glue up clamps..

[Dan Kraakenes]

Need some help regarding panel glue up clamps..

I have a small 340sq.ft hobby shop, so no mass producing going on.
But I am looking at some Bessey Ibeam clamps.
They look like they are made to last decades, at least for my use.

But wondering which length and how many I should buy.
24’’, 36’’, 48’’..


Since most likely just one-off small/medium projects.. so Logic says 24’’…
But head says 48’’ since I might need to glue up some large project once or twice in future.
And 36’’ might fall between.. or are they more useful?


What is your experience with what is actually used in your shop?


.

[mike stenson]

The 24" clamps are the most heavily used in my shop. I also own more of those than any others, followed by 12" and then 36". I do own clamps up to 72" though, and occasionally the longer ones are useful.

[Michael Burnside]

When you say I-beam, I presume you mean K-body (Revo or Revo Jr.?) Get the 24" ones for starters. I have 20 of them (Revos) and I use them the most. I would say 5 or 6 is good for starters for the average panel glue up. But if on a budget buy a few initially and then try to add one or two each month or when you can. In a pinch if you needed 48" you can get these and turn your 24s into 48s (or any combination in lengths they make)

https://www.amazon.com/Bessey-KBX20-Body-Clamp-Extender/dp/B07B8VCDM1/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1GJJ0PBPGPLGR&keywords=bessey+extender&qid=1700154684&sprefix=bessey+extende%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-2

[Cameron Wood]

I have a lot of clamps, & somewhat recently acquired a few parallel jaw clamps (Jet, in this case).
I've found them to be heavy, bulky, awkward to store, and expensive (although I got these practically for free) - pipe clamps are a better fit, more adjustable in length, affordable, and take up less room.

[mike stenson]

I have a lot of clamps, & somewhat recently acquired a few parallel jaw clamps (Jet, in this case).
I've found them to be heavy, bulky, awkward to store, and expensive (although I got these practically for free) - pipe clamps are a better fit, more adjustable in length, affordable, and take up less room.

Store them vertically, and they take up the same space IME.

[Jim Becker]

There have been a number of times that I would have appreciated having more of the ~30-32" size (I forget the exact specification now) including the table top I just recently completed. Using the 40"s works just fine, but results in a lot of clamp hanging way beyond the workpiece. It's not a first world problem, but... I have a ton of 24"s as well as a lot of 40"s because they often sold in combinations of two each when I was taking advantage of sales years ago. (all mine are the "original" Bessey K-body clamps)

I will say that lately, I've started acquire more of the short UniClamps for general utility as I like them more than f-clamps for a lot of things. The flat faces work well for me.

[william walton]

When i bought my Dubuque clamps, i bought 8 each of 48s, 36s and 24s. Of those i mostly use the 24's. Since getting the Dubuques I haven't lifted one of my Bessey parallels off the rack. Once you use them you won't go back.

[Michael Burnside]

Store them vertically, and they take up the same space IME.

IMHO storing horizontally facilitates the maximum density. Honestly I've never even though to them as taking up a lot of space. I have 34 k-body REVOs that vary in length from 52, 42 and 24 all stored on a 14" high shelf that is 25" deep and 74" wide. By alternating them, you can pack them in and it's super easy to get to any length I need. My "clamp" wall consists of a bunch of light weight Bessey GearClamps and DuoKlamps and a set of 6 12" K-body Revos.

Like Jim, I find that for quick holding and smaller projects, I reach for my DuoKlamps that I have in 6" and 12".

That said, I'd never be without my REVOs.

[Michael Burnside]

When i bought my Dubuque clamps, i bought 8 each of 48s, 36s and 24s. Of those i mostly use the 24's. Since getting the Dubuques I haven't lifted one of my Bessey parallels off the rack.

I have 6 36", 4 60" and 6 24" of the Dubuque clamps. I love them. However I feel they complement the REVOs more than replace them.


Once you use them you won't go back.

I recently purchased a set of Frontline panel clamps. What you say above is 100% true about Frontline too. Yes, you'll need to sell a kidney, or two, but they are, bar-none the best clamps ever made. I even recently used them as 36" bar clamps for a miter glue up. They're phenominal.

