Parallel clamps - What length?

[GPowers]

Decided to buy some parallel clamps.

I need them for making cabinets carcass and face frames.  What length you you buy first 40" or 50" or something longer? I have a limited budget and will be buying only four clamps at this time.  I will be buying more in the future.

My though is you can always clamp a smaller project with a long clamp BUT you can not clamp a big project with a clamp that is too small. (Unless you combine clamps or make shop extensions, which I do not want to do at this time)

 

[Wood_Junkie]

Buy two of each 40" and 50"
Later on, get some 24".

These are well worth it to add a lot of flexibility to your clamp up sizes...
http://www.amazon.com/Bessey-KBX20-Body-Clamp-Extender/dp/B0014A44Y8

You can connect two parallel clamps end-to-end, making them slightly more then double length.

You can get two of them here for $25
http://www.ptreeusa.com/besseyK_body.htm

 

[GPowers]

Buy two of each 40" and 50"
Later on, get some 24".

Brain fart  [scared] That is an easy solution.  why didn't I think of that

 

[Jeff Hein]

I find that I use my 24" clamps 90% of the time... if you start using the large clamps on some doors, I find that get REALLY heavy and they like to tip the whole clamped up project off the workbench and onto the floor.

I have some 8' clamps that I use a few times a year, the 48" clamps get used occasionally. I build a lot of cabinets.

Not sure where you are located, but if you have a Menards near you, they frequently have the Jorgenson cabinet master clamps on sale... 24"=$19; 36"=$24; 48" = $29. I prefer the new bessey clamps, but the Jorgensons work well, especially for the money. I usually pick a few up every time they go on sale.

 

[Sparktrician]

I bought eight Jorgensen 8030 CabinetMaster (30") clamps last year, and use them a bunch for cabinets.  OK, they're a bit long for most cabinets, but too much is better than not enough, says I.  I bought them on Amazon.  The strange thing is that Amazon shipped them one-at-a-time, rather than eight in a box.  Go figure...  Next time, I'll get some 8048s to add to the collection. 

[smile] 

 

[GPowers]

I find that I use my 24" clamps 90% of the time... if you start using the large clamps on some doors, I find that get REALLY heavy and they like to tip the whole clamped up project off the workbench and onto the floor.

Makes sense, so the next round of clamps will be 2 24" and 2 31".  then I will have two clamps of all the basic sizes.  This will give me tha ability to assess all the clamps and there usefulness before is buy more.

Thanks

 

[AdamM]

The Jet Parallel Clamp Cabinet set is worth a look too.  The special framing blocks to keep the clamps square are really handy when you have to clamp in two directions.
http://www.amazon.com/Jet-70411-Parallel-Clamp-Cabinet/dp/B000F79022/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296764076&sr=8-1
I have two sets of those, though partly because there was a bit of a price-break when buying in the set when I bought them.

As others have said, long clamps tend to tip up when used for short projects.  The Jet Clamps do come with little support feet you can put at the unused end to help avoid this problem.  Assuming they aren't sticking off the end of the bench, which almost always seems to be the case for me. 

 

[mouppe]

I second the Jet parallel clamp set, but you can get it for cheaper than $170 on Amazon. Try Tom Bellemare through this forum for a start.

I have the set, and agree with a previous poster about the "unwieldliness" of the longer clamps when shorter ones are needed. When I get some more, I will get some shorter ones, maybe 24".

But they are excellent clamps, heavy, strong, and worth the premium price.

 

[ScotF]

I agree with others that the 24 inch size is what I use the most.  They do get heavy.  Actually, I find that I like the traditional pipe clamps better than parallel clamps.  Maybe it is just me, but I always get glue on the bar and then the jaws do not slide easily and it is a pain.  With pipe clamps I do not have that problem and pipe clamps are much, much cheaper and it is easy to get any size you need.  Just some food for thought...

Scot

 

[flair woodworks]

Hi Greg,

I will echo what the others have said.  The 24" clamps get the most use in my shop.  The next size clamp is 50", then 78" and they are unweildy to say the least, especially when clamping small stuff and the bars stick out.  I bought the 50" first, then the 24", then 78" clamps.  No, the 78" clamps don't get a lot of use. 

 

[Joe Smith]

I have 25+parallel clamps Jorrgies and Bessey's, plus 10 uniklamps.

I by far use the smaller uniklamps  the most.  They come in 24" and smaller. http://www.amazon.com/Bessey-UNIK-6S-Multi-Purpose-Parallel-UniKlamp/dp/B00065WPYI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296826692&sr=8-1

You might want to take a look at the Bessey's http://www.amazon.com/Bessey-KRK2440-Fixed-Parallel-Clamp/dp/B001HSO6V8/ref=sr_1_7?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1296826736&sr=1-7

 

[Grinding One]

I agree with others that the 24 inch size is what I use the most.    Maybe it is just me, but I always get glue on the bar and then the jaws do not slide easily and it is a pain. 

Scot

To keep that from happening put a good coat of paste wax on the bar,it makes your job of clean up go so much faster...and your bars will not rust up as fast either.

 

[GPowers]

The first purchase was four 50" Jet parallel clamps followed two weeks later by four 24" Jet Parallel clamps. So I will use these to see what I will purchase next. From what every body says it will be four more 24"?

 

[flair woodworks]

The first purchase was four 50" Jet parallel clamps followed two weeks later by four 24" Jet Parallel clamps. So I will use these to see what I will purchase next. From what every body says it will be four more 24"?

Yup.  As it stands, my collection of parallel bar clamps consists of (8) 24" and (4) 50".  I also have (2) 78" that I found for half-price and couldn't pass up.

 

[PaulMarcel]

Yup.  As it stands, my collection of parallel bar clamps consists of (8) 24" and (4) 50".  I also have (2) 78" that I found for half-price and couldn't pass up.

Would 8) be the hieroglyphic for 8?

 

[flair woodworks]

Now that is funny!  And kind of annoying. 

Yes, that would be an eight!  Is there a way to disable smileys?

 

[PaulMarcel]

Now that is funny!  And kind of annoying. 

Yes, that would be an eight!  Is there a way to disable smileys?

Sure there is... but it wouldn't be as funny!

Below the reply window is a Systainer labeled "Additional Options..."  Click it to reveal its contents.  Click on "Don't use smileys and Be Sad All The Time"

 

[gruz]

quick heads up- amazon currently has jet parallel clamps at 60% off- or at least three sizes-

Jet 70412-2 12" Parallel Clamp 2-Pack for $45.10

Jet 70424-2 24" Parallel Clamp 2-Pack for $56.18

Jet 70440-2 40" Parallel Clamp 2-Pack for $60.74

seem to get mostly good reviews- but i have no personal experience with the jet clamps- have a bunch of old beseys

also not sure how long this "sale" goes on for.

 

[GPowers]

quick heads up- amazon currently has jet parallel clamps at 60% off- or at least three sizes-

Jet 70412-2 12" Parallel Clamp 2-Pack for $45.10

Jet 70424-2 24" Parallel Clamp 2-Pack for $56.18

Jet 70440-2 40" Parallel Clamp 2-Pack for $60.74

seem to get mostly good reviews- but i have no personal experience with the jet clamps- have a bunch of old beseys

also not sure how long this "sale" goes on for.

Last year, on Amazon,  I paid $79.99 for a 2 pack of  24" and $104.99 for a 2 pack of 50"

 

[mouppe]

The best deal is the 4 clamp plus framing block set for $180. 2 x 24 and 2 x 40. they are always this price on amazon. i got mine from cpo.