Your favorite one-hand clamp?

[mooi]

Hi all.  My first post here after years as a lurker 

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on general purpose, one-hand clamps.  I have a bunch of the 12" and 18" Irwin QuickGrips, and they're good enough for most situations where I just need something held down and don't want to break out the big Jorgensens.  Problem is I need something in between the two.  I'm looking for the one-handed usability, but with higher clamping pressure.  If I want something more than just a quick hold down from the Irwins, I have to squeeze the handle so hard it's starting to damage my hands.  I'm a furniture maker, so I'm using clamps all day, every day, and I'd prefer not to end up with RSI or arthritis. 

The Besseys look perfect to replace the 12" size, but I do often need the wider jaw opening of the 18" Irwins, and the Besseys are 12" max.  Any thoughts?

 

[GPowers]

There are three models of the Irwin Quick clamp the Mini one and two higher pressure ones, the SL300 and the XP600.  Have you tried the xp600. It can produce 600lb of clamping force..

 

[GarryMartin]

Not sure which Bessey clamps you are referring to, but the EZS one handed clamps go up to 36 inches and have a 445lb clamping force.

http://www.besseytools.com/en/product_details.php?ASIMOID=000000000000274900050023&ASIMOID_SC=000000010003270400030023&ASIMOID_MC=000000000001f3f000030023

 

[Hurricane Whisperer]

Jorgensen IPS clamps are well made.  The clutches inside the clamp are thick steel plates, the springs are nice and big, and the pivot pin is also steel.

The stationary jaw is easily removed and you can stick insert the clamp through the MFT holes.

There is a pad that extends down to the steel bar which comes in handy for light duty clamping situations where you need to do that.

My only complaint is that you have to be careful that when you reinstall the stationary jaw, you must make sure you have captured the pin and not pushed past it.

Bessey makes some one handed cabinet clamps that look fantastic.  (Haven't used them).  They are heavy like a cabinet clamp though.  But it has a pump lever that works in both directions and a hand screw you can tighten for final clamp up. 

They would come in handy when you need the strength of a cabinet clamp but still need easy one handed initiation.

They are called PowerGrip.

 

[pugilato]

nice...

 

[mooi]

Great, thanks for the advice guys. 
Those PowerGrips look amazing.  I need at least one pair of those, I think. 
I'll investigate the heavier duty Irwins.  I've seen them in stores, but they always look so bulky.  Need to get one in my hands and try it out.
I think the EZS are the best solution for this particular application.
Thanks again for your time.
Off to make sawdust...