In [X] years, I have collected [Y] clamps. This is [Z] best

[Generic Eric]

In 12 years I have collected 4 irwin short bar clamps and a few c-clamps. 



I feel like I don't have enough.  Should I get more irwin bar clamps?  Is there a more versatile clamp?  I am at least 2 clamps short for sure.  I'd like to know about something with a smaller foot print if anyone has any suggestions.

What is your [Z]

[shponglefan]

I like clamps; you can never have enough.  I think I have over a couple dozen by now.

The Irwin bar clamps are good; I use either those or Bessey K-Body Revo clamps depending on whatever I'm working on.  The Bessey clamps are nice because they can be had in really long sizes, and are reasonably heavy duty.

IMHO, wooden handscrew clamps are among the most useful clamps to have.  They can clamp weird angles and I've used them for everything from gluing projects together to acting as a router guide.

Spring clamps, Irwin quick grip clamps, and box clamps (the latter extremely useful for squaring up projects) are all useful too.  In fact, the only clamps I don't really use are C clamps.

[JDFan]

Harbor Freight has some that work well for fairly cheap when they are on sale (currently 24" - $4.99, 18" $4.49, 12" $3.99, 6" $2.99 ) - Link - ( http://www.harborfreight.com/24-inch-bar-clamp-96213.html ) -- And every once in a while they will have the 12" one as one of their Free coupons with any purchase.

[yotsuya]

Harbor Freight has some that work well for fairly cheap when they are on sale (currently 24" - $4.99, 18" $4.49, 12" $3.99, 6" $2.99 ) - Link - ( http://www.harborfreight.com/24-inch-bar-clamp-96213.html ) -- And every once in a while they will have the 12" one as one of their Free coupons with any purchase.

I have one of these and really like it. I need to invest in some new clamps.

[ChadTower]

The next clamp you should buy is always a type you don't have yet.  You can never have enough types.  There is always a use for them once you start figuring them out. 

[HaRuMaN]

I have C-clamps for working on brakes, and a bunch of those harbor freight bar clamps, super cheap with a coupon

[yotsuya]

I've broken a lot of clamps over the years.

And for laughs, I was going to put a photo of nipple clamps in this thread, but a quick Google search told me that wasn't a good idea.

[Vigo]

I have been reading some books on workshop design. One of the books was prominently displaying some clamp organization examples housing about 50-75 clamps.

Clamps are at least super easy to store. If you have open ceiling joists above you, you can just clamp them horizontally on the ceiling. Otherwise, nail a 2x4 to the ceiling and clamp to it. I also used to clamp them all to a basement window sill.

Besides bar clamps, I love these to death. I mostly use them to clamp a sheet of wood to my sawhorse or work bench. Super useful when ripping a sheet of wood with a circular saw, cuz you wont have to worry about your wood sliding.

[ChadTower]

Yeah, I have some of those clamps, and they're great for quick and dirty work.  They don't hold all that well over time if you're gluing, though.  They tend to allow the glued surfaces to slide too much.

[spoot]

Around 50ish myself...it's never enough.  As you simply end up clamping up more crap in one go.....and run out anyways.

[TopJimmyCooks]

I have about 50 clamps of various types and sizes over 20 years of DIY and making stuff.  i could use more f clamps (like the harbor freight one shown).  I have about 20 and have used all of them at the same time on the same workpiece on several occasions.   The only reason I don't need more is because I have brad nailers, biscuit jointer and kreg jig available and can adapt.   You can work faster with more because you can move on to the next thing while the glue is drying on the first thing. 

[Vigo]

I suppose I should mention how many I have. I would say I have 25 or so clamps, and feel I need a lot more. Been collecting for 10 years.

[knave]

When I started, the first thing I bought was the "Columbian 27200 12-Piece Clamp Assortment" for cheap.



Saw them mentioned here (seven years ago) and while I have a few others they are my favorites.

[Generic Eric]

Thanks fellas.   I ended up getting a few of those harbor freight clamps.  Not used to paying for shipping.  :spoiled:

[ChadTower]

Once you go Amazon Prime you will never go back.  For just that reason.  2 day free shipping on damn near anything...

[knave]

Once you go Amazon Prime you will never go back.  For just that reason.  2 day free shipping on damn near anything...

While I agree...I can usually spend over $25 err...$35

[ChadTower]

That's the thing.  It's nice to not have to do that.  And free shipping in that case isn't 2 day.  I can order a $4 item and get it overnight half the time.

[Generic Eric]

Never order anything before knowing your deadline.  I should have checked to see if there was an equally discounted option on amazon that qualified for prime. 

[dkersten]

I have 50 or 60 clamps of various sizes, and have used every single one of them on a single project.  You can never have too many.. I have seen woodshops with 100 pipe clamps lined up along a wall, and while it seems like overkill, it doesn't take much to use them all.  I want more of the good parallel clamps, I have 2 5 footers and 2 4 footers now (they are usually $40-50 each).  I have about a dozen each of 6", 12", 24", and 36" bar clamps, about a dozen pipe clamps mostly in 4 and 5 foot lengths, and then a half dozen 90" clamps, and another half dozen random c-clamps.  I also have a pair of those plastic hand clamps that are good for delicate jobs or holding something in place while cutting, and a pair of 12" quick clamps that I use for EVERYTHING.. always a good extra set of "hands" to hold things.  I also have about a dozen really cheap plastic spring clamps that are nice for just holding something somewhere or for fine detail work.  If I had my way, I would have another dozen 5 foot parallel clamps, another dozen 3 foot parallel clamps, and about 30 more pipe clamps from 4-6 foot.  The pipe is more expensive than the clamp ends, but they are life savers on gluing up panels.  But I haven't done enough woodworking in the last 10 years to justify the expense.  I sold off my big tools, like my 24" open ended drum sander and my 18" bandsaw, and never even replaced them, which I should, just with smaller versions.

[wp34]

Once you go Amazon Prime you will never go back.  For just that reason.  2 day free shipping on damn near anything...

Agreed.   The shipping itself is nice and throw in free video and music streaming FTW.  Plus you can share your membership with family members.   

[wp34]

I have a few of these clamps from Menards.   They are nice because they have a deeper throat than my other clamps.  This gives me a lot of flexibility particularly when working with a workpiece that is larger than my workbench. 

[Brian74]

I myself have somewhere between 20 to 30. I have some of the irwin and harbor freight clamps. I just bought one of those strap clamps. Comes in really handy for making a cp box. 

[Generic Eric]

Thanks fellas.   I ended up getting a few of those harbor freight clamps.  Not used to paying for shipping.  :spoiled:

They came in today.  Cut two passes on my saw and battery died.

[yotsuya]

Planning on getting this - anyone have any experience with it?

Face Clamp

[TopJimmyCooks]

just buy the rocket jig set which comes with one of those vice grips.  The bench model jig is sweet but you will find times when you want to take a smaller jig and put it on a workpiece.  you also need that vice grip in certain situations where you are aligning the faces of parts as you screw them together.  IE face frames if you build a cabinet or furniture.

Edit:  disregard above - the asshats stopped selling the rocket kit.  you have to buy that vice grip separately now.  Death to Kreg!  I'm going to use something else with more well reasoned kits!  Oh, wait, Kreg has no direct competitors!  Crap!

[JDFan]

Remembered this thread today when I got my new Harbor Freight advert with a coupon for the 12" bar clamps for $1.99 (limit 8 ) and figured I'd post here in case anyone still needs a few more !!

[ChadTower]

Ugh, those things.  I bought 3 and 2 of them snapped at the grip the first time I tightened them on a workpiece.   

[knave]

Ugh, those things.  I bought 3 and 2 of them snapped at the grip the first time I tightened them on a workpiece.   

For as much as it is sometimes a pain to twist to tighten the Columbian clamps the all metal construction is nice.

[dkersten]

I have some spring clamps that I bought from HF for cheap and half of them broke early on.  Some of them I would just put on a small project and an hour later come back and they self destructed just sitting there.. lol.  But the ones that survived have worked well when I need just a basic clamp to temporarily hold something in place. 

I use my Irwin quickclamps all the time, they are lifesavers.  It might be worth buying some of these just to have around even if they are cheap and break easy..

[lamprey]

I think this was already covered, but I would avoid Harbor Freights quick release ratcheting bar claps/spreaders. Except for the mini-ones (those are handy for little things). They simply don't last if you try to "crank them tight". Heck, I've had the Irwin (regular) ones strip out too. Granted it depends on how and how much you intend to use them, but I'd suggest the Irwin Heavy Duty ones. I've also had good luck with the Craftsman ones. I bought some of Craftsman ones because hey were on sale for a massive discount.  This was several years ago, but, I think they are still the made in china ones. I figured if they didn't last it wouldn't be a big deal, but so far so good.

What I'm getting at is, if you want a ratcheting bar clap, I'd advise to spend the extra money and get the good stuff. YMMV..

[grippie]

I have a literal ton of spring clamps...

They simply don't last if you try to "crank them tight".

I hear ya on that one, but they keep making them with plastic gears and they just don't hold up if you crank them tight. I try to not overdo it and they last for awhile. BUT. I just broke one of my grip clamps. I actually have two harbor freights within 10 miles of me. I'm going to steal that coupon and buy some of these cheap ones so when they do break i won't cry about it.

[lamprey]

I actually have two harbor freights within 10 miles of me. I'm going to steal that coupon and buy some of these cheap ones so when they do break i won't cry about it. [/font]

Hehe, I'm in the same boat with having a couple Harbor Freights near me. It does make it convenient to try their stuff and if it doesn't work, well you are (generally) only out a couple of bucks.

[Fursphere]

I have four of those harbor freight clamps (the black and red ones with the knob at one end, like shown in the coupon).  2x 24" and 2x 48" 

First, they don't hold a candle to the Irwins.  Seriously, they are garbage in comparison.  They don't hold anywhere near as tight.  I've had them move on me while clamping down on a project.

Now, with that out the of way - they are AWESOME for the price.  I use the heck out of them.  The 48" ones are a bit unwieldy at times, I usually get my wife or kids to help me set them on big projects (like my driving cabinet - when I assembled the head unit). 

I find myself using the 48" ones a bit more than the 24" ones, because I need like 26"...  I should buy a set of the 36" ones.   (maybe another 48" set instead?)

They have another version too - its more square and cheaper (doesn't have the rubber grips, and doesn't have the round knob at the far end).  Beware, those ---daisies--- will pinch the living hell out of your hands when you try and ratchet them down.  I actually had one draw blood in the store when I was messing with it.