General use clamps

[LewisB]

Hello,

I’m looking for some advice on clamps. Does anyone recommend a good general purpose clamp that you use more than any other? With so many types and sizes it’s become a bit of a challenge finding the right one.

Thanks

 

[Spectric]

What are you clamping ? Is it on a bench or during some construction ?

I would say a good all round clamp is the one handed clamp from Bessey, the duoklamp

https://www.besseytools.co.uk/besse...OUTgFng1XcM3SOka5YDVWKyKpMKBQKS6kM5WH6k9iBWyR

 

[TheUnicorn]

It is horses for courses,

I grab a heavy duty irwin quick clamp (squeeze clamp) when I need something to hold wood to saw, anything weaker and the vibrations of the saw, whatever sort you are using, will shake the clamp loose in seconds, even so, I still give an occasional squeeze to keep things tight.

I use the lighter duty squeeze clamp when putting together a glue up, because they are one handed, I'll then tend to swap them out for f clamps, which are cheap and strong

I find the cheap unbranded (black with orange pads normally) squeeze clamps fall apart with next to no pressure, Irwin, bessey etc cost significantly more but are worth the extra money.

also have clothes peg style clips, sash clamps, long f clamps.

I think a better question is I make 'X', have a budget of 'Y', what should I buy

 

[Ozi]

I like these by Irwin

 

[Sideways]

Those Irwin quick grip clamps are widely available and come on sale regularly.
They are light and very easy to use.
Bessey make equivalent type and sizes of clamps that are nicer/better but cost more.
For me, that type in 300, through 600mm lengths are the goto clamp.
Two here, four there, ... you'll end up wanting a mix unless you only ever make things that are square.
At some point you'll get heavy duty more powerful ones of the same thing.
Just start with a couple of 450mm and add more if you grow to like them.

And if you have a mate, the best deals tend to be when you can buy packs of 4, 8, 10, 12 whatever of the Bessey ones. If you can split a pack with someone, this might be a good idea.

 

[--Tom--]

As above - depends

In workshop if holding small parts together for gluing Kant twists are great as grip with less slip sliding. They’re expensive though.

a pair of wooden hand screws is handy in the workshop - can grip tapers and can also be clamped to the bench themselves so very flexible for holding pieces in a way you get good access. Often they’ve given me the ability to clamp something that I wouldn’t have been able to do without them.

One handed trigger clamps are great for being able to offer something up with one hand and clamp with the other. So useful during assembly to get everything in place before adding stronger clamps or putting in screws. When I built my shed they were the only clamps I used.

Bessey k body clamps are great for furniture making, but need both hands to get into position and tighten. More clamping force than trigger clamps and more manoeuvrable than sash clamps. That said the aluminium sash clamps do have a big fan following.

 

[Spectric]

Something to add that I found is that for ages I thought a lever clamp could apply more pressure until I used a Bessey screw type clamp to get something to align and was impressed by how much force it exerted compared to the lever clamp.

 

[Orraloon]

I have a mixture of quick clamps ranging from Aldi, no name, Irwin and those Bessey duo ones. They are all useful but the bessey are the best of the bunch. I use them for small glue ups as they hold things square better than the average quick clamp will. But as Spectric has pointed out if you need real big clamping pressure then grab a screw clamp.
Regards
John

 

[thetyreman]

bessey uniklamp are really good, they are the ones I use the most, they aren't the cheapest but they have lasted well, it really depends on what you plan on making and the size of your projects.

 

[Mel769]

Toolstation have irwin clamps in sale

https://www.toolstation.com/irwin-q...&ranSiteID=nz_xpRlxjVA-EP3rLo6Dzv_8bz3kOdbkfA

 

[TRITON]

I dont think I've used anything other than a sash cramp in most jobs, though in the house 9ive a number of these 'quick clamps' ranging from lightweight Irwin ones(blue) at about 400mm, and a couple of the original(yellow) at 600,, and also a couple of the 5' original (yellow)

The quick clamps I've found are best for holding something to a bench for say routing, but for gluing up its sash only.
Quick clamps you can find everywhere and i dont think it matters whether they are Bessey, or Irwin, or the originals, just so long as its not the cheapo pound shop type as they slip and are fit only for the bin.

On the sash cramp front,there is 2 types, 1 is a straight flat bar, the other is a T section. The straight bar are best for 90% of jobs, unless you're gluing up huge oak gates and you need that extra strength to force in those M&T joints, and they're good because you can easily join 2 cramps together to make them long enough if the job calls for something longer than normal.

Prices on the flat bar be that Axminster or Irwin Record is about the same, but you should be able to find some similar on places like Ebay for a bit less, and also 2nd hand on Ebay

Rutlands have a good deal of a pack of 6x1200mm sash for £130
https://www.rutlands.com/products/s...MI7_6WodSwigMVszsGAB1PdTCpEAQYBSABEgL0CPD_BwE

 

[Doug B]

These little Bessey F clamps probably get used most in the workshop, so useful for all manner of small jobs & cheap as chips when bought in multiples.

After those it’s uniklamps which get used for most glue ups under 2’

They are all many years old & given stirling service, ironically reading this thread has made me realise I don’t have any of the trigger quick release clamps in the workshop

 

[JSW]

Ha! You beat me to it by a sec, I bought a set of Aldi F clamps on a whim a couple of years ago, they were so good I went back the next day and bought some more in a larger size, buy them every year now when they come around again, usually Oct/Nov time, IIRC the 300mm one's were 3 for £9.99 or something equally ridiculous.

The ridges on the stem that lock the adjustable head in place tend to wear, but 5 mins with a hacksaw to re-groove them deeper works just fine, better than the original grooves in fact.

 

[Bingy man]

As others above have rightly said eventually you will need a selection of clamps . When you start a project and reach for your 800mm clamps only to realise your project is 850 mm wide + packing pieces so that’s what you need to bear in mind. Then you have the specialty clamps - mitre , edge clamps, panel clamps . Buy as you need them or preempt . Bessey are good but lots of other makes are just as good .

 

[skeetstar]

I've got a variety, but the best value, and surprisingly good quality are the Aldi Lidl F clamps.. when you can get them.

 

[skeetstar]

That said, nearly everything I have to glue is just too big for my smaller clamps, and not really big enough for my big Bertha sash clamps.

 

[HamsterJam]

Irwin quick clamps are my most used mainly because they are cheap (so I have a few) and convenient to use. But like others, I have a selection.

 

[ThornOfCamorr]

For glue ups I only use the Axminster Pro Parallel Jaw clamps. Those are just superb. The work piece stays square which is so helpful. They also create massive clamping force and the swivel handle allows for even easier tightening. Only downside is their weight. The set of cheap Toolstation F clamps is collecting dust.
For purely holding things I use the Irwin quick clamps and t-track clamps

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I have 70 or 80 cramps, but 75%+ of use is 6" G cramps.

 

[Spectric]

I find that it is not only the job that needs to be clamped but you also need clamps to hold jigs and templates in place so the clamp collection just grows and grows. It can also be handy to have clamps that expand as well as clamp things together.