I got a couple and they're okay in a pinch but I might be an idiot but I can't consistently figure out how to open them up. I just poke and pull and jiggle and eventually they slide down. I'm going to save up for real ones.

 

If anything like Bessey, you kind of pull the turn handle away from the bar to slide and pivot toward the bar to tighten

 

I have a few I use all the time, especially where they might get banged around. Haven't had any real problems with them yet and I have cranked them down very tight. Mel

 

There are plenty of reviews on YouTube to see what people think of them. On a side note, why do you call them Bessey knockoffs? They aren't advertised as being equal to Bessey. There several brands of parallel clamps, they all have their own pros and cons.

 

They appear to look identical to the bessey K body style. Pros and Cons are what am soliciting with this post. =)

 

Which of the HF Bremem clamps are you referring to?

HF compares the portable Bremem trigger clamp/spreader clamp to Irwin. The Bremem parallel clamp are not listed as being comparing to any brand at all.

Did you try using or see how the HF clamp worked before your purchase.

I don't have any HF Bremem clamps. But, I do have 41 of the HF Aluminum Bar clamps (24", 36", 48" & 60"). They all work great and easy to work with because they are light in weight. I do have 7 of the HF Pittsburgh ratcheting bar clamp/spreaders. I don't use the Pittsburgh too much, because the clamping heads are too bulky for some jobs. But they do work properly. My go to clamps are Irwin Quick-Grips, unless I'm doing panel glue-ups, then I use the HF aluminum bar clamps.

 

Has anyone tried these yet? Managed to break one?

They seem to be running about half the price of the real bessey/jet clamps.

I’ll have to give one a try when I buy some wood screw clamps.. I bought and took back a bunch of Bessey clamps, because I didn’t find them worth the price..

 

Buy them while you can. HF made Jorgensen Gear clamps knock offs one time and stopped selling them
.

 

• Durable ergonomic handle applies up to 1300 lb. clamping force.. interesting..

 

So why do you find that to be interesting? Bessey claims around 1800lb if I remember correctly .

 

These ain’t the 1800 lb price either…

I find people who have and discuss it better than videos without discussion.

 

That is why I'm asking. I couldn't find a youtube review from someone I've heard of who discloses how they are financed, so I'd ask here. I may try and stop in there to buy one and see for myself.

 

I"d givem a go, but only 24 inches, i find i generally use the 30'' besseys more than anything, however if i find some in stock think i'll buy a couple and see how that goes. will report back
rj in az

 

I don’t use them, but for 1/2 price it’s worth a look. As I mentioned often when a product is too good with HF it doesnt last long or the price increases..

 

The best review is the one you do yourself..

 

I found the less I did cabinet work the less I needed them. Rarely use them for furniture..Look at most my builds , you won’t see pipes or Besseys k bodies

 

I recommend new woodworkers stay away from anything Horrible fraud tools. Everything thing there is garbage. If we keep supporting the factory’s that make copy’s of America manufactured tools they will never go away.
Good Luck

 

I do alot of automotive repair and quite a bit of wood working. I can say in all honesty that Harbour Freight has some good tools for the price. I do agree that they do have some junk but to say everything they sell is garbage is far from the truth. One main thing I wouldn't buy there is power tools. For the occasional DIY'er alot of their stuff is okay. Their big air compressors are good and the General tool boxes are good. Icon is also good. Tools made in the USA are far and in between today.

 

I won't buy anything there that a) requires precision or b) could catastrophically fail resulting in personal injury or death. So no measuring tools or $30 (!) reciprocating saws. Clamps though? Got tons of them. Best deal in clamps anywhere.

 

I find people who have and discuss it better than videos without discussion.

 

lol, each post on the chinese store turns into a ''bash it'' thread, you can count on it, i'd venture to say, most who are disenting probably never purchased anything from the import store, but their mothers brother, by another mother did and of course, and ''he said'', lol, i've read so many its a hoot, thinking to bring them all together for a book,
failure is everywhere, just take a look at site transformation

 

You buy what you can afford. If someone wants to bash that, so be it..

If I was in my 20’s again I start buying the best I could afford. Being in in my late 50’s. I’m a budget shopper.

 

If you’re worried about off brand. For $5 more Lowe’s has Jorgensen clamps.

 

Try about $10

 

thought i'd grab a couple to try'm out just cause, and two of the chinese stores were out, fella said they can't keepm in stock, eventually i'll find a few and givem a go. compare them to the big name ones i have,
rj in az

 

I won’t be+buying any, but hope they dent those high price sales.

 

Hmmmm...

And...if anything goes wrong with one of these Harbor Freight clamps...I just hand it to the clerk at Harbor Freight, and get a new one...free.

 

You can trade them in as long as it’s the same model. I have F style clamps that aren’t available anymore

 

I own many Bessey clamps from the days they were made in Germany. A few days ago I was curious and looked at the "same" clamps and some of the parts are different. I also noticed they were made in China. My opinion is they are not nearly as good as they once were. I also own several Jorgenson I beam clamps and had a head fail. Jorgenson sent me another clamp and I got it in a few days.

 

When it comes to clamping pressure, you don't need over 1000 pound clamping pressure, unless your trying to force something together. Depending on the type of wood; Softwoods 100-150 psi, Hardwoods 150-250 psi, Some exotic woods may require up to 300 psi. When using painters tape as a clamping method, psi is much less (and still adequate).

Quite a few woodworkers say, "They prefer Bessey clamps" or "Bite the price and get Bessey". For them, great. For me, I want to save moolah.

But being frugal, I can't see paying extra for the Bessey name. So, I don't consider Bessey a bargain. (I'll probably get some flap on not wanting to pay extra for Bessey).

 

When using painters tape as a clamping method, psi is much less (and still adequate).

When gluing up veneers and thin pieces of lumber I use the green painters tape. It seems to work so much better than clamps