Clamp Alert!

[Xam]

For the clamp challenged like myself....HArbor freight is having a good sale on some pretty nice clamps right now.

I picked up 2 of the 6" clamps like these for $2.99 each.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46806

The sizes range from 4"-36" with the most expensive one being $5.99.

Though they would not suffice if woodworking is your job, they seem more than adequate for the occasional project.

Sale ends 3-13 and is only good in store I believe.

Xam

[Tahnok]

I love those kinds of clamps. Looks like I 'otta head on over to Harbor Freight. Thanks for the tip!

[Xam]

NP tahnok! I always love a bargin and this one seemed pretty good. As mentioned...I don't think I would get them if woodworking were my trade...but they seem perfect for doing my MAME cab and occasional projects. I like the 2 I bought well enough that I am going to purchase more (different sizes) this weekend. I have a similar type (36") clamp of better quality...but it cost me like 30 bucks as opposed to the 5.99 these are on sale for. I'mna probably drop about $30 bucks on clamps Saturday

They have some other good deals going on also...but money prevents me from taking advantage.

Hoping I helped someone get some decent tools cheap,

Xam

[Xiaou2]

 I have a few of those type from Homier.   2 of them snapped right in half at the top section upon clamping very hard with them     

 I prefer the Big Lots clamps..  which look like caulking guns.   They are cheap, and work pretty darn good.   

 Maybe the HF clamps could be strengthened by placing a huge mound of epoxy in between the struts.

 Maybe I got a bad set..   Or maybe they get worse over time..  hard to say.  Still, the fact that they are plastic and the head isnt competely solid does pay a big factor.
 
 

[miles2912]

.. and here are a few in action holding down a ripboard to route plexi.

Don

[DrewKaree]

Is that a Chicago router?  Looks like Harbor Freight is your new tool chest!

[MovingTarget]

I bought a couple of those clamps (I think like 12 or 16") from them and no offense but they suck.  When you want to get something tight they crap out on you. 

I was in the heat of battle and had them holding down some mdf to my workbench and the mdf kept moving around.  I tried to get them tighter but they kept slipping looser.  I had to bust out my monster 3 footers I got from HD to do the job.

However, I like the other stuff I got from Harborfreight, spray gun, files, etc.

[Havok]

Whoa! Read the title real quick, and saw clap, instead of clamp. Good thing I was wrong, we'd really be in trouble if there was a Clap Alert!

 

[Xiaou2]

 Well, HF often has Pipe Clamps for sale.   Id bet these would work really wel..  and nice thing about them,  is they can be any size - by using longer or shorter pipes.

 Anyone try these?

 Only downfall I guess would be shear weight : )   

[WaRpEd]

I'll pickup more clamps this weekend
thanks for the info.
You can never have enough clamps or beer or money.
MMMMM BEEEER!

[Xam]

Me too warped!

Also got an e-mail stating that this item will be $8.99 this weekend at a sidewalk sale at the stores. NO! I do not work for nor endorse HF...LOL! I just know tools are expensive (even the cheap ones) so I like to pass along bargins when I find them.

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=47844

Xam

[DrewKaree]

 Well, HF often has Pipe Clamps for sale.   Id bet these would work really wel..  and nice thing about them,  is they can be any size - by using longer or shorter pipes.

 Anyone try these?

 Only downfall I guess would be shear weight : )   

Pipe clamps can be used.  After a certain point though, their effectiveness is severely reduced.  They tend to bow the material upwards toward the bar when doing glue-ups on panels, but for cab use, should be just fine if you're gluing up the entire carcase (meaning all four sides at once).  I wouldn't recommend doing only three sides and then doing the fourth later.  That bowing effect WILL happen.  Maybe not enough that you can't overcome it, but it will.

Generally when doing glue-ups of panels with pipe clamps, you put one clamp on both sides, and use even numbers of clamps.

For the money, they are the cheapest and most versatile clamp available though.  Like you said, just buy different lengths of pipe for a different size clamp.

[krick]

 I have a few of those type from Homier.   2 of them snapped right in half at the top section upon clamping very hard with them     

 I prefer the Big Lots clamps..  which look like caulking guns.   They are cheap, and work pretty darn good.   

 Maybe the HF clamps could be strengthened by placing a huge mound of epoxy in between the struts.

 Maybe I got a bad set..   Or maybe they get worse over time..  hard to say.  Still, the fact that they are plastic and the head isnt competely solid does pay a big factor.

I have four of these and they're awesome.  They're a bit more pricey than the ones from Harbour Freight but they're really sturdy and I'm pretty sure you'll have a hard time breaking them.  Lowes sells them in a two-pack for $20:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=96054-281-5462SM

[nostrebor]

The Harbor Freight "Quick Grip" style clamps have a bad reputation in the WW circles. They have 2 significant problems.

1. They break under pressure, as described above.

2. They slip under pressure, as described above.

There have been many attempts to add to these or modify them to get better results. All have fallen short. I have these on the "Don't buy" list for HF products.

HF also runs regular sales on the "F" style clamps. These are not Besseys by any stretch of the imagination, but they are good everyday clamps. I have about 40 in my collection of clamps

[SirPeale]

I curse Harbor Freight!  I curse them forever!

Why, you ask?  Because they keep sending me flyers, but don't have a location nearby!

Of course, I could mail-order their stuff, but that defeats the purpose of the cheap prices due to shipping costs.

[DrewKaree]

The HD "Quick Grip" style clamps have a bad reputation in the WW circles. They have 2 significant problems.

I know you meant HF for Harbor Freight, but I can just envision someone reading Krick's post, figuring HD could be Home Depot (where Krick coulda bought 'em from instead of Lowes), and the name on those Irwin clamps being what you're talking about.

THOSE clamps - the blue and yellow ones in Krick's post - THOSE are decent clamps.  Rubber pads, a metal bar, and FAR higher clamping pressure than the Harbor Freight clamps.  Irwin QuickGrip clamps are dynamite clamps.  Spend the extra bux - you'll feel the difference in quality just in weight alone.  And they also sell them at Harbor Freight.

[patrickl]

I broke several of those clamps too. I went for a couple of more expensive ones (using the same design idea) and they work great. I hate those screw on clamps. I'd rather go for something that holds a tad less strong, but can be put in place with one hand.

[lovespicyfood]

Darnit, I started amassing a collection of these HF clamps for my upcoming build...  Bummer...  Oh well, I'll just start spending more money on the better ones.

I've learned that HF has some great deals, but that you have to do some research before buying...  Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your view), I live very close to their main warehouse in Camarillo, CA and they even just opened  a retail store close to my business in Ventura!

"Uh, why were you gone so long to the bank?"

"Ummm...long lines..."   

Not sure if they still have them, but I got a blister pack of those Irwin clamps at Costco awhile back, I think it was ~$20 for six clamps, two of each size....

[Tahnok]

Just picked up some of these clamps today (along with some new router bits). They seem strong enough to do arcade work. They seem a bit questionable though if you were doing serious woodworking.

[quarterback]

I too have bought a few of these from Harbor Freight in the past. 

Mine haven't "broken", per se, but the orange rubber pads have fallen off one of the clamps and the other one has come apart at the top where that little orange wing-nut thing is.  The wing nut has come out and, therefore, that part of the clamp is loose.

That being said, they're fine for the few bucks I've spent on them.

[lovespicyfood]

FWIW, I just did an impromptu comparison test with one  HF clamp and an Irwin clamp in my garage...

I clamped a large Hf clamp (~24") on the end of my workbench and pulled hard.  It seemed pretty "tight" but I was able to pull it off the bench because the rubber pads came off.

Next I clamped a smaller Irwin clamp (~12") on the end of the bench and pulled hard.  It's the largest Irwin clamp t hat I have.  OMG, it was much tighter than the HF clamp!  I actually couldn't pull it off my bench w/out ripping the bench from the wall.  In addition, the pads did not come off.

Sometimes you get what you pay for.  I think I'll be springing the significant more $'s on Irwin clamps for now on...

[nostrebor]

The HD "Quick Grip" style clamps have a bad reputation in the WW circles. They have 2 significant problems.

I know you meant HF for Harbor Freight, but I can just envision someone reading Krick's post, figuring HD could be Home Depot (where Krick coulda bought 'em from instead of Lowes), and the name on those Irwin clamps being what you're talking about.

Nice catch. I've fixed it in the post above, hoping that no real damage was done I meant the Harbor Freight ones. The Irwin clamps are great.

*nostrebor must proof read better.
*nostrebor must proof read better.
*nostrebor must proof read better.
*nostrebor must proof read better.

[Xam]

While true the HF cheapies are no comparison to the Irwins (nor do I think I made that insinuation...sorry if I did...it was not my intent), they do cost much more. When I do buy good quality clamps I tend to go Jorgensen...they are top quality and are cheaper than Irwin usually. HF does indeed come out with the occasional deal...but you do have to be careful. I did buy one of the small worktables that I mentioned earlier...it IS a very good buy! I got it for $8.99 rather than the normal $17.99. It has a 260lb dead weight limit and can double as a clamp in some situations!    While it does not compare to the B7D I got some 10 years ago...it is a nice little project bench for those of us unfortunate enough not to have a real work bench.

I also got this today!

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=92772

I would not pay the usual $40.00 for it...but they had it for only $20.00 today. I busted it out and it cuts very nicely considering the brand. I generally avoid the power tools there, but this was a pretty nice deal. I'm a Porter Cable man myself...I just could not justify dropping the $150.00 on the jig I really want....mayhaps later if I find I can actually build one of these arcade cabinets....LOL!

Thanks for all the input on the post guys...it was good to see the different opinions and info.

Xam