K Stile Clamps:

[Don Selke]

I Would appreciate some comments from those of you that have and use the "K" style clamps. I have been using pipe stile clamps for years of various length along with a variety of other type clamps for all my woodworking.
I have been tempted recently to buy and try the "K" style clamps but there price is sometimes excessive. Would appreciate a few comments from those of you that have bought and used these type of clamps. Are they worth the expense and if you had to do it all over again, would you buy them or stick with the pipe clamps? What size would you purchase for general woodworking and how many?

Thanks for your time:

DS

[Steve Clardy]

28 Jorgys
12 Besseys.
Would I do it again? No
You cannot attain the clamping pressure like a pipe clamp or I-beam clamp.
I fact, I plan on selling off most of these, and going with Jorgy I-beam clamps. Cheaper, better clamps I believe.

[Jim Becker]

I swear by them...the only time I use pipe clamps is when I need to make something up that is bigger than my Bessey's can handle. (More than 5')

[Doug Shepard]

I swear by them...the only time I use pipe clamps is when I need to make something up that is bigger than my Bessey's can handle. (More than 5')

What Jim said - except mine are Gros-Stabils.

[CPeter James]

Be careful!!!! They are addictive. I bought my first one 2 years ago and now am up to 20. I have Bessey K Bodies and really find them great. I used pipe clamps and other bar clamps for 40 years because I could not get past the price of the K Bodies. I wish I had gotten them sooner.

CPeter

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I am a big fan of double extra heavy black iron pipe and Jorgies

The first ones I had were bought to clamp the huge head board of a kingside water bed back when massive was the rage. I still have 'em and I really like 'em.

A coating of poly is a good thing to give the pipes

For weird clamping I use stretch poly packing film. I bought a case of the stuff a while ago and am still using it. It'll last for years.

[Mark Rios]

I had only used pipe clamps and different sizes of Quick-Clamps when I heard talk of the Bessy K-bodies and that there was a sale on them about a year ago. Not being too familiar with clamping I didn't really know what I ws getting. But now......I feel they are the greatest thing since Jello Pudding Pops. Lov em', lov em', love em'.

[Tom Jones III]

Everybody is talking about how much they love them, but what do they do better than pipe clamps? I've never run across a situation where pipe clamps were not strong enough. I've got wooden pads mounted to my pipe clamps so that is not an issue. Pipe clamps are so cheap I just don't see what could be worth the extra $.

[Art Mulder]

Everybody is talking about how much they love them, but what do they do better than pipe clamps?

Tom, it's all opinions.

- I've had pipe clamps slip. And these were good quality ones.
- I find the Gross-Stabil clamps much easier to use. With pipe clamps I would often feel like I needed four hands to get everything set.
- I like the much larger bearing surface. Lets me "reach in" farther with clamping
- the fact that the clamps are parallel (and my pipe clamps are only sort of parallel) makes for an easier glue up - everything stays much easier in alignment.

- This is kind of minor, but I really like the fact that I can stand the G+S clamps up on their heads. I do that all the time when clamping smaller things. It frees up one of my hands to get things into position.

[glenn bradley]

It depends on your projects. My first projects were workbenches, tool stands and the like. The pipe clamps were perfect for that because of cost, reach, clamping pressure, etc.

Once I started on pieces of a smaller scale like wall cabinets, chests of drawers, any framed panel type construction, the K-bodys proved their worth. they clamp up square, stand up on their own, etc. In this type of use I love them. I also tend to reach for them first no matter what I'm clamping.

They are addicting but thankfully go on sale at Rockler or at Amazon for up wards of 60% off. Woodcraft has also begun selling Bessy made clamps with their name on them but 'real' Bessy's can be had on sale often enough if your not needing them RIGHT NOW.

[Terry Flowers]

Steve, you are a pro and I am not, but for most glue-ups, my understsanding is that too much pressure can squeeze out too much glue weakening the joint. For most (emphasis on most) jobs, I can't imagine needing enough pressure to cause Besseys to slip. Maybe difficult bent laminations, but then those probably would call for different clamps. Just my take.

