Pipe Clamp Users Questions...

[Derek Arita]

I've never used pipe clamps, but I'd like to give them a try. I've seen the Bessey 3/4", but I was hoping to get them for less than the going rate of about $13/set. I know places like HF have their own, along with others and at a better price. Are there any good pipe clamps at a good price? Do they work as well as K clamps, on things like panels?

[Charles Lent]

My experience with clamps is...You Get What You Pay For. Better clamps cost more and work better.

My pipe clamps are all Jorgensen, except for two. The Jorgensen have a tail piece design that grips well in any location on the pipe. The two Chinese made pipe clamps that I have do not. The crank end of both are very similar in design and work well. It's the tail piece that doesn't work well on the cheap clamps.

I rarely use pipe clamps any more, but probably have about 30 of them in different lengths. I have gone to buying mostly Bessey parallel clamps now.

Charley

[Jim Becker]

Pipe clamps are relatively inexpensive, even at "name brand" price, provide excellent pressure and are adaptable to many situations, including "really long" merely by changing out the pipe for something longer if necessary. They do not, however, maintain a "parallel" jaw orientation like the much more expensive parallel clamps do. That's not a horrible thing and isn't generally going to affect things like panel glue ups. I believe everyone should have a few pipe clamps for the versatility. I don't use mine very often, but they do serve a role for special needs and when I run out of the parallel clamps that I personally prefer.

[Dave Cav]

I have probably close to 50 pipe clamps from 24 up to about 80" long. Jorgys, Craftsman, no name, Harbor Freight. They all work, more or less. The sliding end is the part you'll have trouble with. On older clamps they use a trigger mechanism with a cam that digs into the pipe. These beat up the pipe and sometimes need a tap from a hammer to release. The plate clutch type (Jorgenson, HF, others) are generally more reliable, but sometimes you get a bad one that slips. When that happens (always on imported clamps) I just throw that end away and move on. The threaded ends never seem to cause problems. Longer clamps will tend to bow the pipe, and as mentioned above, throw the jaws out of parallel. I address this by putting the same number of clamps on each side of the panel. Works fine. If you're going to put together a bunch of clamps, try to find a metal salvage yard and buy the pipe for scrap prices. MUCH cheaper than retail, but you'll still have to get one end threaded.

Finished shop Aug 17 (17).jpg

I've since rearranged the racks a bit to accommodate the 80" clamps I needed for a door project.

[Keith Hankins]

I have a ton of clams. Lots of pipe clamps, and they have their purpose. I use for panel glue ups and I going to say, the besseys are the best. I had some cheapies, and once I got my bessey, never looked back. Use to visit my local woodcraft once a month to pick up a set for 15 bucks. Got a good collection now. The design and how they hold up is just the tops. Don't settle or you will regret.

[Robert Hazelwood]

I have some of the 3/4" Besseys and they are ok. My only real gripe is the sliding piece likes to stick in place after tightening. So when you want to release the clamp and move it to something else you often have to set it down and whack the plates in the sliding end with a hammer to release. Once released it adjusts fine until the next time it is tightened. I suppose this is better than having the moving end slip under pressure, but it makes a clamp that is already a bit cumbersome to use (due to weight and size) even more so.

[John Gornall]

For smaller clamping I like the 1/2" pipe clamps. I buy a 4 ft pipe and cut it half to make 2 - 20" clamps. Small, light, and easy to handle.

[Doug Garson]

A tip for pipe clamps, thread both ends of the pipe and pick up a few pipe couplings. When you need a longer clamp just couple 2 or 3 pipes together to get the length you need. Also painters tape on the pipe can prevent staining of the workpiece caused by the glue and steel reacting.

[Ben Rivel]

Like Jim said they are good to keep around. I think I have about a dozen or so of the Bessey brand ones. Those are the only Ive ever used.

[Frank Drew]

Put me down ditto to what Jim Becker and others have said; there are some situations where pipe clamps are very useful but for panel glue ups I prefer Bessey and similar parallel clamps that don't lift the work when pressure is applied.

[Lee Schierer]

I have predominately pipe clamps. Some of mine are craftsman and others are a different brand. They all work pretty well. When you apply lots of pressure the pipes will bow so I alternate the clamps on each side of a glue up. I have several lengths of pipe and also pipe couplings that allow me to make really long clamps. I've used these to bring a deck into square and other uses. Most of my pipes are black iron, though a few are galvanized. I've never had a problem with pawl type clamps slipping on the galvanized pipe.

[glenn bradley]

I've never used pipe clamps, but I'd like to give them a try. I've seen the Bessey 3/4", but I was hoping to get them for less than the going rate of about $13/set.

That s already a great price for a clamp that is as long as the pipe you put it on. I have 3/4" Jorgies. I added stands to make operating the handle easier if the clamps are setting on a surface. Handle clearance seems the first thing to go in the design of the cheaper clones.

Pipe Clamp Cauls (7).jpgPipe Clamp Cauls (8).jpg

If I had to do it again I would just pay a little more for the Bessey "H" series or the Rockler "sure foot" or whatever they call theirs.

I know places like HF have their own, along with others and at a better price. Are there any good pipe clamps at a good price?

I bought mine as a pack of 12. Check sources for quantity discounts but, any decent clamp for $15 is already a good buy IMHO.

Do they work as well as K clamps, on things like panels?

Of course not. Do you think we would have all paid what we paid for quality parallel clamps if pipe clamps did the job.

P,s, I have run galvanized pipe for many years and enjoy not having the mess from black pipe. Some people reported slipping with galvo but, I have never experienced it. Pipe clamps longer than a few feet will flex more and more the longer they get. The good news is that if your parts fit together well they will reach adequate clamping pressure pretty quickly.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Instead of couplers from plumbing dept, go over to electrical dept and pick up the ones for rigid conduit. Much nicer and cheaper to boot. I coat my pipe with water based varnish to solve the black stain problem. A trick I learned from a magazine years ago is to put a section of dowel between clamp face and work. Keeps down problems with faces not being parallel.

[Bill Dufour]

The cheap clamps have a one piece toggle clamp on the movable end. The better clamps have a multiplate clutch. No guarantee the multiplate will be good but the toggle type will never be good.
Bill D.

[Robert Engel]

Personal preference, but I used galvanized for years and had several pipes that became galled and I had too much trouble with slipping so I switched to black iron pipe.

Once you get the oily coating cleaned off, they're not that messy.

I would comment that iron pipe + clamps are not that cheap. You can easily have >$35 in one clamp.

FWIW those aluminum HF bar clamps are useable with a couple modifications: file the corner of the slides and add a strip of hardwood to the inside of the bar, remove the sliding handles and replace with a shorter one. I made mine of all thread and a couple apron nuts.

Every once in a while they will come up on Craigslist.

I would give the HF a try, but don't expect much I suspect they are made of cheap steel.