Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: A quick review of BESSEY REVO vs JET parallel clamps

  1. #1

    A quick review of BESSEY REVO vs JET parallel clamps

    Based on one afternoon of using both brands side by side, I think I like my JETs a little better than my BESSEYs. My observations/opinions are below. Your Mileage May Vary.

    (Please note: I am comparing 31" clamps of both brands here.)


    BESSEY REVO
    Likes
    1. Slides easily on rail (also see dislikes)

    2. Easy to configure as a spreader

    3. Has a pad on both faces of the fixed “head”. (Useful when “spreading”)

    4. Easy to find locally (BORG, other places)


    Dislikes
    1. Head slides on rail when you don’t want it to.
    (Gave me a blood blister when it slammed shut on my palm while moving it to the bench. Also, keeping it from sliding around when gluing-up in an odd position was distracting, at a time I didn’t want to be distracted. Both of these were big negatives for me.)

    2. Feels a little more cheaply built
    (See “likes” for JET – the Bessey was opposite in most of the things said there.)


    JET
    Likes
    1. Head is locked in place by a lever
    (It doesn’t pinch your hand and it stays put when clamping in odd positions. To me, this is worth the slight inconvenience it presents - eg, having to keep glue off the rails.)

    2. Shape and size of handle provides better grip
    (Handle is hexagonal on JET vs round on BESSEY. Handle diameter is 1 7/16” on JET vs 1¼” for BESSEY. Yes, I noticed the difference.)

    3. Feels well/better built.
    (Fit/finish, materials, the foot on which the clamp can sit is trapezoidal and very solid, the stop at the end of rail has a screw to lock in place, etc)


    Dislikes
    1. More tedious to configure as a spreader.
    (I know you can do it, but I gave up trying.)

    2. There are no pads on either side of either “head”.
    (Easier to mar wood and I did so.)

    3. Not readily available (to me) locally
    (On the day I need one and can’t wait for delivery, I'm gonna have to go buy a Bessey. YMMV.)


    Fred
    Last edited by Frederick Skelly; 07-22-2017 at 9:35 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    West Lafayette, IN
    Posts
    6,527
    Nice comparison. I like the Jet clamps too, and which they had a pad. I've substituted taped on hardboard at times. Wonder if plasti dip would work?

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Day View Post
    Nice comparison. I like the Jet clamps too, and which they had a pad. I've substituted taped on hardboard at times. Wonder if plasti dip would work?
    Thanks Matt. Plastidip probably would work. I'm thinking maybe a thick pair of socks or a firm rubber mat. Dunno. Edit: I think cork would work well, if I could find a uniform way to attach it - maybe double sided carpet tape.
    Last edited by Frederick Skelly; 07-23-2017 at 10:21 AM.

  4. Quote Originally Posted by Frederick Skelly View Post
    Thanks Matt. Plastidip probably would work. I'm thinking maybe a thick pair of socks or a firm rubber mat. Dunno. Edit: I think cork would work well, if I could find a uniform way to attach it - maybe double sided carpet tape.
    What about the rolls of self adhesive cork? I think that would be uniform enough, though perhaps it’s thinner than you’d want? I’m curious to see if you ever figured out a solution you’d like as I’m about to pick up a set of clamps and am really leaning toward the Jets.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Camas, Wa
    Posts
    3,848
    I love my Jets. I think they are easier to tighten. They are ridiculously expensive. I don't get the pad thing on the Bessy. It is a plastic pad on a plastic clamp face.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    22,480
    Blog Entries
    1
    The cure for the blood blisters is to simply hold on to the part that moves. I like the Jets for the big clamping surface and deal with the weight and the trigger when I need that nice large gripping area. I have some Baileys that have large heads as well. I have mostly original K-body so the head is smaller than the Revos and much smaller than the Jets or Baileys. I have some other parallel clamps as well and I reach for them for their particular uses. The K-body are my general purpose clamp.
    Last edited by glenn bradley; 09-07-2018 at 7:25 PM.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    West Lafayette, IN
    Posts
    6,527
    I haven't done anything else to my Jet's, but I realize now that you probably don't need anything. Basically I've backed off clamping super tight, which isn't necessary and can starve the joint of glue and get the panel to bend, and clamping too tight is how you mar the wood. I generally trim to size afterward glue ups anyway if they do leave a little mark.