Terry

[Scott Vigder]

I started ww about 2 years ago and have a nice collection of Bessies (4 - 60"; 6-50"; 4-40" and 4-24") along with an absolute boatload of various size pipe clamps in great shape I got on the dirt cheap at an auction. I'm primarily into tables, chairs, bookcases and dressers, and have found the squareness of the Bessies to be a big help when gluing larger pieces together. I hardly ever use the smaller Besseys. Nor have I ever paid full price! Hartville Tool has their annual sale, Amazon had the 60" clamps for $36.99 apiece one day (hence I have 4!), so you can find them at a great price if you are patient and keep looking. You'll always find pipe clamps for sale at auctions, but have you ever seen anyone sell off their Bessey's? Steve, PM me when you are ready!

[Gary Herrmann]

When I was borrowing clamps from my neighbor for a couple bookcases, I used his pipe clamps - for which I was grateful. At the time I only had some quick clamps, c clamps etc.

When I started coming across Besseys on sale, I started slowly accumulating them. I'm sure the Gross Stabils, Jorgies, Jets or whatever other brands there are are also good.

I do think its easier and faster to get a k style set up and clamped than a pipe clamp - at least the ones I've used.

Haven't used any I beam clamps, so can't speak to them.

Be patient, wait for sales. Amazon had 24" Besseys for $13 each awhile back. I bought 4.

[Gary Keedwell]

28 Jorgys
12 Besseys.
Would I do it again? No
You cannot attain the clamping pressure like a pipe clamp or I-beam clamp.
I fact, I plan on selling off most of these, and going with Jorgy I-beam clamps. Cheaper, better clamps I believe.

What kind of pressure do you need? For the kind of work that Bessey's were designed for, there's more pressure than you really need. One of the few exception would be clamping laminates around a big template for bent stock applications. And then you grab as many clamps as you can find. lol

Gary K.

[Mike Henderson]

I have both Besseys and pipe clamps. I find that when I go to clamp a glue up, I always reach for the Besseys. I find them easy to use, I like the slightly longer jaws than the pipe clamps and the "square" clamping face of the jaws - I find that many of the pipe clamps have the jaws at an angle to the pipe so more pressure is applied to one side of the wood than the other.

I'm sure that I could do most all my work with pipe clamps, but I like the Besseys.

If you wait for the sales you can pick the Besseys up at a good price. Amazon often has Bessey sales and the shipping is free.

Mike

[glenn bradley]

I have wooden pads as well and love my pipe clamps for rough work. If I'm clamping up a drawer or a raised panel door and want to know I'm square without fiddling around, K-body clamps and the like are a breeze. No measuring, adjusting and remeasuring; they're just square. With my natural IN-ability, I need all the help I can get. ;-)

[Aaron Beaver]

I love my Besseys K body clamps. I looked at the Gross-Stabil style K bodies but the jaws didn't have support all the way across them like the Bessey did.

[Don Selke]

Wow, thanks for all the reply's and the wonderful information. As previously stated, I have a large supply of pipe clamps and they all have wooden pads.
Think I will wait for a sale and jump in with a few purchases and give them a try. Build a lot of drawers, cabinet doors etc.

Thanks to all::D :D :D

DS

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Quite a few years ago, when the K-bodies first came out, I went to a local tool and machine retailer that has been around for a long time. An older gentleman that worked there, who was apparently a retired professional woodworker, asked me if I needed help while I was checking out the clamps.

I said to him, with a smile, "do you know what the difference is between a good and poor fitting joint?....about a half dozen of these babies clamped hard." In response, he got all upset and said repeatedly "that's not true, that's not true". Then he walked away and calmed down.

I will never make reference to anyones wife, religion or clamp choice again. :)

-Jeff

[Greg Narozniak]

I have both Besseys and pipe clamps. I find that when I go to clamp a glue up, I always reach for the Besseys. I find them easy to use, I like the slightly longer jaws than the pipe clamps and the "square" clamping face of the jaws - I find that many of the pipe clamps have the jaws at an angle to the pipe so more pressure is applied to one side of the wood than the other.


I agree with Mike, I have Bessey's 2-50"; 4-40" and 4-31" I also have 4 Jorgensen (sp) 4-24". I prefer the Bessey's I feel they release nad lock down easier than the Jorgies. I have a bunch of pipe clamps as well but they are only used when I runout of the others for the same reasons that Mike had mentioned.

I tried to find someone to swap my Jorgies for Besseys but it never happened :)

[Frank Pellow]

Tom, it's all opinions.

