Bessey 90 degree clamp - a really stupid question

[Rob Will]

I was at the Borg today and got to thinking about Christmas presents.....I looked all over the tool dept. for something that my wife would like. Perhaps I should have gone to one of those designer clothing stores at the mall, perhaps a jewlery store......but hey, I'm already here.......so I keep looking.

Well finally, deep in frustration for lack of something, anything to buy my wife, I just WANDERED by the Bessey clamp section where it occured to me that I don't have any of those nifty little 90 degree angle clamps in my new wood shop. Well......you know the rest of the story......maybe the mall will be open tomorrow. I came straight home with the clamp.

So here's the really stupid question:
The Bessey 90 degree clamp came packaged with a little "L-shaped" black plastic gadjet clamped in the jaws. It has some mm and inch markings. Does this have some sort of higher purpose other than packaging?

Do you think my wife would like a few more clamps?

Rob

[Steve Elias]

This is just a guess, but might the markings allow you to check if the wood you are clamping together will fit within the maximum width capacity of the vise? In the unlikely chance that no one else has already answered your question I will take a look at mine tomorrow when I get out to the shop and offer a more educated guess.

The answer to your last question is easy - a resounding yes. Three more of the 90 degree clamps seems like a good starting point.

-Steve

[glenn bradley]

Was it this?

"K Body Clamps are now fitted with a swivel foot pad that serves a dual function. It is removable which allows a woodworker to reverse the lower K Body jaw for use as a spreader. It also functions as a levelling foot to keep the K Body rail parallel to the work surface. As an added benefit it serves as a hanger on a woodshop peg hook."

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Was it this?

"K Body Clamps are now fitted with a swivel foot pad that serves a dual function. It is removable which allows a woodworker to reverse the lower K Body jaw for use as a spreader. It also functions as a levelling foot to keep the K Body rail parallel to the work surface. As an added benefit it serves as a hanger on a woodshop peg hook."

Nope, he's not looking at K Body Clamps, rather Bessey angle clamps.

When I purchased mine a few years ago there were similar items in my clamps except they were wooden instead of plastic. The two glued up boards were of different thicknesses to demonstrate that the unit could hand different thicknesses. I don' think there is any other value that that.

[David Rose]

Rob,

Me thinks you are in a real pickle now. I know of no instance where ONE clamp is of value. Do you not realise that clamps have to come in pairs or quads to keep the world in balance? I think it is kind of like ear hangy thingys. You don't buy ONE ear ring. If you had bought some other type clamp, you might have been able to just buy one more. But with a corner clamp... everything has FOUR corners.

If you are closer to the jewelry store, you might get away with buying something quick on the way to balance the universe. Did I say world? Well... I'm not sure if you can get away with one thing at the jewelry store. You could try I guess.

As to the last question... let a less philosophical, less universe oriented, woodworker try an answer for that one. There may be a reason for it.

David


I was at the Borg today and got to thinking about Christmas presents.....I looked all over the tool dept. for something that my wife would like. Perhaps I should have gone to one of those designer clothing stores at the mall, perhaps a jewlery store......but hey, I'm already here.......so I keep looking.

Well finally, deep in frustration for lack of something, anything to buy my wife, I just WANDERED by the Bessey clamp section where it occured to me that I don't have any of those nifty little 90 degree angle clamps in my new wood shop. Well......you know the rest of the story......maybe the mall will be open tomorrow. I came straight home with the clamp.

So here's the really stupid question:
The Bessey 90 degree clamp came packaged with a little "L-shaped" black plastic gadjet clamped in the jaws. It has some mm and inch markings. Does this have some sort of higher purpose other than packaging?

Do you think my wife would like a few more clamps?

Rob

[Jim Becker]

Rob, I think your next stop should be the mattress store as you're going to need one for the shop...along with a porta-potty if you don't have facilities... ;)

Oh...I don't see any clamp. Did you buy a clamp? Na...no evidence... :D

[glenn bradley]

Nope, he's not looking at K Body Clamps, rather Bessey angle clamps.

Ooops! Shouldn't respond so close to bedtime ;-)

[Rob Will]

Rob, I think your next stop should be the mattress store as you're going to need one for the shop...along with a porta-potty if you don't have facilities... ;)

Oh...I don't see any clamp. Did you buy a clamp? Na...no evidence... :D

Jim,
So you want to see clamp pics?
Here's the Bessey 90 degree with that little plastic thingy :confused:
And errrrr......Please don't tell my wife about the Jorgy's !
Otherwise, I'll have to go shop for her. Pound for pound! :eek: :eek:

Rob

[Jim Becker]

Oh...ok. I have two of those clamps and have for a number of years. They do work. Sometimes I've found a need for a third hand for quicker adjustment, but not too much trouble. One thing they can help with is to use them for additional "squaring" even when using other clamps...

[Ted Shrader]

Rob -

Back to your original question. . . I think it is just packaging indicating the capacity of the clamp in the two different directions.

Was looking at mine the other day and wondered the same thing.

As David says, clamps come in pairs. I have two, but had just used one until the other day. When I took the second one down off the peg, there was that plastic thingy which caused me to wonder. Threw away the original plastic spacer from the first clamp long ago and have not needed it, so . . . .

Regards,
Ted

[Rob Will]

Should I just toss the pastic gadjet and go buy another 90 degree clamp to go with this one?

Thanks for the help with my silly little question.:)

Rob

[Al Willits]

""""""
Should I just toss the plastic gadget and go buy another 90 degree clamp to go with this one?
"""""""

No and no..
The minute you throw it away someone will come up with a use for it and you will not have it anymore.
Do not buy just one more, you need three more to make the world balance.

Al...who has bought only one earring..:)

[glenn bradley]

All kidding aside, now that I see it, it's just display/packaging stuff. I tossed 'em.

[Steve Clardy]

Rob, I think your next stop should be the mattress store as you're going to need one for the shop...along with a porta-potty if you don't have facilities... ;)

Oh...I don't see any clamp. Did you buy a clamp? Na...no evidence... :D

Don't forget the small apartment size refrigerator;) :D