[mike stenson]

IMHO storing horizontally facilitates the maximum density. Honestly I've never even though to them as taking up a lot of space. I have 34 k-body REVOs that vary in length from 52, 42 and 24 all stored on a 14" high shelf that is 25" deep and 74" wide. By alternating them, you can pack them in and it's super easy to get to any length I need. My "clamp" wall consists of a bunch of light weight Bessey GearClamps and DuoKlamps and a set of 6 12" K-body Revos.

Like Jim, I find that for quick holding and smaller projects, I reach for my DuoKlamps that I have in 6" and 12".

That said, I'd never be without my REVOs.

yea, it's going to depend on what you have to work with. I don't have 25" x 74" of wall space to waste horizontally I can slip a whole lot of clamps in the 40" width between two windows ;)

[Michael Burnside]

yea, it's going to depend on what you have to work with. I don't have 25" x 74" of wall space to waste horizontally I can slip a whole lot of clamps in the 40" width between two windows ;)

True, I have two shelving units that are 7" tall and total a little over 12" wide against a back wall, so I can achieve maximum density by storing on a shelf. I was just pointing out that by alternating you can pack them in closer together if stored in the aforementioned orientation.

[Dan Kraakenes]

When you say I-beam, I presume you mean K-body (Revo or Revo Jr.?) Get the 24" ones for starters. I have 20 of them (Revos) and I use them the most. I would say 5 or 6 is good for starters for the average panel glue up. But if on a budget buy a few initially and then try to add one or two each month or when you can. In a pinch if you needed 48" you can get these and turn your 24s into 48s (or any combination in lengths they make)

https://www.amazon.com/Bessey-KBX20-Body-Clamp-Extender/dp/B07B8VCDM1/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1GJJ0PBPGPLGR&keywords=bessey+extender&qid=1700154684&sprefix=bessey+extende%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-2


No, Bessey Ibeam:

510579

[George Yetka]

Like others say ideally you have a 2 dozen of each. but space and bank account will tell you different. I started with 4 24" then added another 4. Then I got a set of 4 50" then a set of 4 60". 2 years ago I bought 12 -12"
Watch for 2 pack deals of Jet clamps I got my 4-60s and all my 12's this way. Recently I dumped my larger dewalt quick clamps and all my lighter weight f clamps in favor of the bessey ehkxl's they have 600 lbs of clamping. I kept the small lightweight 6" and 12" dewalts.

I would say get 4-24" to start and If anything larger is needed jump top the 48" More than likely your 24" will be the most used. Like Jim mentions using 50" clamps to glue 2-4" boards is quite annoying so dont go right for them unless your first intended glue up is large. Bessey also has a joining system to combine shorter clamps

[Warren Lake]

have I beam and pipe. Use the pipe the most. For longer length with pipe just swivel the moveable piece 90 degrees on each clamp, then you make the length you need from shorter.

[Michael Burnside]

No, Bessey Ibeam:

510579

Gotcha, I thought they called those bar clamps, similar to their pipe. My bad. They seem a bit limited, so I'd lean towards the k-body or just go pipe-clamp and make your own.

[Steve Demuth]

For a hobby shop, if you're only doing occasional panel glue-ups, I'd forgo spending money on the I-Beam clamps. Get a few Bessey 1/2" pipe clamp fixtures, and galvanized pipe in 24" and 36" in lengths. They are cheaper, completely adequate to small scale needs, and more versatile. Plus, if you find yourself needing to span 6' on your next blanket chest project, you're a quick trip to the hardware store from having 6' clamps. (But don't be tempted to save even more by buying cheaper than Bessey pipe clamps. Most are junk and more trouble than they're worth.) Spend what you save on some Bessey 5.5 or 7" F-Style Bar clamps. Far more versatile because of the extended reach, and absolutely indestructible. I have a pile of them in 12" and 24" lengths, and they are by far the most used clamps in my shop. I often use them even for panel glue-ups, even though the pipe or beam clamps would be more appropriate, simply because they are so handy and versatile. But they also see lots of use in clamping bent laminations in forms, and anywhere else I need controlled pressure, or high compression. I also keep a half dozen of the smaller TG4.008+2K Bessey's right next to my bench, because for anything small, they are just unbeatable. Bessey calls them light duty, but they'll develop hundreds of pounds of clamping pressure without distortion, easily.

[Cameron Wood]

Yeah, those are good. I'd get five 24", three 36", and two 48" if I was starting from scratch, and could afford it.

[Mike Cutler]

Don

I have the 48" Bessey Revo's.
They're kind of big and heavy, but I wouldn't want to not have that size. They're also kind of clumsy in a small shop. Believe me.
I think the 36" would be more optimum for pulling cabinets together. The 24's would see more day to day use, but the 48's can easily be made into a very versatile clamping table.
I just got done bookmatching the sides and tops of a bookcase I'm building. The two sides and the top, were laid onto the 48"s and clamped together as separate pieces, and the glueup done in one operation instead of three. The back panel of the book shelf is 41"x41". Again, it was the 48's I needed.
If budget is an issue, and clamps are expensive, the 48's will do most everything a 24, or 36, will do, but the reverse is not true.
If you're going to make your own furniture for the house, the 48's are a worthwhile investment.
As for pipe clamps, I have lots of Pony's and Jorgies. Very versatile and they can be broken down easily and stored in a very small space, but the quality and schedule of the pipe used is pretty important.

[Patrick Kane]

I have dozens of old school jorgensen 7200 beam clamps--the predecessor to bessey link--and they are wonderful clamps to use. However, i wouldnt classify them as the best all around clamp. They are immensely heavy in longer lengths and have project-crushing force. They are the first thing i reach for when gluing table tops, countertops, cutting boards etc. I also have a couple dozen Bessey revo k body clamps, and those i would certainly recommend as the best all around clamp. They dont have nearly the force of the ibeams, but plenty of strength for closing minor gaps. They are daintier and a little more of a pain to keep clean than the ibeam. i never owned pipe clamps, but they seem to be the most economical and 'good nuff' means of clamping projects. I will say, better to have a handful of great clamps and do glueups in stages versus having 100 el cheapo clamps. For example, my jorgensens were purchased used and are atleast 30-40 years old.

[Jim Becker]

On the "How to hang", I hang them vertically, but five deep. This can be seen in this overall shop photo to the left near the white wall cabinets

510627

[Phillip Mitchell]

I like my old Jorgensen I beam clamps (model 7036/7236) and I also have several older Hartford I beam style. As Patrick mentioned above, I find them best for heavier duty clamping - table tops, large/thicker panel glue ups, passage/entry doors. They are very heavy and overkill for more than half of what you may do if building furniture or cabinetry.

I’ve got and use a wide variety of clamp styles - I beams, 3/4” pipe, Bessey parallel (k body and uniklamp), Dubuque aluminum, Wetzler and Bessey deep throat bar, Jorgensen F style, and various quick grip clamps. The real answer for me is that I use them all at various times and they are all valuable and the lengths really range. Most used are probably 24” but it really depends.

Like Jim, I wish that ~32” Bessey Kbody existed for when 24” is too short and 40” is way too long and unbalanced. I really like and prefer the original wooden handles Bessey K body to the newer style, though I am likely in the minority there.

[Kevin Jenness]

The Bessey I-beam clamps you are looking at are heavy duty and made to last a lifetime. I started out with similar Jorgensen I beam clamps and still reach for them when I need their heft and long screw length, but for most panel and carcass glue-ups I favor my Dubuque and Jorgensen aluminum bar clamps. For one piece at a time weight is not such an issue, but as a cabinetmaker I often find myself glueing up multiple pieces on the bench, moving them to the floor and back as I cycle through a batch, and my back does better when the clamps weigh less than the wood.

I use the 36" clamps most often. Longer ones come into play for carcass work and man doors. I hate pipe clamps but I have quite a few with couplers for really long assemblies. You can do a lot with bar clamps and f-clamps. I have a dozen Gross Stabil cam edge clamps, a handful of wooden handscrews, some miter clamps and a few dozen spring clamps, but 90% of my work is done with 36"-48" bar clamps and 6"-36" f-clamps.

[Michael Schuch]

I will propose that the heft of the clamps and the magnitude of the clamping force needed is inversely proportional to the fitment of the parts being glued. I have found that as my skills and the precision of my machinery has improved the number of clamps, the heft of the clamps and the clamping force required for pleasing results have decreased.