- I've had pipe clamps slip. And these were good quality ones.
- I find the Gross-Stabil clamps much easier to use. With pipe clamps I would often feel like I needed four hands to get everything set.
- I like the much larger bearing surface. Lets me "reach in" farther with clamping
- the fact that the clamps are parallel (and my pipe clamps are only sort of parallel) makes for an easier glue up - everything stays much easier in alignment.

- This is kind of minor, but I really like the fact that I can stand the G+S clamps up on their heads. I do that all the time when clamping smaller things. It frees up one of my hands to get things into position.
I agree with all the reasons mentioned by Art. I would rate the abiulity to stand both G+S and Bessey clamps on their heads as better than minor. Another benefit of these clamps over pipe clamps is that you don't (usually) have to insert blocks between the material and the clamps in order to protect the material.

In my case I have both Gross-Stabil and Bessey. My inventory of these is:
-four 12 inch
-eight 24 inch
-four 40 inch
-two 61 inch

[Bart Leetch]

"$36.99 apiece one day (hence I have 4!)"

"PM me when you are ready!"

$147.99 for 4 5' clamps plus one needs to pay shipping & handling or tax & multiply that times how many of various sizes I may need in my shop. At that price & if I owned a bank I'd just pay you to make all the furniture I may want made it would be cheaper. Thanks I'll save my money for a bigger shop & larger lumber rack.

I don't think I'll ever be ready. I've never really had a problem using pipe clamps.

"You cannot attain the clamping pressure like a pipe clamp or I-beam clamp."


Most wood workers with many years of experience I know say that if you have to crank down very hard on any clamp something is wrong check you fit & make sure it is correct.

[Jesse Cloud]

28 Jorgys
12 Besseys.
Would I do it again? No
You cannot attain the clamping pressure like a pipe clamp or I-beam clamp.
I fact, I plan on selling off most of these, and going with Jorgy I-beam clamps. Cheaper, better clamps I believe.

Hey Steve, maybe if you face jointed your stock you wouldn't need that much pressure :rolleyes: .

Just kidding. I have both, reach for the pipe clamps for long pieces and the bessey's when I'm lazy or too tired to center the pipe clamp on the joint.

[Steve Clardy]

Ok. Its been brought up twice now on what I stated about clamp pressure.

Nowhere did I say I have to use that kind of pressure glueing up boards.

I'll restate that. The ease of using a clamp, without tearing your hand up, making it sore, tightening up a dozen or two clamps at a time.:)

It is easier to tighten pipe clamps, I beam clamps, than these cabinet clamps. Just look at the handle, where it's at.

And another thing. I got these clamps to glue up raised panel doors.
These clamps are just backwards of a pipe clamp.
They are unhandy doing doors.:(
If you are using a 24" clamp, and have a batch of say 12-13" wide doors, you have that extra length bar length sticking you in the gut, in the way.
Now if they would have designed these clamps with the handle on the fixed end, that problem wouldn't be there.
But they designed them that way so you could use them as a spreader. How many times do you need a clamp to spread something:confused: :confused: :) :)

Edit. Another thought. 30-40 years from now, a pipe clamp, I beam clamp will still be around, maybe a tad rusty, but usable.
Whats going to happen when the plastic faces on these cabinet clamps, dry up, get brittle, break off, get dropped and broken.

[tod evans]

steve, for flat stuff the jlt racks kick butt! .02 tod
47962

[Steve Clardy]

steve, for flat stuff the jlt racks kick butt! .02 tod
47962

I'd like too, but where to put it:confused: :confused:

3500 sq ft and I'm outa room:( ;) :D

[tod evans]

time to bump `er out again:eek:

[Gary Keedwell]

Edit. Another thought. 30-40 years from now, a pipe clamp, I beam clamp will still be around, maybe a tad rusty, but usable.
Whats going to happen when the plastic faces on these cabinet clamps, dry up, get brittle, break off, get dropped and broken.

I'll be six feet under......pushing up daisies!!!! lol

Gary K.

[Steve Clardy]

Lol. I will be too I think.:eek: :)

[Steve Clardy]

time to bump `er out again:eek:


Hmm. I've mentioned another 16x64 addition to the shop.
But if I do that before finishing this house, I'll be sleeping with the dogs:eek:

And they don't have a doghouse:eek: :rolleyes: :o

[Larry Fox]

In Besseys I have 8 50", 9 24" and 2 31" K-bodies and have a number of pipe clamps. For me, my relationship with the K-bodies is a love-hate one. I love the fact that they provide a lot of clamping area and that they clamp-up relatively paralell. I very much dislike the fact that they are sometimes a bit persnikley to get them to "tooth" into the bar when tigntening them. I very much dislike the fact that they are very, very difficult to work with one hand. I very much dislike how heavy and unwieldy they are (especially the 50" ones, so much so I have thought of selling these).

