The Bessey clamps you mentioned, I bought a few sets of the ones you showed and a set of the smaller F clamps. I've been using them for a year and am very pleased with them, none of the issues with these that you saw with the HF F clamps. Great channel, thanks for the work you put into it!
I think I will get a few half-inch pipe clamps (you kinda hammered that idea home). Jay's Custom Creations sent a set of Irwins to me and I use them a lot. Thanks!
Thanks Jay, Just bought a house with a nice garage for a workshop after traveling/living in a motorhome for a few years. Now starting the process of setting up the workshop and I really appreciate your advice on tool and equipment selection.
I needed some additional clamps and bought a few of those HF quick release clamps, Broke right away. Took them back and got the screw style like you have. They are holding up for now but the bars bend easily. I hate when frustrating tools get in the way of a project.
Great Video Jay. I agree cleaning glue off a clamp is a pain I have started putting blue painters tape on the clamps Bar it saves a lot of time cleaning.
I have those 6" Bessey F-style clamps from that exact package. I got them about a year ago and I consistently reach for them over most any other clamp when I don't need the long reach. I think they go on sale every year after Christmas until they sell out. I highly support your decision to purchase them.
I had posted on your wall about the Bessey clamps during Christmas. One thing about the Bessey is the smaller wooded handle is not as comfortable when tightening over the HF models. They Bessey's were definitely more heavy duty though. I bought several of the spring clamps from HD for 99 cents each long ago. They have a very high spring pressure compared to others I have used.
I work at home Depot and I'm a woodworker. So I play with all the new clamps that come in at the (orange) big box store. But I just wanted to say that the DeWalt quick clamps are really good clamps I bought one at a yard sale that was 5 years old. And I've been using it for a year and it's still strong and not broken. Lol
Well that clears up some of my questions. I have been on the fence on which clamps to buy think I will go with 1/2 pipe clamps and the aluminum bar clamps. I have seen where the aluminum bar clamps can be improved with a piece of wood in the tubing to stiffen them up and pads for a better clamping face.
I have some F clamps that don't have spring loaded latches to lock the moveable jaw. They rely on pressure to keep the position locked. I do not recommend this type of clamp. That jaw moves on you, especially when you only have one hand free. Thanks for the candid opinions and for keeping an open mind. Keep up the great work. Watching your videos is like spending time with a good friend. You often don't care what the subject is and you always look forward to the next time you "meet".
Jay I really enjoy all that you do!! Love the Sketchup vids of projects, then the project vid itself. Tool talk vids are awesome too. You're doing a good job sir and I'm glad you're sharing. Glad sponsors have taken notice over the years too. Keep doing what you do because you're doing an awesome job at it!! Hope the upcoming convention is awesome for you! Sounds fun!
Thanks Jay. A good overview of your clamp collection. I have found that a few 6" quick clamps are very handy - from small parts glue ups to safety on router table (small parts). I have a couple 3/4" pipe clamps that I've used on 8' panels. P.S. my nearest HF store is only 170 miles away, 30 minutes isn't bad.
I have broke every kind of "quick grip" clamp except for the Irwin brand. Those are by far the best "quick grip" style clamps I have used. The Bessy clamps are awesome clamps. I also purchased the 6 pack, and they are awesome. I also have some 4 inch clamps that are Bessy as well and I really like those also. The harbor freight clamps I have some of the longer ones, and yes the bars do bend and the screw is out of place on some of them as well, but with them being so cheap, I don't mind buying them. Great video Jay! As always.
Yep! I bought three 6 packs of the Bessy F style during Christmas. They work very well. I also spent about an hour trying to explain to my wife why I needed so many. :)
Jay you need to move to Jersey so you are close by when you are giving away thing locally......lol. Nice update on the clamps, i agree with you on the HF ones, I bought a bunch of the Bessey ones during Christmas time last year and this year. I will most likely be giving my HF ones away too.
Good reivew, Jay. Appreciate the info on the pros/cons you experience with those clamps. Your 200K 'friends' must have bought all of HD's stock of the 6-piece Bessey clamps - they are out of stock online. Shockingly, a bunch have just hit Ebay and Amazon for around $30-35. Always enjoy your insight of the tools you use. Much appreciated!
These clamps used to be in a seasonal "flex" area that was just recently taken down. If your store says that they have some online, the count should be pretty accurate (they just did their yearly physical inventory), but they may be hard to find. I found mine this morning in a shrink-wrapped pallet near the door to the loading dock. It was just about to be put out into their end-cap clearance shelves.
SIngle Take! Awesome. Totally agree about the glue on the parallel (K-body) clamps being a pain. But I just love the big, flat, PARALLEL, heads on my clamps and reach for them first. I've never tried 1/2" pipe clamp -- had some 3/4" ones and I found that they slip, and the heads are so totally non-parallel that they drove me nuts.
Hi Jay. Thanks for this usefull review. About the Bessey just have to wax the clamps once and it will be ok with any glue drop. You're right the Kbody are insanely expensive especialy here in EC. My favourite clamps are the cheapest version from Bessey called the Uniklamp. Their clamp pressure is pretty enough and they are limited in lenght 12" or 600mm. I've got 8 of them and planed to buy 8 more. Through they are IMHO the best value for money. If you've got an oportunity to test them out don't miss the chance. About aluminium clamps you probably notice they twist and bend easily. I found that fill them with wood just transfigure them into great clamps without adding them too much weight. You should try and tell us about this easy upgrade. Cya
I never tried the kreg style clamps. With the big handle on one end, and the bar sticking out the other, they strike me as very awkward. I often apply clamps in a vertical position, with t he project resting on the non moving part. That just wouldn't work with the kreg clamps. Things stiking out both sides of the clamp seems very awkward.
If you get your pipe threaded on both sides they also make a coupling that allows you to screw two pipes together and extend the length of the clamp without having a long pipe dedicated to longer clamping needs. You would just move the sliding portion of the clamp to the other pipe.
Great review Jay! I have some of the aluminum bar clamps from Harbor Freight and they do bend some when tightening down. I cannot remember who posted the video improving these clamps but they cut a piece of hard wood that slipped into the aluminum bar track snugly and it did stiffen up the clamp. I am going to do that with mine to see if it will work for me.
I won some Bessey clamps during their 12 days of Christmas. I haven't used them for an actual project yet but I messed around with them. I like them. I still like my Harbor Freight clamps. I haven't had any issues with them yet. But if I do... 45 minute drive to trade them out. I've been lucky enough to find some nice used clamps at the local flea market. Wish I lived closer... I'd love some of those clamps! And I appreciate your honest opinions about the tools you use (Kreg clamps and everything else). I did try to get on Home Depot to get some of those 6". They were only available in store and none at my local stores. :( Thanks for sharing as always!
90% percent of the clamps in my tool trailer are Irwin clamps. Everything from basic 6" squeeze clamps to 24" 600lb rated (large grip) squeeze clamps. For most onsite wood working projects, the 300lb rated 12" squeeze clamps are my go to. The 600lb rated clamps are good for instances such as squeezing some curvy LVLs together. However, Irwin's plastic face clamps were not worth the money. You had mentioned previously that you couldn't justify the Festool clamps, and with good reason--they're down right expensive. Well, I splurged and picked up a pair of the screw clamps and I was extremely happy with the purchase! In fact I use them more frequently for everything other than to clamp the guide rails down. Installing 2000 linear feet of v-match pine without a helper, they were very helpful in holding up the boards onto strapping with little clearance due to spray foam. No other clamp in my arsenal would have worked. They also fit perfectly in the grove of the board and I was able to clamp it down using the groove without the clamp getting in the way. I was so happy with them, I picked up another pair. Check it out!
I pick up old f-style clamps from 2nd hand stores when I find them cheap, they all seem to work fine, much better than new cheap ones I have bought. Better quality on old stuff in general.
Thanks for the tip on the Home Depot deal, ordered three sets yesterday. (Crap, now I have to make another clamp rack...) My local-ish Woodcraft store, before it closed (owners retired, no one bought them out), had some Bessey K-Body style clones from a company called Groz and I bought a couple of door kits, 2-24" and 2-36" with the little setup blocks. It was a much better deal than Besseys and I've found I like them sufficiently enough to have ordered a couple more of the same kits from their online store. I also was able to catch a few Bessey clamps when Lowes stopped carrying them and they were in clearance. I've got a much more Frankenstein collection than you Jay, but they all have found uses eventually.
Hey Jay, - Watch Paul Seller's video on how to improve the aluminum bar clamps. Basically all he does is take the end cap off, cuts a piece of wood slightly under the interior dimensions, slides it in the opening, and replaces the end cap. It really stiffens them up. I've done it to all of mine. Beyond the bowing of the clamps, it really eliminates the twisting. Take care
Appreciate your totally honest review of products that were given to you for free. Some might plug it hoping for another free handout. Hopefully Kreg takes the review to heart are redesigns it to make it more user friendly
Great review. I went to HD to get the deal, but they couldn't find the "1" in stock, so they price matched 6 separate clamps! At $8.99 per clamp, this is over 70% off! Thanks Jay!
Good review Jay. I always appreciate your brand honesty. Also like the fact that I don't have to watch one of your videos half way through and then find the word.............X-Carve. JimE
Agree on the Kreg clamps, the only one of theirs I ever use is the smallest one, I use it for my shelf pin jig just because its fast and I keep it preset to work with it on 3/4" ply
I got the same deal at Home Depot and I am happy with them. Why no "traditional" hand screw wood clamps? I think they are hard to beat on pressure and work great for odd angles.
Thanks for the tip about the 6 pack of clamps at Home Depot, I just ordered some. I also found a 9 piece set of Bessey spring clamps for $6. They have 4 of the rarely used 1" clamps but also 3 of the 2" and 2 of the 3". The bigger ones along are worth the price.
Dang it! you must have literally got the last 6 pk of Bessey clamps.... I just jumped onto homedepot.com to place an order and they're currently "out of stock online". Hoping they are still at that $15 deal when they get back in stock. I also saw those spring clamps for $6, and gonna have to jump on that too!
+ddutton0 Thanks ddutton0, I tried that too... unfortunately called the three homedepot stores that are in my area and none of them carried stock of the 6pk for $15. And homedepot.com says the nearest store that has them stock is 85 miles away... which is a bit too much of a hike for me to justify even if they were on sale for a penny... Now if it was new cabinet style table saw for on sale for $15, I'd be in the car and on my way now. 😃 But thats just wishful day dreaming.. hopefully I'll get an email notification soon when they're back in stock online to order. That is a great deal! especially with the free shipping!!
The Bessey F-style is part of Home Depot's holiday sales. Last year they had a 4 pack of 2x 6" and 2x 12". They usually start as a $25 item and gradually reduce to about $15 a week or so before Christmas and hover at that price until they sell out. Buy them now before they sell out. Otherwise you will have to wait until next year around Black Friday when the come out.
Hope you have better luck getting your hands on some of those bessey clamps. That $15 deal is in store only and the 3 stores near me in savannah, ga never have any.
I agree with you on the HF bar clamps. I got a set of the Bessey on sale (not $15 though) and I love the large soles and they feel stronger. I might have to order a couple more while they are a good deal. But I honestly believe if you get one good use out of something from harbor freight, you got your money's worth. Nothing there is really meant to last.
Was thinking of getting some of the Irwin Quick Clamps because they're pretty affordable here in NZ, unlike the pipe clamps which are a little harder to get.
Nice review... I also have one of those sheet rock squares I see in this video in the background. I bought one, not really thinking I'd use it that much but it is def a handy tool for marking plywood etc
Harbor freight, oh boy, i ordered few those from US, after a month and half they arrived, i put them to work, from four that i ordered (all four 150x80mm) three broke, the last survived but i use it here and there for smaller less stressful jobs, most of my clamps are from Suki (decent, but so far not a single one fails) and few from Bessey (darn i love Bessey clamps especially these new geared ones, they are expensive but man those clamps do their job well).
Jay, great summary of clamps. Completely agree on 1/2" pipe clamps - I'd be lost without them. Still like Harbor Freight F clamps as only had 1 failure of 30+ clamps in 4 years. Very much like their rubber handles - better gripping than wood handles of Bessy brand.
I bought some of the bessey "cheapies" and really felt like the handles were too small and too "slick". I actually like the harbor freight handles. They have a little more girth which at least for me works better. Totally agree about the cost of the K-clamps... BTW, I really like your videos. Great stuff. It has been interesting to see your evolution as a woodworker.
Good luck finding the Bessey 6 pack at Home Depot. My store says they were part of the Black Friday specials and none of the stores in our region have them in stock anymore. I would have to have them express shipped from another store which is a $69 fee. The do have a 9 pack of the spring clamps on sale for $6 though.
Agree that the build out clamp rack might be better but the one you built is easily accessible and shows you the numbers of a certain size quickly! Wish I lived locally and could get some of your "give them away" - haha.
I totally agree with you. I always find myself reaching for my pipe clamps. I use the pony/jorgy and the bessey H-style pipe clamps and I wonder why I would ever need parallel clamps.
These clamps used to be in a seasonal "flex" area that was just recently taken down. If your store says that they have some online, the count should be pretty accurate (they just did their yearly physical inventory), but they may be hard to find. I found mine this morning in a shrink-wrapped pallet near the door to the loading dock. It was just about to be put out into their end-cap clearance shelves.
The Bessey Clamps are overstock from last Black Friday and headquarters force shipped them out to select stores. Limited quantities at select stores. So pick them up if you can, as soon as you can. Good tip Jay!
+Christian Vale +Jay Bates 2 I was wondering... sounded like a good deal so I tried to get some and found that they were in store pickup only and none of the local stores had them.
Pipe clamps are awesome and one hell of a deal. For anyone who hasn't tried them, the cast iron I-beam clamps are another good alternative to the k body. They don't flex as much as their aluminum cousins, and with a bit paste wax, the glue comes right off. I think I got mine from Grizzly when they were on sale.
Hi Jay! Im a beginner wood worker and in need of tools. Being in an island, we dont really have a tool store to get things as simple as clamps. Hope you can bless me with any of your clamps or tools that are no use to you. Thanks! Love the videos
You can rip down some hardwood and fit it in the gap on the underside of the aluminum bar clamps and it will reduce the amount of flex in the clamp. Keep up the good work Jay.
Well damn jay, I went and bought all those harbor freight clamps because u told me to..... I guess you’ll just have to send me those bessey clamps to make up for it 👍🏼
hopefully you were able to get those bessey clutch style clamps when you saw them one sale. its getting harder to find local shops that sell them anymore.
I loved this video - thank you for posting it. I completely agree about the HF F-style clamps ... I broke 4 of them before I gave away the others I had. On the matter of glue sticking to the parallel-jaw clamps, I agree it's a pain. I have a dozen Irwin P-J clamps (8 @2ft+, and 4 @50" - I got them on closeout when HD was dumping Irwin and going to Bessey. They were marked down drastically, and I paid a lot less than the regular list price on them, and I got all 12 for under $200) and it's a problem with them, too. One thing I did which helps is that I waxed the SIDES of the clamps (not used in clamping down), and later I used boshield instead. (the wood whisperer recommended it and I tried it. It works, but I like wax better on my cutting tools). That helps some, but getting glue off the edges is a pain. I generally use a soft brass wire wheel brush in a drill to remove it... again that helps a lot, but it's still an annoyance (I tried it in a bench grinder, but in a drill is much easier as the clamps are large and cumbersome. BTW I loved your workbench videos - that happens to be roughly the same bench I had been planning to build some time this fall (but with my life that probably translates to after the first of the year) - the difference is that I'll have more space when I start it and I'm planning to go 7' instead of 6' (If I don't change my mind again), and I have a couple of large pieces of purpleheart that I'm saving for the jaw faces on the pipe-clamp vise and the bench vise. Also I'm adding a sliding dead man to let me put very long things in the leg vise. Other than that the two designs are about the same. One thing I haven't figured out is whether you have to share your shop space with a car. (From what I've seen, I don't think you could get 2 cars in there without removing equipment). Just curious. Once more, thanks :-)
Jay, the Aluminum Bar clamp bending/twisting issue can be minimizedby filling the channel with wood. That's what Paul Sellers Does. Just thought that might be helpful. I really enjoy you Tool Talk in-sights. Thank you very much and keep them coming please.
I really like the Kbody parallel clamps for glueing up panels or cutting boards/table tops, but I have found the same frustration as you with the glue squeeze out. It just gets all over these clamps and is a pain to get off. Then, they don't open and close easily, because there is glue in all of the little grooves. Argh!
awesome! i found the Bessy 6 pack of clamps at Home Depot for $15! My HF ones broke not long ago. Thanks for the tip. Also, i was re-watching your mitersaw station video and i saw you using those Kreg clamps! HA! :)
My favorite clamp so far is Bessey DuoKlamp. But Bessey is so high I doubt that I will buy many more of them. I have 3/4 pony clamps mostly. Everything from HF breaks on me. I am going to try an aluminum American made bar clamp next. Universal Clamps by Dubuque Clampwork.
On those k-body style parallel clamps, to prevent glue from sticking all you need to do is wax the rails of the clamps a little and it comes right off no problem. I have the equivalent Jet parallel clamps and keep them waxed for this reason. Think I picked up this tip from the wood whisperer video on clamps from a few years back. Makes them work a little more smoothly as a bonus. Don't try that on the F-style clamps though... doesn't work very well! don't ask how I know...
I wish we could get any clamps in the UK as cheap as you do, only chance I have of getting prices like that is at a car boot or flea market, our shop prices are at least 3x the price of yours.
Nice review Jay. I am now looking into getting more clamps and this was very helpful. Your insight into the pros and cons of the Bessy K Body was especially so. As for the "quick clamps", I own several from Craftsman, love them and find them of equal or higher quality than the Irwin brand for the same price. One question, is there and advantage of an F clamp over the Irwin quick clamp?
These clamps used to be in a seasonal "flex" area that was just recently taken down. If your store says that they have some online, the count should be pretty accurate (they just did their yearly physical inventory), but they may be hard to find. I found mine this morning in a shrink-wrapped pallet near the door to the loading dock. It was just about to be put out into their end-cap clearance shelves.
Hey Jay, thanks for the video. What clamps are you using on your mft table. I didn't want to pay 40.00 a piece for the festool clamps so I bought the Harbor Freight 6 inch clamps and clipped off the ends. They work ok but there has got to be a better clamp for the money that you can use on the mft tables. Thanks again brother
Hey Jay, you mentioned in this video that you didn't like the Kreg Automaxx clamps however when building my own version of your miter saw station I noticed you used them when screwing in your miter saw enclosure boards and was a little jealous since I had to use a bar clamp. Did anything change since you built the miter saw station? Just curious since I was planning on investing in some. P.S. I purchased your plans when building my own version.
Jay, have you (or anyone else reading this) used the Hyper Tough brand clamps at Walmart? My local Walmart has some, and I can't find any reviews of them or even the clamps themselves. They're quick-grip style clamps and are about $3/ea. They're only about 6", but at least the one I picked up seemed fairly sturdy for a $3 clamp. I was just curious if you or anyone else has anything to say about them since I won't be able to test one for about 2 more months
Im surprised to hear you say you had issues with all your harbor freight clamps. Ive heard the quick clamps are junk, but I've heard nothing but great things about the F clamps / Bar clamps. Did they maybe update them since you made this video?
Jay great vids! watched the shop tour in 2013 when in apt. What didn't you like about the clamp rack then? where you just clamped them to a 2x4 seemed so easy and did the job!
Where do you get your screws from, Jay? I noticed you go through alot of pocket hole screws. I do like the torx or star-drive screws for anything other than pocket holes. They don't strip like the phillips head.
Jay, You say that you got your aluminum bar clamps from a local place for cheap. Does this local place have a website? Thanks for being real with the quality of the clamps
Yeah, when you buy the cheaper clamps you really need to look them over. Check that the tapped holes are parallel with the rail, and that the, "jaws," either machined or casting, are perpendicular to the rail, and that the clamping surfaces are perpendicular to the rail, and that they oppose each other straight and evenly (I do machine/grind/sand them so they clamp evenly).
Just checked the three semi-local HD stores and none had the Bessey Clamps. I spoke with the guy in tools and he said it was a Christmas special buy. Maybe next Christmas...
good luck getting bessey clamps at your local home depot. all 4 local HD stores near me said the same thing will no longer be caring them. they switched to all dewalt clamps. the dewalt knock off of the bessey parallel clamps are garbage. You can only get bessey clamps online now.
Have you tried waxing the k-body clamps with paste wax? I did this on my jet clamps and glue comes right off with no problem. I'd assume the same would go for the k-body clamps, but I have never used those clamps before.
Irwin also makes a miniature ratchet clamp that works great for small projects or a project where you don't want a bunch of force, Great for making wooden toys.
With the parallel aluminum clamps to negate the flexing just insert a strip of hardwood - paul sellers has a video on what I am on about. It makes them a little heavier but it reduces the flex and I feel it offers a bit more resistance.
I wish I lived near you so I could be the local that gets your clamps. lol. I'm such in need of them. Now I know why I haven't been able to find the pipe clamps you use. That'll be my next project. Do you think Home Depot can put those together for me?
I did find that the higher quality spring clamps had protective rubber pads and handles that would not fall off like the cheap big box store brands. They all clamp but I would have to stop and go back to the box or rack and find the cover that fell off a jaw.
You have just gone up a notch in my book. To receive free gear and be honest about its practical use is refreshing. Kudos to you.
Definitely not the product placement Kreg was expecting when they sent those I'm guessing, lol. Appreciate your honesty, as always.
I'm really liking the tool talk videos. These are a good companion to your wood working videos. Thanks for taking the time to make them.
The Bessey clamps you mentioned, I bought a few sets of the ones you showed and a set of the smaller F clamps. I've been using them for a year and am very pleased with them, none of the issues with these that you saw with the HF F clamps.
Great channel, thanks for the work you put into it!
I think I will get a few half-inch pipe clamps (you kinda hammered that idea home). Jay's Custom Creations sent a set of Irwins to me and I use them a lot. Thanks!
+Ted Alexander Glad you like them :)
Thanks Jay,
Just bought a house with a nice garage for a workshop after traveling/living in a motorhome for a few years. Now starting the process of setting up the workshop and I really appreciate your advice on tool and equipment selection.
I needed some additional clamps and bought a few of those HF quick release clamps, Broke right away. Took them back and got the screw style like you have. They are holding up for now but the bars bend easily. I hate when frustrating tools get in the way of a project.
Great Video Jay. I agree cleaning glue off a clamp is a pain I have started putting blue painters tape on the clamps Bar it saves a lot of time cleaning.
Wax the clamp bars - glue won’t stick.
I have those 6" Bessey F-style clamps from that exact package. I got them about a year ago and I consistently reach for them over most any other clamp when I don't need the long reach. I think they go on sale every year after Christmas until they sell out. I highly support your decision to purchase them.
Bought the last 2 packs of the Bessey clamps from my local Home Depot tonight. Thanks Jay for the heads up on the sale. Awesome deal.
I had posted on your wall about the Bessey clamps during Christmas.
One thing about the Bessey is the smaller wooded handle is not as comfortable when tightening over the HF models.
They Bessey's were definitely more heavy duty though.
I bought several of the spring clamps from HD for 99 cents each long ago.
They have a very high spring pressure compared to others I have used.
I work at home Depot and I'm a woodworker. So I play with all the new clamps that come in at the (orange) big box store. But I just wanted to say that the DeWalt quick clamps are really good clamps I bought one at a yard sale that was 5 years old. And I've been using it for a year and it's still strong and not broken. Lol
Well that clears up some of my questions. I have been on the fence on which clamps to buy think I will go with 1/2 pipe clamps and the aluminum bar clamps. I have seen where the aluminum bar clamps can be improved with a piece of wood in the tubing to stiffen them up and pads for a better clamping face.
I have some F clamps that don't have spring loaded latches to lock the moveable jaw. They rely on pressure to keep the position locked. I do not recommend this type of clamp. That jaw moves on you, especially when you only have one hand free. Thanks for the candid opinions and for keeping an open mind. Keep up the great work. Watching your videos is like spending time with a good friend. You often don't care what the subject is and you always look forward to the next time you "meet".
Jay I really enjoy all that you do!! Love the Sketchup vids of projects, then the project vid itself. Tool talk vids are awesome too. You're doing a good job sir and I'm glad you're sharing. Glad sponsors have taken notice over the years too. Keep doing what you do because you're doing an awesome job at it!! Hope the upcoming convention is awesome for you! Sounds fun!
Thanks Jay. A good overview of your clamp collection. I have found that a few 6" quick clamps are very handy - from small parts glue ups to safety on router table (small parts). I have a couple 3/4" pipe clamps that I've used on 8' panels. P.S. my nearest HF store is only 170 miles away, 30 minutes isn't bad.
I have broke every kind of "quick grip" clamp except for the Irwin brand. Those are by far the best "quick grip" style clamps I have used.
The Bessy clamps are awesome clamps. I also purchased the 6 pack, and they are awesome. I also have some 4 inch clamps that are Bessy as well and I really like those also.
The harbor freight clamps I have some of the longer ones, and yes the bars do bend and the screw is out of place on some of them as well, but with them being so cheap, I don't mind buying them.
Great video Jay! As always.
Yep! I bought three 6 packs of the Bessy F style during Christmas. They work very well.
I also spent about an hour trying to explain to my wife why I needed so many. :)
Jay you need to move to Jersey so you are close by when you are giving away thing locally......lol. Nice update on the clamps, i agree with you on the HF ones, I bought a bunch of the Bessey ones during Christmas time last year and this year. I will most likely be giving my HF ones away too.
Good reivew, Jay. Appreciate the info on the pros/cons you experience with those clamps. Your 200K 'friends' must have bought all of HD's stock of the 6-piece Bessey clamps - they are out of stock online. Shockingly, a bunch have just hit Ebay and Amazon for around $30-35. Always enjoy your insight of the tools you use. Much appreciated!
+Chris Williams Try calling around to the stores in your area. I found one that says they have a few so I'll be stopping by there tonight.
These clamps used to be in a seasonal "flex" area that was just recently taken down. If your store says that they have some online, the count should be pretty accurate (they just did their yearly physical inventory), but they may be hard to find. I found mine this morning in a shrink-wrapped pallet near the door to the loading dock. It was just about to be put out into their end-cap clearance shelves.
SIngle Take! Awesome.
Totally agree about the glue on the parallel (K-body) clamps being a pain. But I just love the big, flat, PARALLEL, heads on my clamps and reach for them first. I've never tried 1/2" pipe clamp -- had some 3/4" ones and I found that they slip, and the heads are so totally non-parallel that they drove me nuts.
Hi Jay, thanks so much for this video. I'm new to wood-working and I know I need clamps but I had no idea where to start. You helped a lot :)
Hi Jay. Thanks for this usefull review. About the Bessey just have to wax the clamps once and it will be ok with any glue drop. You're right the Kbody are insanely expensive especialy here in EC. My favourite clamps are the cheapest version from Bessey called the Uniklamp. Their clamp pressure is pretty enough and they are limited in lenght 12" or 600mm. I've got 8 of them and planed to buy 8 more. Through they are IMHO the best value for money. If you've got an oportunity to test them out don't miss the chance.
About aluminium clamps you probably notice they twist and bend easily. I found that fill them with wood just transfigure them into great clamps without adding them too much weight. You should try and tell us about this easy upgrade. Cya
I never tried the kreg style clamps. With the big handle on one end, and the bar sticking out the other, they strike me as very awkward. I often apply clamps in a vertical position, with t he project resting on the non moving part. That just wouldn't work with the kreg clamps. Things stiking out both sides of the clamp seems very awkward.
If you get your pipe threaded on both sides they also make a coupling that allows you to screw two pipes together and extend the length of the clamp without having a long pipe dedicated to longer clamping needs. You would just move the sliding portion of the clamp to the other pipe.
Wolfcraft clamps are really good, I've had mine for about15 years and they still work as good as the day I bought them. 😊
Great review Jay! I have some of the aluminum bar clamps from Harbor Freight and they do bend some when tightening down. I cannot remember who posted the video improving these clamps but they cut a piece of hard wood that slipped into the aluminum bar track snugly and it did stiffen up the clamp. I am going to do that with mine to see if it will work for me.
I won some Bessey clamps during their 12 days of Christmas. I haven't used them for an actual project yet but I messed around with them. I like them. I still like my Harbor Freight clamps. I haven't had any issues with them yet. But if I do... 45 minute drive to trade them out. I've been lucky enough to find some nice used clamps at the local flea market.
Wish I lived closer... I'd love some of those clamps! And I appreciate your honest opinions about the tools you use (Kreg clamps and everything else). I did try to get on Home Depot to get some of those 6". They were only available in store and none at my local stores. :( Thanks for sharing as always!
90% percent of the clamps in my tool trailer are Irwin clamps. Everything from basic 6" squeeze clamps to 24" 600lb rated (large grip) squeeze clamps. For most onsite wood working projects, the 300lb rated 12" squeeze clamps are my go to. The 600lb rated clamps are good for instances such as squeezing some curvy LVLs together. However, Irwin's plastic face clamps were not worth the money. You had mentioned previously that you couldn't justify the Festool clamps, and with good reason--they're down right expensive. Well, I splurged and picked up a pair of the screw clamps and I was extremely happy with the purchase! In fact I use them more frequently for everything other than to clamp the guide rails down. Installing 2000 linear feet of v-match pine without a helper, they were very helpful in holding up the boards onto strapping with little clearance due to spray foam. No other clamp in my arsenal would have worked. They also fit perfectly in the grove of the board and I was able to clamp it down using the groove without the clamp getting in the way. I was so happy with them, I picked up another pair. Check it out!
I pick up old f-style clamps from 2nd hand stores when I find them cheap, they all seem to work fine, much better than new cheap ones I have bought. Better quality on old stuff in general.
Thanks for the tip on the Home Depot deal, ordered three sets yesterday. (Crap, now I have to make another clamp rack...)
My local-ish Woodcraft store, before it closed (owners retired, no one bought them out), had some Bessey K-Body style clones from a company called Groz and I bought a couple of door kits, 2-24" and 2-36" with the little setup blocks. It was a much better deal than Besseys and I've found I like them sufficiently enough to have ordered a couple more of the same kits from their online store. I also was able to catch a few Bessey clamps when Lowes stopped carrying them and they were in clearance. I've got a much more Frankenstein collection than you Jay, but they all have found uses eventually.
Hey Jay, - Watch Paul Seller's video on how to improve the aluminum bar clamps. Basically all he does is take the end cap off, cuts a piece of wood slightly under the interior dimensions, slides it in the opening, and replaces the end cap. It really stiffens them up. I've done it to all of mine. Beyond the bowing of the clamps, it really eliminates the twisting.
Take care
Appreciate your totally honest review of products that were given to you for free. Some might plug it hoping for another free handout. Hopefully Kreg takes the review to heart are redesigns it to make it more user friendly
Great review. I went to HD to get the deal, but they couldn't find the "1" in stock, so they price matched 6 separate clamps! At $8.99 per clamp, this is over 70% off! Thanks Jay!
Some great tips and insights to Jay's clamp world! Thanks Jay!
Good review Jay. I always appreciate your brand honesty. Also like the fact that I don't have to watch one of your videos half way through and then find the word.............X-Carve. JimE
Agree on the Kreg clamps, the only one of theirs I ever use is the smallest one, I use it for my shelf pin jig just because its fast and I keep it preset to work with it on 3/4" ply
I got the same deal at Home Depot and I am happy with them. Why no "traditional" hand screw wood clamps? I think they are hard to beat on pressure and work great for odd angles.
Thanks for the tip about the 6 pack of clamps at Home Depot, I just ordered some. I also found a 9 piece set of Bessey spring clamps for $6. They have 4 of the rarely used 1" clamps but also 3 of the 2" and 2 of the 3". The bigger ones along are worth the price.
Dang it! you must have literally got the last 6 pk of Bessey clamps.... I just jumped onto homedepot.com to place an order and they're currently "out of stock online". Hoping they are still at that $15 deal when they get back in stock. I also saw those spring clamps for $6, and gonna have to jump on that too!
+Stew Pidass i did the same thing. out of stock:-(
+Stew Pidass Check for local stores in your area for instore pick up. That is how I scored some in the DFW area.
+ddutton0 Thanks ddutton0, I tried that too... unfortunately called the three homedepot stores that are in my area and none of them carried stock of the 6pk for $15. And homedepot.com says the nearest store that has them stock is 85 miles away... which is a bit too much of a hike for me to justify even if they were on sale for a penny... Now if it was new cabinet style table saw for on sale for $15, I'd be in the car and on my way now. 😃 But thats just wishful day dreaming.. hopefully I'll get an email notification soon when they're back in stock online to order. That is a great deal! especially with the free shipping!!
The Bessey F-style is part of Home Depot's holiday sales. Last year they had a 4 pack of 2x 6" and 2x 12". They usually start as a $25 item and gradually reduce to about $15 a week or so before Christmas and hover at that price until they sell out. Buy them now before they sell out. Otherwise you will have to wait until next year around Black Friday when the come out.
Hope you have better luck getting your hands on some of those bessey clamps. That $15 deal is in store only and the 3 stores near me in savannah, ga never have any.
I agree with you on the HF bar clamps. I got a set of the Bessey on sale (not $15 though) and I love the large soles and they feel stronger. I might have to order a couple more while they are a good deal. But I honestly believe if you get one good use out of something from harbor freight, you got your money's worth. Nothing there is really meant to last.
Was thinking of getting some of the Irwin Quick Clamps because they're pretty affordable here in NZ, unlike the pipe clamps which are a little harder to get.
Nice review... I also have one of those sheet rock squares I see in this video in the background. I bought one, not really thinking I'd use it that much but it is def a handy tool for marking plywood etc
Harbor freight, oh boy, i ordered few those from US, after a month and half they arrived, i put them to work, from four that i ordered (all four 150x80mm) three broke, the last survived but i use it here and there for smaller less stressful jobs, most of my clamps are from Suki (decent, but so far not a single one fails) and few from Bessey (darn i love Bessey clamps especially these new geared ones, they are expensive but man those clamps do their job well).
Great tool talk, a lot of good information in this one for someone looking to buy clamps.
Jay, big thanks fr the heads up on the deal!!! Had to search a bit but found them over in Virginia
I really like this library of videos approach. Thanks for sharing
Jay, great summary of clamps. Completely agree on 1/2" pipe clamps - I'd be lost without them. Still like Harbor Freight F clamps as only had 1 failure of 30+ clamps in 4 years. Very much like their rubber handles - better gripping than wood handles of Bessy brand.
I like the Jorgensen F style clamps from Lowe’s. Good feel and a nice solid zinc coated ratchet bar.
I bought some of the bessey "cheapies" and really felt like the handles were too small and too "slick". I actually like the harbor freight handles. They have a little more girth which at least for me works better. Totally agree about the cost of the K-clamps... BTW, I really like your videos. Great stuff. It has been interesting to see your evolution as a woodworker.
Good talk. Going to pick up a few packs of those Bessey clamps. Home Depot has them for a little over $16.
Very nice, you can add wood inside of those aluminum clamps to strengthen them up and keep them from twisting on you.
+SouthernGinger Was about to comment the same thing, but you beat me to it.
+Sheldon Ross Great minds think alike :)
Good luck finding the Bessey 6 pack at Home Depot. My store says they were part of the Black Friday specials and none of the stores in our region have them in stock anymore. I would have to have them express shipped from another store which is a $69 fee. The do have a 9 pack of the spring clamps on sale for $6 though.
Agree that the build out clamp rack might be better but the one you built is easily accessible and shows you the numbers of a certain size quickly! Wish I lived locally and could get some of your "give them away" - haha.
I totally agree with you. I always find myself reaching for my pipe clamps. I use the pony/jorgy and the bessey H-style pipe clamps and I wonder why I would ever need parallel clamps.
Great review on the clamps. I am going to get more of the Bessey F clamps and I like the idea of the 1/2" bar clamps.
These clamps used to be in a seasonal "flex" area that was just recently taken down. If your store says that they have some online, the count should be pretty accurate (they just did their yearly physical inventory), but they may be hard to find. I found mine this morning in a shrink-wrapped pallet near the door to the loading dock. It was just about to be put out into their end-cap clearance shelves.
The Bessey Clamps are overstock from last Black Friday and headquarters force shipped them out to select stores. Limited quantities at select stores. So pick them up if you can, as soon as you can. Good tip Jay!
+Christian Vale +Jay Bates 2
I was wondering... sounded like a good deal so I tried to get some and found that they were in store pickup only and none of the local stores had them.
+Mark Pikas I found the same thing out. I have to drive about 40 min to get them. But at $2.50 a clamp, its worth stocking up!
Pipe clamps are awesome and one hell of a deal. For anyone who hasn't tried them, the cast iron I-beam clamps are another good alternative to the k body. They don't flex as much as their aluminum cousins, and with a bit paste wax, the glue comes right off. I think I got mine from Grizzly when they were on sale.
Hi Jay! Im a beginner wood worker and in need of tools. Being in an island, we dont really have a tool store to get things as simple as clamps. Hope you can bless me with any of your clamps or tools that are no use to you. Thanks! Love the videos
You can rip down some hardwood and fit it in the gap on the underside of the aluminum bar clamps and it will reduce the amount of flex in the clamp. Keep up the good work Jay.
Thanks for these videos, I really appreciate them.
Well damn jay, I went and bought all those harbor freight clamps because u told me to..... I guess you’ll just have to send me those bessey clamps to make up for it 👍🏼
hopefully you were able to get those bessey clutch style clamps when you saw them one sale. its getting harder to find local shops that sell them anymore.
I loved this video - thank you for posting it.
I completely agree about the HF F-style clamps ... I broke 4 of them before I gave away the others I had. On the matter of glue sticking to the parallel-jaw clamps, I agree it's a pain. I have a dozen Irwin P-J clamps (8 @2ft+, and 4 @50" - I got them on closeout when HD was dumping Irwin and going to Bessey. They were marked down drastically, and I paid a lot less than the regular list price on them, and I got all 12 for under $200) and it's a problem with them, too. One thing I did which helps is that I waxed the SIDES of the clamps (not used in clamping down), and later I used boshield instead. (the wood whisperer recommended it and I tried it. It works, but I like wax better on my cutting tools). That helps some, but getting glue off the edges is a pain. I generally use a soft brass wire wheel brush in a drill to remove it... again that helps a lot, but it's still an annoyance (I tried it in a bench grinder, but in a drill is much easier as the clamps are large and cumbersome.
BTW I loved your workbench videos - that happens to be roughly the same bench I had been planning to build some time this fall (but with my life that probably translates to after the first of the year) - the difference is that I'll have more space when I start it and I'm planning to go 7' instead of 6' (If I don't change my mind again), and I have a couple of large pieces of purpleheart that I'm saving for the jaw faces on the pipe-clamp vise and the bench vise. Also I'm adding a sliding dead man to let me put very long things in the leg vise. Other than that the two designs are about the same.
One thing I haven't figured out is whether you have to share your shop space with a car. (From what I've seen, I don't think you could get 2 cars in there without removing equipment). Just curious.
Once more, thanks :-)
Jay, the Aluminum Bar clamp bending/twisting issue can be minimizedby filling the channel with wood. That's what Paul Sellers Does. Just thought that might be helpful. I really enjoy you Tool Talk in-sights. Thank you very much and keep them coming please.
Thanks for your insight Jay. I agree I got a nice set of Bessey f style and yes they are way better than the H F
I really like the Kbody parallel clamps for glueing up panels or cutting boards/table tops, but I have found the same frustration as you with the glue squeeze out. It just gets all over these clamps and is a pain to get off. Then, they don't open and close easily, because there is glue in all of the little grooves. Argh!
awesome! i found the Bessy 6 pack of clamps at Home Depot for $15! My HF ones broke not long ago. Thanks for the tip.
Also, i was re-watching your mitersaw station video and i saw you using those Kreg clamps! HA! :)
The Woodcraft in my town just had a great sale on Jet parallel clamps, got four 40" for $30 a piece. Then I went back and picked six 24" :)
My favorite clamp so far is Bessey DuoKlamp. But Bessey is so high I doubt that I will buy many more of them. I have 3/4 pony clamps mostly. Everything from HF breaks on me. I am going to try an aluminum American made bar clamp next. Universal Clamps by Dubuque Clampwork.
Awesome video,I just bout a bunch of 1/2" pony clamps and yeah they are lighter than 3/4" ones..hey do you still have the Kreg clamps?
On those k-body style parallel clamps, to prevent glue from sticking all you need to do is wax the rails of the clamps a little and it comes right off no problem. I have the equivalent Jet parallel clamps and keep them waxed for this reason. Think I picked up this tip from the wood whisperer video on clamps from a few years back. Makes them work a little more smoothly as a bonus.
Don't try that on the F-style clamps though... doesn't work very well! don't ask how I know...
great video, really like the tool talk, keep up the great work.Semper Fi
I am also a huge fan of pipe clamps. I have both the 1/2" and 3/4" versions. My only question is... Can you ever have enough clamps?
I wish we could get any clamps in the UK as cheap as you do, only chance I have of getting prices like that is at a car boot or flea market, our shop prices are at least 3x the price of yours.
Hi Jay - Did you get the 10’ half inch pipe at Lowe’s too, or just have them cut there? That’s quite a good price.
Nice review Jay. I am now looking into getting more clamps and this was very helpful. Your insight into the pros and cons of the Bessy K Body was especially so. As for the "quick clamps", I own several from Craftsman, love them and find them of equal or higher quality than the Irwin brand for the same price.
One question, is there and advantage of an F clamp over the Irwin quick clamp?
Good overview! I gotta' get me some of those Bessy clamps... seems like a solid product at a great price.
These clamps used to be in a seasonal "flex" area that was just recently taken down. If your store says that they have some online, the count should be pretty accurate (they just did their yearly physical inventory), but they may be hard to find. I found mine this morning in a shrink-wrapped pallet near the door to the loading dock. It was just about to be put out into their end-cap clearance shelves.
Hey Jay, thanks for the video. What clamps are you using on your mft table. I didn't want to pay 40.00 a piece for the festool clamps so I bought the Harbor Freight 6 inch clamps and clipped off the ends. They work ok but there has got to be a better clamp for the money that you can use on the mft tables. Thanks again brother
Hey Jay, you mentioned in this video that you didn't like the Kreg Automaxx clamps however when building my own version of your miter saw station I noticed you used them when screwing in your miter saw enclosure boards and was a little jealous since I had to use a bar clamp. Did anything change since you built the miter saw station? Just curious since I was planning on investing in some. P.S. I purchased your plans when building my own version.
Jay, have you (or anyone else reading this) used the Hyper Tough brand clamps at Walmart? My local Walmart has some, and I can't find any reviews of them or even the clamps themselves. They're quick-grip style clamps and are about $3/ea. They're only about 6", but at least the one I picked up seemed fairly sturdy for a $3 clamp. I was just curious if you or anyone else has anything to say about them since I won't be able to test one for about 2 more months
Im surprised to hear you say you had issues with all your harbor freight clamps. Ive heard the quick clamps are junk, but I've heard nothing but great things about the F clamps / Bar clamps. Did they maybe update them since you made this video?
I agree with everything you said in the video. Have you ever tried the JackClamp? Those are my go to and favorites!
+Summers Woodworking He sent me a set. The handles are waaaay too big for my hands.
I got those Bessey ones they are great, I just wish they were longer
Jay great vids! watched the shop tour in 2013 when in apt. What didn't you like about the clamp rack then? where you just clamped them to a 2x4 seemed so easy and did the job!
+Joshua_David Having them hang without clamping them to a board is more convenient. Just grab and go.
Good honest review! I do like my pipe clamps aswell.
Where do you get your screws from, Jay? I noticed you go through alot of pocket hole screws. I do like the torx or star-drive screws for anything other than pocket holes. They don't strip like the phillips head.
Jay, You say that you got your aluminum bar clamps from a local place for cheap. Does this local place have a website? Thanks for being real with the quality of the clamps
streetfiremkv12 look like they are just rebranded harbor freight clamps
Thanks for the advice Jay.
Yeah, when you buy the cheaper clamps you really need to look them over. Check that the tapped holes are parallel with the rail, and that the, "jaws," either machined or casting, are perpendicular to the rail, and that the clamping surfaces are perpendicular to the rail, and that they oppose each other straight and evenly (I do machine/grind/sand them so they clamp evenly).
All my HF quick clamps broke too, have had better luck with their F-style, but that Bessy F-style is a great price!
Just checked the three semi-local HD stores and none had the Bessey Clamps. I spoke with the guy in tools and he said it was a Christmas special buy. Maybe next Christmas...
good luck getting bessey clamps at your local home depot. all 4 local HD stores near me said the same thing will no longer be caring them. they switched to all dewalt clamps. the dewalt knock off of the bessey parallel clamps are garbage. You can only get bessey clamps online now.
Have you tried waxing the k-body clamps with paste wax? I did this on my jet clamps and glue comes right off with no problem. I'd assume the same would go for the k-body clamps, but I have never used those clamps before.
Irwin also makes a miniature ratchet clamp that works great for small projects or a project where you don't want a bunch of force, Great for making wooden toys.
I wish I had that tool store in my town I need more clamps lol would like to try them aluminum bar clamps.
With the parallel aluminum clamps to negate the flexing just insert a strip of hardwood - paul sellers has a video on what I am on about.
It makes them a little heavier but it reduces the flex and I feel it offers a bit more resistance.
I wish I lived near you so I could be the local that gets your clamps. lol. I'm such in need of them. Now I know why I haven't been able to find the pipe clamps you use. That'll be my next project. Do you think Home Depot can put those together for me?
Man, how are the 1/2 pony pipe clamps so cheap there? They're about 13 bucks in stores here and over 15 online.
+Kirby Weldon They aren't Pony brand. They are Caul-Hawk (sp?) brand. I've used them for a few years now and recently got more.
I did find that the higher quality spring clamps had protective rubber pads and handles that would not fall off like the cheap big box store brands. They all clamp but I would have to stop and go back to the box or rack and find the cover that fell off a jaw.