Where do you buy your clamps?

harbor Freight…...

-- A Planer? I'M the planer, this is what I use

Home Depot and Lowes always offer good deals on clamps at Christmas time. Go look there.

-- No PHD just a DD214 Lubbock Texas

Showing both my age, and the age of my Bessey’s. It’s a very good thing clamps don’t wear out like so many electric tools do.

4 Corners Ace Hardware. Out of business now, some 10 to 15 years I believe, but back in the day they were the spot to get such things. They called it mail order, and NOPE, no free shipping. :-) I only bought a few, those were what you might call expensive.

My panels clamp sets are from when I worked at ShopSmith back in the 80’s.

Oh, and newer, yep Harbor Freight, they had a parallel head clamp, they are still very nice. That was about 20 years ago. I really wish I’d have bought more of them.

Then about 15 years ago they blew out a bunch of Bessey parallel head clamps out at Big Lots/Odd Lots. I bought all I could find at 12 stores for 3 bux a clamp. I picked up 24’s, 30’s and a few 40’s Life was good back then. :-) I ran out of local stores, and by the time I figured out where else to look, they had been snatched up.

-- Think safe, be safe

For “miscellaneous woodworking items” , I have to say that I am a fan of Highland Woodworking. The quality is always good, and the prices are as good as they can manage.

-- Elliott C. "Eeyore" Evans

harbor Freight…...

- bandit571

+1 their F style clamps for the money cant be beat.and ive heard their aluminum bar clamps are pretty good also. normally i say buy the best quality as you can afford but when it comes too clamps i say buy the cheapest that do the job.hey a clamp does one thing,apply preesure,it either does or doesn’t,if it does why pay 65 bucks if you can get one that does it for 15 bucks.

-- working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.

Yup, Harbor Freight F-clamps are are pretty good deal and you won’t find them any cheaper. Woodsmith Magazine even listed them as one of the good deals from there. They even still qualify for their 20% off coupon, though that only applies to one at a time so you’ll have to make multiple trips to get the absolute best deal.

-- Nathan, TX -- Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.

I buy Dubuque bar clamps at Harry Epstein. No they’re not cheap,, but I won’t buy any other bar clamp. Hardly ever use my Bessies anymore.

The HF ones, even come with their own plastic pads….

-- A Planer? I'M the planer, this is what I use

F-clamps; Harbor Freight
Hand clamps – Irwin Quick Grips; Menards when they have the 11% off rebates
Aluminum Bar clamps; Harbor Freight (I use these before the pipe clamps because they weight less)
Kreg clamps; Menards with their 11% rebate
C-clamps 6”, 8”, and 10” deep; Harbor Freight
Pipe Bar clamps; Menards when they have the 11% off rebates (with the pipe I get at the local steel supplier and they’ll cut it to length for me)

Where do you buy your clamps?

Whom ever has clamps with feature I want the cheapest!

Prefer different mfg for different clamps:

Short F-Clamps: HF

Long F-Clamps: Columbian or Bessey
HF support bar bends too easy with long (~16”) lengths, and reduces available clamping pressure.

Hand clamps: Irwin Quick Grips
(multi-packs during holidays tend to be cheapest)

3/4” pipe clamps: HF (with foot)

Aluminum Bar clamps: Dubuque only, rest are inferior.

Parallel Clamps: Jet or Bessey

I-Bar: Pony/Jorgensen
These are industrial version of pipe clamp, where bar does not defect with high clamp pressures. Very expensive. Never go on sale. Tend to show up on industrial auctions cheap, which is where I got mine. Bessey introduced a clone that is little cheaper.

Cheers!

-- If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all, - Albert King - Born Under a Bad Sign released 1967

I bought most of my clamps at garage sales or flea markets. I bought a bunch of “pony” bar clamps as well

-- Petey

Yes box stores and harbor freight.
Depending on the application you can also make your own cam clamps, and light spring clamps from pvc pipe.

-- Eric, building the dream

I think he’s already smelling the Chinese rubber at Harbor Freight!

I never go there, but I’ve heard it smells like that. ;-)

-- Everything is a prototype thats why its one of a kind!!

I think he’s already smelling the Chinese rubber at Harbor Freight!

I never go there, but I’ve heard it smells like that. ;-)

- Robert

Walks in with a paper bag over his head….so no one will know…..”Chinese Rubber”? All I have ever smelled is the cosmoline they use, to prevent the rust….ie….just like the Hardware Stores of older times….( late FIL actually owned one….got it from his dad….so, yes, I am well acquainted with the “Hardware Store” smell)

Always seems a HF Hater will be along…...hard to walk down the aisles, with one’s nose in the air….blocks the views, doesn’t it?

-- A Planer? I'M the planer, this is what I use

Another for HF… my feelings don’t get hurt as bad at the cash register.