Warning

[harry strasil]

Rocklers on sale 2.5 inch pipe clamps only fit their special pipe, I just modified them to fit normal pipe. FWIW

[Lee Koepke]

I ordered some of those from Rockwell, they sent me a totally different set of clamps (slightly more expensive...) so I didnt bother mentioning it....

I am glad to know that though, I feel better about my decision.

[Peter Quadarella]

If these are the same pipe clamps I go for ~$6 at rockler, yes I was very annoyed at this. They wouldn't fit 3/4" pipe bought at the borg and I had to sit there with a rounded file, filing them until they would slide over.

[Justin Grow]

why spend the extra? Just get the pipe clamps from harborfreight.

[Peter Quadarella]

Good tip Justin, that might be something worth buying from HF, since how much can pipe clamps vary? I will have to go check them out.

[Michael Faurot]

why spend the extra? Just get the pipe clamps from harborfreight.

I did that, and almost all of them broke the first time I did a big glue up. In particular what broke was where the threaded rod connects into the movable shoe (sorry, I don't know the proper name for this piece). Fortunately this break doesn't render the clamps useless. The shoe just doesn't stay connected to the threaded rod when it doesn't have any pressure on it.

[Peter Quadarella]

how much can pipe clamps vary

Now I know ;)

[Justin Grow]

hmm. My HF clamps seem to be lasting. The C-clamps they have are inexpensive too.

[Marcus Ward]

I have busted a few HF pipe clamps, that normally isn't my big complaint. My big complaint is that the jaws aren't really square to the pipe (not that big of a deal) and the screws are cast instead of machined so they're a pain to turn when they're tight. Huge coating of wax helps a lot. They're so cheap you can throw em away when they break, buy 5 more, and still be cheaper than a single pony.

[James Carmichael]

I did that, and almost all of them broke the first time I did a big glue up. In particular what broke was where the threaded rod connects into the movable shoe (sorry, I don't know the proper name for this piece). Fortunately this break doesn't render the clamps useless. The shoe just doesn't stay connected to the threaded rod when it doesn't have any pressure on it.

Had the same thing happen on one of their deep throat pipe clamps. A rollpin connects the screw to the moveable jaw, and the screw comes loose. As Michael said, the clamps still work, opening becomes a pain because the screw separates from the jaw.

The regular pipe clamps have been OK for me. Just inspect them carefully, one set I bought had a jaw about 25-degrees out of square.

[Justin Grow]

hmm. Well I fully recognize the.... ahem.... lackluster build quality of the hf stuff. But you cant beat it for assembling enough tools to actually do a project without going broke. Then, as they break, you replace with quality.

[George Sanders]

Thanks for the heads up Harry. I'm not fond of Rockler's prices and I don't care for for HF tools at all. I've had good luck getting good old pipe clamps at auctions last year. I even came by some like new Pony clamps for about eight bucks each. One set had the stands and two sets had clamp pads. All of them had black 3/4" pipe.