thinking about getting different clamps

[justin sherriff]

I have 8 Jorgensen parallel clamps (4-24 4-36)
Thinking about selling them and getting Dubuque Aluminum clamps. I have some of the harbor freight knockoffs and like them. I like to use the HF clamps more mostly because they are much lighter weight.
So do you think I will be kicking myself for not having the parallel clamps some day.

[Matt Day]

Keep them and buy more. Never sell clamps!

[Ron Selzer]

keep what you have and buy only Dubuque Aluminum from here out.
Can't have too many clamps. I started with pipe clamps , then Jorgenson bar clamps, other steel bar clamps and still have all of them and use them every once in awhile.
Dubuque is the only bar clamp I will buy now since I found them. Highly recommend two of each size to start then fill your collection out.
Have 8 24", 4 36", 2 48", 2 60" and 2 72", probably will buy 4 36" next, then 2-48", 2-60", 2-72", then 4 24", and 2 36"
always seem to use all the 24", sometimes 36" and 72", rarely the 48" and 60"
Do some shopping around and pay close attention to shipping prices as the cheapest selling price is rarely the cheapest total price to your door.
Good luck

Ron

[Steve Eure]

Not trying to high jack this thread, but I have a good amount of Rockler's aluminum bar clamps and do like them. A few have problems retracting/binding, not not too aggravating. Anyone have any comparison to the Dubuque's and Rockler's? Pro's and con's?

[George Waldner]

The Dubuques are great clamps. So much better than Harbor Freight. Made in USA. Check out Coastal Tool online for the best prices.

[Jim Becker]

No way would I ever sell those parallel clamps...keep them for when they might be the best choice or when extra clamps suddenly are needed. Buy a few of the type you want to try and actually test them with the work you do before you invest heavily.

[Robert Mayer]

I use my Bessey K-body clamps a huge majority of the time except for small stuff. There is nothing worse than having a gap during a glue up that a cheap clamp cannot close up. Or having a cheap metal clamp put a big dent in your finished wood.

[David M Peters]

If only had bar clamps I'd miss the longer throat depth of parallel-style clamps. Bessey's Uniklamp offers a nice compromise between weight and that depth of reach.

[Brad Rucker]

I have a (probably not very popular) opinion on Bessey K-clamps - I hate mine. Unfortunately, they were the clamps that I bought when first getting back into the hobby and I have around a dozen of them ranging from 48 to 60 inches. WAY too much money in them to replace them now. Especially with prices spirally upwards.

But several years after buying the Besseys, I took a chance and bought a few Jet parallel clamps. Absolutely loved them and bought a bunch more.

For me, the Bessey system of tilting the handle to tighten the clamp just never works well. I end up tilting it the wrong way, having to back it back out, then tilting it the correct way and finally getting it in place. Yes - pure user error. But with the Jets, the trigger allows me to get them close and then I just tighten the handle. No worries about tilting.

I wish all my Besseys would magically transform into Jets. And I'll repeat - I do not expect this to be a majority opinion.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Or having a cheap metal clamp put a big dent in your finished wood.

This is it!

Keep your PJ clamps.
Another minority, I like my Jet clamps too. They don't fall closed and smash your fingers. Yeah, operator error.

[Mike Kees]

I had the same Jorgeson parallel Clamps and hated them as well. Sold mine for almost exactly what I paid for them originally and have not regreted the decision once. I use pony pipe clamps for my larger clamping needs. I have about 45-50 of them and they get used all the time.

[Phillip Mitchell]

This has been on my mind lately as well.

I actually like the older style Bessey parallel clamps (all red, not quite as heavy, wooden handle) way better than the REVO ones sold now. The shop I apprenticed in had the old Besseys and Pony pipe clamps, so that’s what I learned on. I have (2) 24” and (2) 40” REVO in a package deal from when I first got started woodworking and still use them because I have them, but they frustrate me about as much as they please me. Maybe I should sell them on eBay for more than they go for new as that’s the trend I’ve been seeing lately

I just ordered 4 of the 24” Uniklamps ($23 each on Amazon) and 4 Dubuque 48” from Klingspor ($35 each!) so we’ll see how those play with the others.

I always look out for clamps on the used market while I search for a myriad of other tools and very rarely see them and when I do they are usually approaching new prices for used clamps...

I like pipe clamps as well, but you do have to be more careful with them and protect your work from the black pipe. I have some blue Rockler ones that I like because of the wide feet on them but just started slipping...must be the pipe hopefully?

Anybody out there regional to me wants to sell their nice supply of older Besseys, shoot me a message!

[Scott Winners]

WAY too much money in them

Exactly. My primary clamps for panel glue ups are some predilled 2x6 at 24, 48 and 72 inch length and some half inch all thread 36" long with fender washers, washers and nuts.

It seems to me the more I spend on clamps the faster I can close them. With my predrilled 2x6 and all thread I have maybe $150 tied up in clamps. I do have socket and ratchet wrench and a crescent wrench to tighten up the nuts on the all thread not included in that price.

One thing I learned from boat building was to do a dry lay up and dry clamp up before getting the glue out, then apply the glue, lay it up again and clamp it up again.

My system is not 'fast', but I can reach up to 33x72 inches and clamp the snot out of it. I remember having to buy 72" inch all thread at the homestore and loading it in my cart. I was walking tall past the tool corral with the more expensive clamps on my way to the cash register. I have a hack saw and a vise and the tap and die tooling, no problemo to cut the all thread down to 36 inches.

If I was doing a bunch of wide panel glue-ups, like a pro cabinet shop, it would make sense to buy a bunch of long expensive QR clamps. My 2x6 is predrilled (5/8) for 6/4 stock and I got plywood scrap to toss into the mix when glueing up 4/4 stock to keep my product flat.

I do have a five gallon bucket full of various smaller clamps, maybe two buckets. The first clamp of mine sold will be at my estate sale after I cast off this mortal coil.

[Mike Heidrick]

I own, along with others, both your Jorgy Cabinet Masters and Dubuque alum bar clamps. Def not the same clamp.

[Doug Colombo]

Although I like my Bessey’s, I love my Jet clamps a bit more.