Made In USA Bar Clamp

[Edwin Santos]

Thanks Brian! That is solid advice!

Colton, Further to Brian's advice, as part of your market research, I wonder if a call to the buyers at some of the premium retailers he mentioned would yield some good insight. Nobody knows the discriminating woodworker market like they do, and they'd probably give you some solid feedback at no cost to you. Plus their interest is aligned with yours - those retailers don't want to stock a product that's not going to sell any more than you'd want to manufacture one that's not going to sell.

Just an idea. If you do make the rounds, I'd add Lee Valley Tools to Brian's list.

Regards,
Edwin

[Larry Edgerton]

Got pictures, drawings? The reason I ask is is I am wearing out my clamps and am thinking about new, would pay more for American IF they are any good. I can hold off for a while. I too am in the camp that like to buy the best once.

Michelin on my truck, but no Martin in my shop. One of life cruel realities.

[Colton Miller]

Once again, thank you for all of the solid advice! I cant tell you how much I appreciate it!
At this time I am prototyping a basic bar clamp. There are no extreme difference from the standard style expect for using really good components. I have all of the parts ordered to start my first set of 5 for testing. I am working on drawing/modeling a constant force bar clamp design. As in you put the clamp where you want it, flip a lever, and it will apply "x" amount of force everytime. So this would be nice when you have a row of clamps that you want to apply even pressure.
I do not want to post any of my models or drawings up until I start selling them.

[Simon MacGowen]

<p>

I do not want to post any of my models or drawings up until I start selling them.

This is what any new product maker would do, too. Even with patent protection (clones of Bencrafted products are now sold online already), you want to sell as many as you want before someone else copies yours. Simon</p>

[Curt Harms]

Fuzzy math is what's got us into this problem to begin with.

Likes this a lot, and not just for clamps or tools.

As far as F style clamps, I wonder if there isn't a market for throats deeper than 2 1/2". I know I've had to be creative when a clamp with a deeper throat would have simplified my life.

[Frederick Skelly]

Colton,
I'm glad this is getting you some useful feedback. A couple thoughts/ideas to have in mind:
* Be aware that discussing too much detail can let someone else steal/copy/update your idea. The web is open to all. Probably a small concern, but it's still prudent (IMO) to keep in the back of your mind.
* You might be able to solicit volunteers to beta test prototypes of your clamps, if you follow the site's terms of service. Barry Wixey did that a couple years back for his drill press depth gauge and several of us participated. I'd drop SMC's owner Keith Outten a note to be sure it's ok and ask how he wants to do it. But like I said, it has been done before, so there should be a way, and maybe it would help you. Several of us own different types of clamps and could do an informal comparision for you across brands.

Good luck!
Fred

[Simon MacGowen]

Likes this a lot, and not just for clamps or tools. As far as F style clamps, I wonder if there isn&#39;t a market for throats deeper than 2 1/2&quot;. I know I&#39;ve had to be creative when a clamp with a deeper throat would have simplified my life.

Deep throat f-clamps are essential in my work. These at 7&quot; or longer are my favoirties:
http://www.rockler.com/bessey-tg-pro...ies-bar-clamps
Simon

[Colton Miller]

Colton, I'm glad this is getting you some useful feedback. A couple thoughts/ideas to have in mind: * Be aware that discussing too much detail can let someone else steal/copy/update your idea. The web is open to all. Probably a small concern, but it's still prudent (IMO) to keep in the back of your mind. * You might be able to solicit volunteers to beta test prototypes of your clamps, if you follow the site's terms of service. Barry Wixey did that a couple years back for his drill press depth gauge and several of us participated. I'd drop SMC's owner Keith Outten a note to be sure it's ok and ask how he wants to do it. But like I said, it has been done before, so there should be a way, and maybe it would help you. Several of us own different types of clamps and could do an informal comparision for you across brands. Good luck! Fred

Fred,
I have two people who are willing to test out the prototypes and compare them to other clamps. I've done my best to not disclose any details that may give away the design structure of the clamp (although they are all pretty similar).
Really appreciate the advise!
Colton

[johnny means]

I often think the same thing. Chinese workers are just as capable as American workers. That being said, I think COO can be indicative of a manufacturers goals. Off-shoring often points to a price sensitive approach to manufacturing.

