Clamp advice (everybody loves to talk about clamps...) :)

[Mike King]

So, I've been frequenting Anderson Ranch in the summer/fall over the past 2 years, and the experience has been both stimulating and acquisitive. I'm in lust of the deep 10, 12, 14, and deeper f clamps that they have. It's almost impossible to find such deep clamps -- it seems that the industrial world has regelated these specimens to the dust heap of advancement. Also, the bar clamps -- Jorgeson 2 inch i-beam bar clamps. These beauties would turn the head of any serious woodworker.

All of this brings up the question of why some currently solvent clamp manufacturer isn't making this stuff? It isn't rocket science...

Mike

[Jim Becker]

Mike, I suspect that a big part of the answer to your question is "the market" for adding "new" products. There are a lot less folks doing "manual manufacturing" these days, so the actual demand for things like the deep clamps you describe is likely small. Even if a company can acquire the tooling from a defunct producer, there's still substantial start-up cost to get things on the market. And specialty items like that are not going to be featured in the home center tool section, so "where to sell" also comes into play, albeit online is a very valid place for that at this point.

That said, I absolutely agree with you about the usefulness of those really deep clamps and if I saw some come available somewhere, I'd try and grab them in a split second, even if heavily used and in need of some tender, loving care...

[phil harold]

Those deep reach clamps are available
The question is are they worth $100 plus

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...&condition=new

[Mike King]

Yea, there are those, but the size of the screw is small compared to the old clamps. A larger diameter screw generates far more force...

[Carl Beckett]

Thanks for all the ideas, great comments!

Maybe I should give parallel clamps another try with a different brand.

And several styles I hadnt seen before, worth trying out some of those.

And some realistic expectations on price (dang expensive, and limited sales) reinforces the idea they could make good gift material.

And a reinforcement to the idea that, yes, for sure, clearly I need more clamps...

[Peter Christensen]

At one time there were accessory jaws to fit pipe clamps to extend the jaws to 7 1/2" deep. They were called Mastodon Jaws and were made of aluminium. I bought 4 sets and every once in a while they prove to be very useful. If you come across any grab them. Mastodon went out of business so the only ones you'll find are used.

[Roger Floyd]

It’s amazing how one can learn from this community on even the simplest subject. I wish I had known about the Harbor Freight F clamps before I bought a whole bunch of the short light weight Bessey F clamps when they were on sale at Home Depot. I was expecting decent quality from Bessey but at least half of them can’t clamp anything at all as the clutches slip under the lightest of pressure. It looks like the serrated edge of the bar is too smooth even though I have old Jorgensen F clamps that have smooth bars and hold well.
I’ll add my two cents on the parallel clamp subject. I have both Jets and Bessey K bodies. While I prefer the trigger on the Jets they do have a lot of small machine screws that hold them together and over the years a few of them have fallen out and been lost. Does Jet sell a rebuild kit?

[Carl Beckett]

Flyer in the mail today informed me these Bora clamps are on sale at Woodcraft:

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/b...-and-31in-bora

[Van Huskey]

While I prefer the trigger on the Jets they do have a lot of small machine screws that hold them together and over the years a few of them have fallen out and been lost. Does Jet sell a rebuild kit?

I have never tried to use it but they do have a lifetime warranty.

[Mark Wooden]

For the OP-
I don't have any real advice on the current clamps out there beyond Bessey F style; they're the last I've purchased from a current manufacturer and that was probably 10 years ago. I find them to be good tools. All the rest of my clamps are Hartford, Cincinnati Tool Hargraves, Jorgensen I beam, flatbar sash and F styles both light and heavy, Taylor and Wetzler. All good, heavy, American made iron and steel clamps, collected over a period of years. If you can find them at auction or yard sales- buy them.
But the main reason I'm replying here is you mentioned rust spots on your glue ups. Simple fix- get some paraffin wax (Gulf Wax is one brand, in the canning section) at the grocery store and rub the contact surface of the clamp. Rust will be greatly reduced if not eliminated and glue won't stick to them. Just don't put a glue up in front of a more than room temperature heat source;if the wax melts into the wood surface, it can be a PIA to remove- DAMHIKT

[Mike Heidrick]

Just get a jlt panel rack.

Bessey revos were $35 for 24" and $40 for 50" on homedepot.com .

If you want a cheaper deeper f clamp, check out Menard's masterforce 24" and 36" ones.

I really am a fan of clamps.

[Ron Selzer]

I have started collecting universal bar clamps, light weight, strong and don't rust or mark the wood
have 2 of each size up to 8 of 24", will buy more as money allows
pipe clamps and I beam clamps stay on the rack now, too heavy for most work
https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/...tem/MS-ABAR.XX

[Carl Beckett]

Jet on sale here (looks like the last day?):

https://www.rockler.com/jetreg-paral...arallel-clamps

[Brent Malwicks]

Hah, you're right, we love to talk about clamps. Surely most woodworkers love a good parallel clamp as much as I do, but getting the right one may be a problem. Here are my favorites:

- Yost Tools Steel Parallel Clamp
- REVO Fixed Jaw Parallel Clamp 24"
- Yost K5024
- Bessey KR3.524 Fixed Jaw Parallel Clamp

I hope this helps.

[Dave Sabo]

They are harder to come by these days...HD stopped selling them around here...and I like them for certain finishing things.

Saw this a bit late Jim, but Ace carries them around me and Amazon will deliver a box to your door.