If anybody is looking for clamps check our Harbor Freight. I got the 6" clamps for $2.99, the 18" for $4.99 and the 12" wooden one for $10. I thought that was a pretty good deal.

I really like those 6" clamps. Really come in handy for jig setups and extra hands.

 

A long time ago, I found some of those screw clamps hardware kits- just add the wood. 

Those six and Twelve inch clamps are excellent buys. They are every bit as good as the Jorgies. 

44 minutes ago, Gene Howe said:

Those six and Twelve inch clamps are excellent buys. They are every bit as good as the Jorgies. 

and have a "Lifetime" Warranty...

I have some of the six inch.  They have worked well and no failures.

3 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

and have a "Lifetime" Warranty...

Yes, I had one that the handle would spin on.   I took it back and they just told me to go pick out another one.

 

Jorgensen is now acquired by a Chinese company (as of early 2016).   They made nice F clamps but had to compete with those HF ones.  Well,  Jorgie came out with a cheaper line of F clamps and you have to look carefully, but you'll see they are much less substantial and not very good. http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/greatstar-industrial-acquires-adjustable-clamp-company/

 

If you look carefully at some of the photos in magazines like Fine Woodworking, you'll see HF ones regularly.   I figure if they're good enough for some of their guys, they're good enough for me.

 

That same Chinese company owns a number of once-US brands.   Miller Falls is one of them.   Made some nice stuff.   About 20 years ago, the parent company of Gorilla Glue (Lutz File and Tool) here in Cinci owned them.

I started with Jorgie F style at the WW show , then I discovered HF. Back then the handles may have been a 5/8 inch dowel. I stocked up every "sale" and probably have 40 in 6,12,18,24. When I started turning I decided the handle had to go so I turned some that are much more comfortable.

And then I love my K bodies

8 minutes ago, Gerald said:

I stocked up every "sale" and probably have 40 in 6,12,18,24.

Rumor has it, you can never have enough clamps

"If a fella says he has too many clamps, you can't believe a word he ever says."

we have over 100 HF bar clamps. there is some flex in the longer ones but they've served us well over the years

Ratcheting Bar Clamp/Spreaders wouldn't hold anything when I bought them.  Almost trashed they until I was convinced to give them to Goodwill.

12 minutes ago, Old Coasty said:

Ratcheting Bar Clamp/Spreaders wouldn't hold anything when I bought them.  Almost trashed they until I was convinced to give them to Goodwill.

You are right about the Squeeze clamps from HF, a waste of money. Even the first ones with the orange pads and now the grey pads both junk.. They also are pinchers  between the thumb and fore finger. I buy Irwins ,Jorgesons, and the orange ones, Ridgid? And some black ones with red pads,can't remember the brand.

 

Herb

17 hours ago, Dadio said:

And some black ones with red pads,can't remember the brand.

Craftsman???

I some older Craftsman (Red/Black) that work as well as the Irwins...a few Stanley's not too bad either...reminds me, I need more clamps.

The H-F Squeeze type work for me on lighter applications...any I've ever had any trouble with, I've taken back for replacement...never had an issue getting either the old orange or the new gray replaced; both have LT Warranties.

On 1/20/2018 at 3:32 PM, Grandpadave52 said:

The H-F Squeeze type work for me on lighter applications...

 

borrowed a pair from the neighbor ... was two short...

light duty is right... as in very light.. as in ornamental use only...

the pads kept falling off.. duct tape repair...
broke both of them w/ hand squeezes only...

replaced the plastic pivot pins w/ roll pins...

now w/ hand squeezes only, broke the guts out of one and the end off of the other...

BUT WAIT!!!...

they are warrantied...

so how much is it gonna cost me to replace them w/ free replacements...

those intangible costs sure can add on to a cheap deal...

SNORK!!!

why anyone bothers w/ HF junk is beyond me...

 

OH yeah...

sure was nice to get extra clamping pressure by tapping on the end of the shat of my Irwins w/ a mallet...

no harm done either...

and the pads didn't fall off...

You just beat  too hard on the HF ones.

Herb

22 minutes ago, Dadio said:

You just beat  too hard on the HF ones.

Herb

 

did no such thing...

 let the neighbor know That I busted his clamps...

he said to toss them that they weren't the effort to replace..

he also said he bought them at a garage sale.. 30 clamps for 5$ and hadn't gotten his money's worth out of them..

I'll give him a pair of Irwin clamps for replacements...

Edited February 11, 20188 yr by Stick486

2 hours ago, Stick486 said:

why anyone bothers w/ HF junk is beyond me

As I said...works for me as an occasional user.

Small dot of silicone keeps the pads on...I've had to do that with the Irwins too...

Never had an issue with H-F F-clamps...

YMMV...

I won't say I have enough clamps, but I do know additional purchases of them are not anywhere on my acquisition list.

When I get new clamps, they will probably be parallel clamps, Bessey some other quality brand.  Although, with respect for @Stick486, and usually agree with him, I do have a good handful of HF clamps, and I have had pretty good luck with them.  I don't use them for any heavy duty jobs, though, I use pipe clamps for that.  Thus my desire to someday get some parallel clamps.