[Elmer Hayes]

As an amateur wood worker(retirement hobby)... My German made Bessey's are slowly being overtaken by the Chinese clamps. Every time the Germans, Scandinavians, etc, come up with some fine clamps, the Chinese copy them and all are overtaken.

The Chinese clamps now have soft grips, pads, etc.instead of wood handles held together with pins. Have now tons of HFreight China clamps and they seem to do just fine for a price of $2.09(with coupon) for the smallest clamps is hard to avoid. Remember its only a clamp!

cheers...

[Simon MacGowen]

As an amateur wood worker(retirement hobby)... My German made Bessey's are slowly being overtaken by the Chinese clamps.

cheers...

Ovetaken in two senses. One by China-made non-Bessey clamps; second, Bessey clamps made in China rather than in Germany.

My collection of clamps over time has become the United Nation.

Simon

[Larry Edgerton]

One the other hand, I have never built a house or a kitchen or a door for anyone outside of the United States. Americans hire me, and so it is my best interest to do business with people that do business with me.

[Colton Miller]

Thanks for the continued discussion!

On the topic of harbor freight clamps, I went out and bought a few for myself and there is no way I would like working with them. I feel like they are going to break at the worst possible moment and I can't take that risk when gluing up rather expensive hardwoods. There is no way I can compete with those prices. There is more to it than just a price comparison as well. My clamps will be on the upper spectrum of the price range but the cost is going to support machinists, supply businesses, and factory workers. The argument of labor practices of different countries can become a very political debate and thats not what I am after, but it is difficult not to mention it when discussing the prices of 1st world country products vs 3rd world country products.
So, onto the clamps. I recently finished up my first set of prototypes and I am very pleased with the stability and overall rigidity of the clamp. I will soon be sending them to a couple of members whom I have been in contact with for testing!

Thank you for all the advise,
Colton

[Simon MacGowen]

Thanks for the continued discussion!

On the topic of harbor freight clamps, I went out and bought a few for myself and there is no way I would like working with them. I feel like they are going to break at the worst possible moment and I can't take that risk when gluing up rather expensive hardwoods.
Colton

I have half a dozen to a dozen of F-style clamps from HF and they never break (themselves or the builds they were used on). They aren't anything better or worse than the other F-style clamps I have that are $5 to $10 more expensive each. As clamps, they do what they are supposed to, despite their very competitive prices.

But I don't know what HF clamps you were referring to.

If you were talking about the HF imported aluminum bar clamps, then yes. They are no match to the U.S. made Dubuque clamps of which I have a decent collection.

Simon

[Robert Hannon]

This is just my .02 but if you want to get into an already established market you need to do something new. Quality will certainly make or break you in the long run, but it alone is not gonna get you in the door.

What would I personally buy?
When it comes to small clamps I buy cheap. HF F style clamps are fine for what they are used for. What would get me to pay more for them? If they did more. If it was a clamp that I could also use in dog holes, or a welding table, or the groove in a tracksaw, then I would pay more for something that was more flexible. If I need something with a lot of force or a long reach then I am probably going to make something myself, but I would buy something that made a DIY clamp easier and faster. Say something that used EMT or strut. Something that had an advantage over pipe clamps either in weight or in space required.

Stores like Harbor Freight have opened up a lot of DIY interest that financially people probably would not have explored before. As such there are more people getting feet wet with woodworking, metalworking, etc. There are three things that every maker I know shares a lack of. Time, Money, and Space. Competing with overseas labor for price is going to be hard so come up with something that saves us time or space and you will grab peoples attention.