Pipe Clamps: Harbor Freight or Grizzly brand???

[Clarence Martinn]

Which one is better? Looking at both the 1/2 inch and 3/4 Inch Pipe clamps.

[Ron Citerone]

I would check out CL or Facebook marketplace to see if anyone is selling old pony pipe clamps. They were good. Maybe you get lucky and find some close to you.

[Randy Heinemann]

I don't know what the price difference is, but I have never found that any by Pony pipe clamp fixtures are any good. Also, stick with the 3/4" fixtures. the 1/2" are not great.

[Jim Becker]

Honestly...I doubt you'll find much difference between brands/colors these days on "new" pipe clamp sets. If for some reason you find the wedges slipping on your selection, return them. I agree with sticking to 3/4" and recommend black pipe for this application. (Clean it thoroughly before use)

[glenn bradley]

Just an alternate view on Pony's. I have a dozen 3/4" Jorgensen pipe clamps that I have used for 20 years without issue. Obviously they are from when Jorgensen made them.

[Charles Lent]

Yes, stick with 3/4" clamps and clean black pipe. The 1/2" clamps are pretty worthless. The galvanizing will cause considerable slipping. The black coating does not affect the clamping, and it prevents rusting well too. Also, look at the pipe grip that's located on the tail end of the Pony clamps (3 pieces of steel in an angled slot with a hole in the center of each for the pipe). They hold very well and do not slip on black pipe. Look for this or a close design on any other pipe clamps that you are considering. The imported clamps with style with the toothed gripping does not hold well at all. A good feature to have is the foot that keeps the clamp from falling over when it is laid on the bench is worth having, but not absolutely necessary. My pipe clamps do not have these feet. I drilled holes down the center of a 2 X 4 about 2" apart. Then ripped the 2 X 4 down the center through the holes so that I had 2 strips with 1/2 round holes. I place these on the bench and then place my pipe clamps in the 1/2 round holes with the jaws facing upward. With these, I don't need the special foot on the pipe clamps to keep them from falling over. Having pairs of several lengths of pipe will let you change the pipe when a different length clamp is needed. A long clamp for a small project is very inconvenient. Having a few pipe couplings allows you to make longer clamps from several lengths of pipe. You won't need them often, but for very long glue-ups they will be worth having. Since clamps are used in pairs most of the time, 2 of everything would be my best suggestion. Start with 2 clamps of your choice and 2 twelve inch long pipes, 2 twenty four inch pipes, and 2 pipe couplings. Then expand your collection from there, as needs arise and money allows.

BTW, my Pony 3/4" pipe clamps aren't used much any more, since I bought a bunch of Bessey Parallel Clamps. Pipe clamps are cheaper, but having perfectly parallel jaws is well worth the extra money.

Charley

[Michael J Evans]

I tried a harbor freight 8 ish years ago and could not get them to hold on the pipe. They always slipped. I even removed the paint off the dog and no bueno.

Luckily I found a antique dealer who sells any and all of his pipe clamps for $5 regardless of length. So once every couple months I stop in and get a few in varying sizes.

[Mike Kees]

I have about 45 pipe clamps at my shop. About half older pony and the other half new pony all 3/4'' on black heavy wall pipe. I would not trade them straight across for parallel clamps . Pipe clamps exert more pressure, are lighter and easier to use and it is far easier to pay for them. I know I am" swimming against the current" here on SMC but I just don't care. I had and tried mightily to use and like 10 Jorgesson parallel clamps for about 8 years. They ended up collecting dust hanging on the wall when time after time I glued up with pipe clamps. They only got used as a last resort if I ran out of other clamps. Eventually I sold them for exactly what I had paid for them ,then did my happy dance. YMMV but for me Pony pipe clamps rule.

[BOB OLINGER]

I like pipe clamps as they are more budget friendly and very strong. I recently tried some 1/2" HF pipe clamps. The tooth-style holding feature didn't hold (on any of them), so I took them back and will stick with 3/4". The 3/4" HF seem to work for me.

[John Gornall]

I bought Pony pipe clamps about 40 years ago, they work well. I bought parallel clamps a few years ago, don't use them much, prefer pipe clamps. I use a lot of 1/2" pipe clamps, small clamps for small jobs. I buy a 36" pipe nipple and cut it in half for 2 - 18" clamps. The Pony 1/2" clamps have a sliding round bar handle rather than a cast, fixed handle which helps when using many clamps close together where handles get in the way of each other.

[Ron Citerone]

I have both “Old” pony clamps and newer parallel clamps from rockler and have access to Bessey Parallel at my club. Parallel are nice for straight forward glue ups, but IMO, mostly i use the ponies. I have had bad luck with slipping on pipe clamps that weren’t pony and that is why I suggested to the OP that looking for some used ponies might be worth a shot.

[Charles Lent]

Mike, Just because I mentioned that I have gone to parallel clamps, all of my pipe clamps are still here, because there are times when a parallel clamp isn't long enough or strong enough. But don't become convinced that high pressure clamping is best. Doing this squeezes too much glue out of the joint and weakens it. When I'm applying high pressure to a clamp, I'm forcing something together, not gluing it. Moderate pressure sufficient to keep the joint from moving while the glue is setting up, is the correct clamp pressure. Most clamps on the market are strong enough to do this.

Charley

[Mike Henderson]

I have a bunch of 3/4 inch pile clamps and never had any problems with them on galvanized pipe. I would recommend the pipe clamps with the foot on them. They're easier to use than the ones without the feet.

Mike

[Andy D Jones]

Among the gone-on-to-better-bar-clamps users, I use the Dubuque Clamp Works brand Universal aluminum bar clamps. They are much lighter and easier to handle one-handed, and plenty strong enough to do the job, without as much bowing. They are still made in USA, with thick-section extruded bars. The screw action is very smooth.

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[Mike Kees]

Charlie don't worry I do not put too much pressure on glue ups. I should have said that I find it easier to exert more pressure with pipe clamps when I need it. All good, everyone has their favorite clamps. I really like and use hand screw clamps a lot in my shop ,that probably makes me an oddball to most. But as posted earlier I do not go through life worried about what others think, I just use what works for me.