YES, I have a good arsenal of heavy duty "Howitzer (as in pound something into submission)" 3/4" pipe clamps to (literarily) bend my components to my will and they still get plenty of use. But, I have found that I rely on the cheap, light weight but very useful Harbor Freight aluminum bar clamps more and more. Their light weight is SO much easier to work with and they still provide more than sufficient clamping force. I have Bessy, Jorgenson and a half dozen other brands of clamps in all sorts of styles, which do see use, but I have made it over the hump where the majority of my projects can be effectively assembled with the mid-to-light weight aluminum HF clamps. I have also found that for many smaller projects a few needle brads are more than sufficient for holding a project together while the glue dries with no additional clamping needed.

I have also discovered that big and heavy 3/4" pipe clamps will actually clamp unwanted tortional forces into my projects due to their shear weight hanging in the air off the end of a project.

Please feel free to comment, and tell me I am daft if need be! Between the clamps that I have purchased and those I inherited from my father I must be pushing well over 100 various odd clamps of all sorts.

https://www.harborfreight.com/24-in-aluminum-bar-clamp-60541.html

[Mel Fulks]

In employments I’ve heard some complain about clamps not “ working”. Seen lots of boards ready to glue that were not properly
jointed. Some say “ with today’s glues sprung joints are not needed”. Okay , but at least learn to make the ends of the boards touch ,
all the way end to end . Open ends are not gonna grow together. Don’t confuse woodworking with gardening !

[Steve Demuth]

I will propose that the heft of the clamps and the magnitude of the clamping force needed is inversely proportional to the fitment of the parts being glued. I have found that as my skills and the precision of my machinery has improved the number of clamps, the heft of the clamps and the clamping force required for pleasing results have decreased.l (https://www.harborfreight.com/24-in-aluminum-bar-clamp-60541.html)

For many joints, this is true. A well cut bridle or box joint scarcely needs clamps. If your edges are planar, smooth and square, you can glue two boards together into a panel with nothing more than blue tape and the weight of the boards or some rubber bands for clamps, and get an adequate joint and thin enough glue line. That's pretty much the only technique I use to glue up long miter joints anymore. On the other hand, if you want to use a non-space filling adhesive and get those admirable, disappearing glue lines in a bent laminate glue-up, you're going to need signifiicant force at as many spots as possible on the glue up. It's hardly possible to have too many or too beefy a set of clamps for those kinds of glue ups.

That said, imperfections in joints is a fact of life in my shop. Being able to force wood to do what I want makes my life better quite frequently, and heavy duty clamps help with that, for me at least.

[Jonathan Jung]

For what it's worth coming from a full-time furniture maker, I have about 300 clamps and the beam clamps are the ones I'd be last to get rid of. Indispensable and used more often than all my K Bodies. 24" and 48" are good lengths. All of mine are USA made Jorgensens. New Jorgensens and Bessey's are made in China. If you look around on Craigslist and Marketplace you'll see them come up. I paid $13-20 a piece for all mine.

[Dan Kraakenes]

Spend what you save on some Bessey 5.5 or 7" F-Style Bar clamps. Far more versatile because of the extended reach, and absolutely indestructible. I have a pile of them in 12" and 24" lengths, and they are by far the most used clamps in my shop.

How many is in a pile? :)

[Steve Demuth]

How many is in a pile? :)

Roughly 2 dozen in my case ;)

[Dan Kraakenes]

Roughly 2 dozen in my case ;)

Ouch… those TG versions costs $56 pr clamp over here (well actually $70 with VAT). So $1680… but would last my lifetime.

I do have 24 of the TG16-2k though.. super handy.
I belive that would be 6’’x 3’’..

I was considering buying two TG40-2k, 400/175.. as a generalist heavy clamps for all sorts of Odd Jobs.
That would be 16x7 in the US.

[Steve Demuth]

Ouch… those TG versions costs $56 pr clamp over here (well actually $70 with VAT). So $1680… but would last my lifetime.

I do have 24 of the TG16-2k though.. super handy.
I belive that would be 6’’x 3’’..

I was considering buying two TG40-2k, 400/175.. as a generalist heavy clamps for all sorts of Odd Jobs.
That would be 16x7 in the US.

I bought them over a decade past now, so they weren't anywhere near that expensive. I got them because I was doing some big bent lam glue-ups, and you just can't have too many clamps or too much clamping pressure for that. But they quickly became my favorite clamp and one of my "must have" tools.