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Thread: Parallel Clamps

  1. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jacob Atwell View Post
    Looks like shipping from the grizzly sale is $15.99. Kind of makes me want to keep looking.

    You need to look at the total to get them in your hands and not be swayed by a shipping cost. The $16 may be a deal killer but, I have missed out on deals by not taking the total cost to my door into account as opposed to the individual price, tax or shipping as a barometer.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


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  2. #47
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    I think I have owned just about every brand parallel clamp.
    The Yost heavy duty are superb clamps, by far the MOST pressure applied with hand use only, easy 1200 psi due to the pivoting handle! ONLY on the HDuty version.

    But overall, the latest Bessey REvos have sooooo many benefits in this latest version, IMO, its the KING of parallel comps today...read their web site for features! Using the clamp extenders makes them more versatile, allowing the hobbyist to buy less clamps and yet still have some long clamps available by joining them when required. And, the REvos allow you to insert a 6mm allen socket into the rear of the handle to tighten after hand strength is exhausted. This is the cats meow. Allows fast and easy max tight without ripping the skin off your hands trying to tighten the handle. You can quickly get to 1500 psi with 1/2 turn with ratchet handle, super fast. AFter all day in the shop, handling wood, hand planning, etc, my hands and fingers can get a bit tired and sore... love the socket wrench to do the heavy lifting on the last bit of tightening.

    Why does max psi matter? If your goal is a certain psi at the joint, say 100-200 psi, as Titebond recommends...well, you need half as many 1400 psi clamps vs 700 psi clamps. Not only might you need less clamps to buy, you often need less clamps for a glue up, and we all know, time matters when gluing up. Much of the other brands, including the wood handle K body Bessesy, at avg strength can only achieve about 500-700 psi. The only exception I found to this is the Yellow Stanley Bailey parallel clamps which are no longer made, they were exceptional for hand force, easy 1200 psi, luckily I found a few of those and consider them prized clamps. Most of the wood handled Jorgy parallel clamps could only achieve about 500psi max, very strange, as they make high quality clamps. Pls keep in mind, I dont test these every year, new models come out. I think a ww magazine did a similar test on these and published their results... they were similar to mine.

    you got some other good input for other considerations for your decision... and yes, you can catch some sales even on the new Revos which make them more competitive... Of course, what you need in a clamp, depends much on the type of work you do. Heavy duty Parallel clamps are quite versatile, but might be overkill if you are working with very thin material, such as 1/2" thick or less. If you glue up 3/4" or more, than heavy duty parallel clamps are a great clamp...and, they are the jack of all trades, making easy work of more complex glue ups due to their long jaws vs. bar clamps. BTW, the small bar clamps, while they look ideal for panel glue ups achieve 300-500 psi.

    Below is Stanley Bailey and Revo jr., both tightened to max by myself... slightly above avg. strength.

    103632192.MaIJCAWA.jpg103632137.d08SVRnX.jpg

  3. #48
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    I have a mix of the brands you mentioned but my favorite for the past several years, has been the JETs..
    I like the solid clamping mechanism compared to the competition...The Besseys are excellent as are the Jorgensens but I now choose a Jet whenever I can..
    Jerry

  4. #49
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    I had prob had 20 Jet clamps...
    they weigh a ton, built like a tank...
    but my two issues were...
    the pressure they could achieve was poor, 500psi max.
    this demonstrates how critical the design and finish of the acme screw n mating threads.
    the plastic handles were hollow, many got damaged.
    Could not get a good bite on the handles, same true with the older wooden handle K Body Revos...
    wrapped both with tennis over grip which helped a lot.
    If you are not really strong, and do a lot of glue ups, beware of the weight of the Jets!

  5. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    Cleaning off dried glue with acetone makes a big difference in this respect, no matter what the brand...
    Just cleaned them, Jim. Thanks.

    The acetone didn't take off all the old glue (and I needed to do some scraping and rubbing with abrasive pads) but the clamps look (and hopefully work) much better now. Most of the glue came off, which I had never done before. Great tip.
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  6. #51
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    Yes, the acetone isn't a panacea, but it does help to dislodge the glue off the metal bars so scraping, etc., is more effective.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  7. #52
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    To throw another variable in, I was watching a Tom McLaughlin video and he was touting the virtues of Ibeam clamps vs parallel clamps. Wondering what opinions/experience folks have on those?

  8. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Kees View Post
    My happiest experience with parallel clamps was the day that someone paid me what I had spent to buy them and hauled them away. I had ten of the original Jorgesons and tried to like them and use them for about 8 years. Never happened. Now I have about 40 Pony pipe clamps with heavy black pipe that do what clamps are supposed to do without being bulky and expensive. Not trying to change the world here,just my experience. YMMV

    2nd that. I have one Jorgensen Cabinet Master left that was hiding behind a stack of wood when I got rid of the others. Hasn't moved in a couple of years. Just sayin...........
    Stand for something, or you'll fall for anything.

  9. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phil Mueller View Post
    To throw another variable in, I was watching a Tom McLaughlin video and he was touting the virtues of Ibeam clamps vs parallel clamps. Wondering what opinions/experience folks have on those?

    I work in a custom metal fab shop. We use pipe clamps primarily, but have since got some I-beam clamps to try. Jorgenson, Bessey and wilton. The Besseys seem to have the least deflection (all are 96" clamps). In full disclosure, I work with animals that do DUMB stuff with clamps. A pipe clamp is used to draw something together or adjust corner to corner squareness. They are not to be used with a cheater bar to gain pressure, there are other tools suited better for that need.

  10. #55
    I have mostly Jorgenson Cabinet Maker clamps. And a half dozen Bessys including one Revo Jr. The Revo Jr is nice and light and clamps good. I'm not a fan of the rubber handles though. Everything rubber seems to get sticky one day. (Maybe not these I hope).

    So I note that the Jorgenson don't have the ribs/notches that the Bessys do, and they are definitely heavier. But what is it specifically about them that folks don't like? I have one that an interior "washer" kept popping out on. But otherwise I can't say I had complaints.

  11. #56
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    Feb 2003
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    As far as glue on the bars, I put masking tape on the bar wherever there are glue joints to the extent possible. To remove glue from anything metal I have a brass brush on a powered arbor, kind of like a grinder with a brush instead of a stone. Wearing glasses goes without saying.

  12. #57
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    Apr 2008
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    Provo, UT
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    I had four (3 now-one broke) cabinet master clamps and several jorgensen f-style clamps. The biggest problem I have with jorgensen clamps is that if you tighten them to the upper end of their clamping power, the plastic they use leaves an oily spot pushed into the wood behind. It is impossible to get it out. All of my jorgensen clamps are on their way out of my shop. I hate every one of them.

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