    Get the Jets, they're superior IMO.

    They go on sale occationally on Amazon or Black Friday.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    LA & SC neither one is Cali
    Posts
    9,447
    I am a big fan of the Jets parallel clamps and they also used to make a heavy F clamp as well with the trigger... I LOVE the trigger. I almost wrote a post a couple of weeks ago because I helped a neighbor with an outside project that needed some clamps, I grabbed 4 Bessey 24" Revos and took them to his house. The way I was using them was awkward and I could never get the head to move when I wanted and never get it to stop moving when I wanted it to stay still. While this doesn't reflect most of in-shop use it reminded me why I wish I had bought all Jets but I filled out my selection with what was on sale so I have Jet, Bessey and Jorgensen.

    The Jets don't go on sale nearly as often as before but if you have a Zoro account they send 25% off coupons regularly, I keep a cart and add stuff over time and order it all when the coupon comes. Note to get the full 25% off you have to order usually 300 or 400 bucks. Zoros prices are often over normal retail for things but the coupons can make things a bargain, when I first started talking about them several guys ordered Sawstops before Zoro put them on the "no-fly" list.
    Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.

    Deep thought for the day:

    Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Southwestern CT
    Posts
    1,392
    Maybe glue on leather pads like some of us use on the wooden clamps we fabricate. find the leather has just the right amount of softness/stickiness. These have been on for years. Remarkably, non have ever fallen off. Thanks for the review. I keep missing out on the "deals" and can't summon the strength to pay retail.

    Clamp.jpg
    "the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.” Confucius

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Western PA
    Posts
    1,236
    I must have a screw loose, because I hated the jet clamps. Years ago I bought a dozen of them during the Black Friday sale after reading a few glowing reviews. I thought the trigger mechanism sucked. The clamp head never slid smoothly, it always jerked and stopped. Didn’t care much for the handle either. Overall, the parts I touched and moved felt cheap. The handle feels like it’s hollow and made of garbage plastic.

    Conversely, the Bessey revos are awesome. Handle has a quality feel to it with enough rubbery texture to grip while applying torque. The head slides easily and smoothly along the fence bar(as the OP found out, it almost slides too freely and smoothly). I think the revos look much better too.

    I ended up selling the jets for what I paid for them and bought several dozen bessey revos off a guy moving shops.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    22,480
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Patrick Kane View Post
    I must have a screw loose, because I hated the jet clamps. Years ago I bought a dozen of them during the Black Friday sale after reading a few glowing reviews. I thought the trigger mechanism sucked.
    You're not wrong. There are apparently just two general groups of people; people who find the Bessey handle hard to operate and those that find the trigger hard to operate. Both have a mid point that allows the head to move. I favor the Besseys and find the Jets bump-jump-catch-stutter-start movement annoying. Jet fans find the Besseys to have the stutter issue. Some hold onto fixed objects with sliding parts on them . . . Sorry, couldn't resist. I should talk; I have given myself blood blisters with a pair of Vise-Grips
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Minot, ND
    Posts
    558
    Quote Originally Posted by Patrick Kane View Post
    I must have a screw loose, because I hated the jet clamps. Years ago I bought a dozen of them during the Black Friday sale after reading a few glowing reviews. I thought the trigger mechanism sucked. The clamp head never slid smoothly, it always jerked and stopped. Didn’t care much for the handle either. Overall, the parts I touched and moved felt cheap. The handle feels like it’s hollow and made of garbage plastic.

    Conversely, the Bessey revos are awesome. Handle has a quality feel to it with enough rubbery texture to grip while applying torque. The head slides easily and smoothly along the fence bar(as the OP found out, it almost slides too freely and smoothly). I think the revos look much better too.

    I ended up selling the jets for what I paid for them and bought several dozen bessey revos off a guy moving shops.
    This is how I feel as well. I still have two of the 12” Jets, but they are only placed into service after everything else has already been used.

    Clint

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Trussville, AL
    Posts
    191
    I agree, I don’t like the jets. I still have a few because frankly I just can’t afford/justify throwing away $50 clamps. But they are my last resort clamps. I just find them way too dang big and clunky. I still far and away prefer the original bessey K bodies they were big enough. I think the clamp designers now think we’re all building things from railroad ties.

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •