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Today’s show is all about clamps. There are so many varieties out there and unless you’ve been woodworking for a number of years, its difficult to know which ones to buy. Furthermore, how do you know which ones to buy multiples of? I review all the clamps I own and show you some of the newer clamps to hit the market, namely the Jet Parallel Clamps and the Irwin Quick Grip XP’s. At the very least, I hope I can help you avoid doing what I did in the beginning: buying clamps you don’t need.
Most of the items featured in this episode are available in The Wood Whisperer Amazon Store. So if you need to pick up a few clamps, that’s a great way to do it.
33 Responses to “12 – The Big Squeeze”
Excellent podcast as always. Actually, it’s a timely piece, since I just made a rough clamp rack (a series of racks, actually) and noticed that some of my nice new Jet clamps have dried glue on them! I thought that the polished bars would be resistant to the glue, but apparently that’s not so. But at least now I have a couple of solutions to try…
I was curious, however, why you didn’t include Aluminum bar clamps? They can be found for very little $$ in some cases, and are lighter than the pipe clamps, which makes them easier to work with. The only downside is that they do flex more than the pipe clamps, so they won’t provide as much pressure. But so far, they’ve done well for me.
Also, it seems Bessey is making their clamps for other companies. Of course Woodcraft has them now, but also Harbor Freight carries a Bessey clone (who knows if it’s actually made by Bessey- but they are exact to the Woodcraft clamps except for the color). The nice thing about those clamps is that the handle is a fluted aluminum handle, which is easy to grip. Also, with the infamous Harbor Freight sales and discount coupons, they may be available for a very reasonable cost.
Unfortunately episode 12 freezes after a few seconds and reverts to the beginning.
Hey Ray. Are you watching the streaming version on the site or one of the quicktime movies above the image? If you are watching the streaming version. It always helps to hit pause after it starts playing and give it a few extra seconds to buffer up. Im not positive that thats the reason for your problem, but it could be. And unfortunately, I cant seem to reproduce your problem.
Hey Travis. I left out several clamps simply because I don’t own them. I really wanted to focus on the clamps that I use on a daily basis. But of course, there is nothing wrong with a nice set of aluminum bar clamps.
Thanks for the tip on keeping your clamps clean. I guess that means it’s time to clean them up now :).
Great Job Marc!! I love your videos, and just wanted to let you know! Keep up the good work!
Hi Mark,
Love your website. How deep are the 12″ deep throat clamps that you like and mention in this podcast?
I’d also like to make a plug for my favorite clamps: Wetzler quick clamps. They are F-style clamps that are built like tanks. I have a bunch of the 4″ deep clamps, and love the way that they work. The feel of these clamps is second to none, even the best parallel clamps, and they are square enough that I think they do just as well as parallel clamps in glue ups.
I think your pal David Marks likes these clamps as well.
Great podcast as usual. The tip about waxing your clamps is a good one but you don’t want to wax the bar of the old-style Quick Grips. The clamp head will want to slip when you want it to grip. I know this from past experience :(
Hey Wilbur. That big clamps have a 6″ throat.
Wetzler does indeed make great clamps. Well built and sturdy. I remember using them in David’s shop and they never failed us. I did find them comparable in quality to Bessey’s heavy duty line of clamps.
Marc
Great show as usual Marc. I am wondering if you might post a couple of shots of your hanging rack, as that is next on my list of adjustments to the shop and I am looking for inspiration.
Hey Greg. I did take some close-up shots of the rack in the video. Let me know if you need more detail than that. Good luck!
marc
When you say they can be bought on-sale for a ‘good’ price, what is a good price for the jet parallel jaw clamps? I see the current price on Amazon, but what can I expect to save through patience?
Hey Rob. I would estimate a “good” price to be a 20-25% savings.
Thanks… I am a new wood worker/// just getting my woodshop together… and clamps use and types has always been a huge question.. gonna mozey over to your store…
Jeff just alerted me to a decent sale over at Amazon.com (aka The WOod Whisperer Store). Bessey K-Bodies are reduced quite a bit.
These Amazon sales are unpredictable so if you are looking to stock up, get your butt over there and do it before they change the price again.
Mark, I’m new to woodworking as I have inherited a fine woodworking workshop from my father-in-law. He was not much for teaching and so I’m having to learn how to use the equipment on my own with the manuals. So far so good. I have created a few pieces and your videos have been very helpful as well as entertaining. My father-in-law, probably, would not have appreciated your humor but my wife and I lol. Keep up the podcasting. That in and of itself is an art you and your wife, have been doing well with too. I notice you are a Macintosh aficionado. Good man! I purchased a pair of the Bessy® K clamps I saw you using with the cutting board series. Mark, thank you for sharing your woodworking acumen with guys like me out here.
Thanks for the great video! Very informative. I will definitely be visiting The Wood Whisperer more often.
Marc,
Just reviewed this podcast to see the detail of the wall racks for the clamp storage. I need to build some and I like ypur simplicity. What dimensions did you use for the Bessey rack? It looks like 3/4″ plywood on top and botom.
On the other rack with the 2×2′s and poplar – are the horizontal boards 1×4′s spaced off the 2×2′s? That’s what it looks like in the video.
I do really enjoy your videos and check for them weekly – keep up the good work.
Thanks,
Louis
Hey Louis. You are right on both accounts. They smaller rack is just 1×3′s over 2×2 strips. The Bessey racks are just 3/4″ ply screwed to a 2×4. Pretty straightforward. Let me know if you need any more info.
Marc
Hi, My streaming vidio also freezes; I will try the ‘pause’ technique you suggest.
My comment on Wetzler clamps, based on an expert instructor from Marc Adam’s School of Woodwokring, Steven Procter by name. He LOVES Wetzler. Partiularly likes not only their sturdy construction, and the fact that the screw comes out parallel with the bar evrery time (not true with Bessey’s). but the fact that they have that little pad cast into the head so that you can stand up a glued up assembly on it’s head, all the tops of the clamps sitting level on the floor. Checi out the picture.
Mike
Mark:
I am curious about the F style clamps you showed. What brand are you using? Is that the brand you would recommend to someone buying new? What is a good source for these? I did not see them in your Amazon store.
I really enjoy your site. Excellent creativity. I really admire what you have done career wise. All this and you have only been at it for 5+ years? Amazing!
Regards,
Bren
The F-style clamps I use are Rockler (blue ones) and Bessey (Red and black). I would absolutely recommend both brands.
Thanks Bren. We would be no where if it wasn’t for the encouragement and support of our fans and friends. Thanks for watching.
Mark,
Just stumbled across your site and am really enjoying watching your videos. Just started outfitting my shop and am deciding on clamps…
With the Irwin XP clamps being a little bit less expensive than the Jet Parallel clamps, what would your thoughts on just getting the Irwin XPs?
Thanks!
Hey Garrett. Although I really like the Irwin XP’s, they would not be my first choice for clamps. I would definitely get a good Jet setup first. I consider the Irwins “non-essential” clamps.
Marc, I have seen this video a couple of times now. I can really appreciate the information as well as the presentation of it. However I did run into one issue. Waxing the bars. While this works great for the serrated parallel clamps it is bad news on the light duty Quick Clamps. Just like the poles at my favorite local establishment too much lube on them is not a good thing. The QC’s will tighten, but then slowly slip on the waxed bar. So for the other viewers I advise caution on this. I think WD-40 applied and then wipe off excess works best for me on these clamps.
Thanks Doug. I wish I would have been more clear in the video. The only clamps that I ever really wax are the parallel clamps. Glue usually isn’t much of a problem with the other clamps, unless you use them for gluing up panels. Thanks for bringing this up. And since quick clamps aren’t very strong to begin with, I would probably recommend no lubrication at all. And like I said, in most cases, glue wont be an issue with these anyway.
Thanks again Doug.
Marc,
I am new to woodworking and am enjoying your podcasts. They are very informative and entertaining. With regard to clamps, what is your opinion on band clamps? I’ve seen my father-in-law (experienced woodworker) use them when he’s building furniture. Thanks again for the informative videos.
Hey Ric. Its all about personal taste I suppose. But I don’t really use band clamps on anything other than picture frames. When you need to apply force from all sides at the same time, they can be very handy. But even with picture frames, I still reinforce the clamping with regular parallel clamps.
This was a great video, highly educational for beginning woodworkers. I also spent a small fortune on the “wrong” clamps when I first started out and hopefully your concise review will prevent others from making the same mistakes.
I do think it would be good if an updated version of the video included a quick review of the Bessey K-Body Revo series clamps.
Almost all the retail woodworking outlets (including big-box stores) are pushing them and I recently decided to try some out. I purchased 24 of the clamps in various sizes and I must say they far exceeded my expectations for a superb parallel clamp. The new cushioned ergonomically shaped handle makes it easy to provide incredible clamping pressure with just a few turns of the screw and the angle jaw adapters make holding non-parallel surfaces a snap. Plus the nifty rail pads and end rail clips make it simple to set up a large case or face frame clamping assembly nearly painless.
Anyway, just thought I would share my thoughts. I just discovered your video tutorials and your website and I must say you have done a fantastic job educating people in a clear, concise, and fun way. Thanks.
Very helpful for me. I am setting up a workshop in our new home. This is the first place we have lived where I have a space dedicated to my woodworking and carpentry. One comment I have that is in regard to something I saw in the video. While showing your clamp rack I noticed the spring clamps are also stored on the rack. I do a task at work where I use many of this style clamp. (We call them “ponies” after the most popular brand of this style.) I have noticed that when these clamps are stored clamped to something they lose some holding power over time. So I store mine lose in a bucket and they always hold as good as new.
I have a small number of clamps. I have mostly f-style clamps, a several quick clamps, and two Bessey parallel clamps. They must have updated the Bessey clamps since this video because mine are quite beefy with large ergo handles. I also have a couple Irwin Quick clamps. The pressure they apply has always been enough for what I have needed. You are right in that it is all personal preference. Thus far, the projects I have done require more easy-to-move clamps. I find the Besseys quick heavy and fumbly. they seem to be made primarily for setting pieces into them rather than clamping them onto something. I’m the kind of guy who lives by necessity. When I need the clamps, I will go buy them. It is unfortunate how expensive clamps can be, and how cheaply made the cheap alternatives are. It makes the clamp collection a slow process.
Marc,
You left out my favorite clamp of all..
vacuum bagging.
Hey Guys!
Excellent video on clamps! Lots of great info, and enjoyable to watch. I would like to mention cam clamps as an additional useful tool. They are quick and easy to use, though they often have less than 24” openings, and do not apply more than 300 lbs pressure… but I have certainly learned its better to use a few more clamps than it is to really tighten them down.
Thanks again
Paul Weaver
Lamare Guitars