I have a nice assortment of 3/4" pipe in various lengths so I can put togehter a pipe-clamp / pipe combination that is pretty much exactly what I need so I tend to go that route fairly often.

My $0.02

[Don Selke]

Well Guys, think I will stick with my pipe clamps and bar clamps unless I get a super deal on the K body clamps.

again, thanks for all the comments. Guess I opened up a can of clamp worms on this one:eek: :eek: :eek:

[Don Baer]

I very much dislike the fact that they are sometimes a bit persnikley to get them to "tooth" into the bar when tigntening them.

I own 1 18" bessey that is not even a "K" body and it has the same problem. It is the least favorite of all my clamps and gets used the least. When I ckecked out the Bessey's and the made for woodcraft Bessey's they have the same problem. This has kept me from even considering buying them. I haven't looked at the Jorgie K bodies to see if they have the same problem but I will the next time I see one.

[Jim Becker]

I will never make reference to anyones wife, religion or clamp choice again.

Don't forget sisters, daughters and pets, too... LOL! Oh, and guided saw systems... :eek::p

[Steve Clardy]

Don't forget sisters, daughters and pets, too... LOL! Oh, and guided saw systems... :eek::p

Lol:D;) :D

[Mark Riegsecker]

I love those bessies, first ones I reach for. As for the persnikley personality, it's all in the wrist. I don't see a great price difference (on sale). $10 for the clamp $5 for the black dirty pipe.


What about the guided saw system Jim?:D :D :D :D :D ...............Don't answer that just kid'n

[Anthony Anderson]

Yep I love mine. I have about 40-50. As far as clamping pressure, if the joint is straight and tight, you will not need a great amount of clamping pressure. If not, these clamps will still fill the bill. They are great, and I too swear by them. I still have pipe clamps too, but they only get used in a pinch. Regards, Bill

[Robert Mickley]

I own 1 18" bessey that is not even a "K" body and it has the same problem. It is the least favorite of all my clamps and gets used the least. When I ckecked out the Bessey's and the made for woodcraft Bessey's they have the same problem. This has kept me from even considering buying them. I haven't looked at the Jorgie K bodies to see if they have the same problem but I will the next time I see one.

Well I've only got 4 bessys But I've never had a problem getting them to catch. I love my bessys, but the one thing I do like about pipe clamps is the ease of streatching them with a union and another piece of pipe to make them longer.

Scott
won't be long that sale will be coming up again.

[Paul Franklin]

Don

No one has metioned that Woodcraft now sell Bessey K Bodies, relabled with Woodcrafts name on them and they are a liitle cheaper. I have not tried them yet, but I will get a couple soon as I need to get more. I have a ton of Besseys and would not be without them.

Regards
Paul

[Don Baer]

Don

No one has metioned that Woodcraft now sell Bessey K Bodies, relabled with Woodcrafts name on them and they are a liitle cheape I have not tried them yet, but I will get a couple soon as I need to get more. I have a ton of Besseys and would not be without them.

Regards
Paul
I did stop by the local woodcraft and tried the New Woodcraft/Bessies and found that they have the same trait that I don't like, so I guess I'll stay with what works for me..

[Ed Kowaski]

"They" are pickin on you Steve :)

According to R. Bruce Hoadley clamping pressures for domestic wood with specific gravity of 0.03 to 0.06 pressure should rang from 100 to 250 psi. For maple specific gravity of 0.6 200 psi is approprate. Dense tropical species may require 300 psi.

That's a big squeeze... I'd guess this information is originally from the Forest Products Lab.

[Steve Clardy]

"They" are pickin on you Steve :)

According to R. Bruce Hoadley clamping pressures for domestic wood with specific gravity of 0.03 to 0.06 pressure should rang from 100 to 250 psi. For maple specific gravity of 0.6 200 psi is approprate. Dense tropical species may require 300 psi.

That's a big squeeze... I'd guess this information is originally from the Forest Products Lab.


Thats ok;) :)

Not a problem.
I can buy 2-3 Fords to their 1 Mercury, and have clamps to pass on to the kids, or for the wife to sell when I kick the bucket:eek: