Editorial Review

This Bessey cabinet door kit is a huge favorite of cabinetmakers everywhere, and for good reason. With to their rock-solid, nonmarring, glue-resistant jaws, this set of clamps is distributes pressure evenly across a surface, so bowing and lifting is virtually eliminated. The right-angle jaws are ideal for assembly work, and the clamps have easy-to-grip wooden handles and solid-steel screws. The kit includes two 24-inch clamps, two 40-inch clamps, and one KP block set. --Jonathon Tudor ... Read more

Features

• Kit includes two 24-inch clamps, two 40-inch clamps, and one KP block set
• Design ensures that jaws remain parallel
• All-steel jaws encased in nonmarring, glue-resistant material
• Ideal for frameless construction, furniture construction, and countertop fabrication
• Allows easy face-to-face and edge-to-edge gluing

Reviews (72)

I couldn't have said it better
I was going to write a review of the Bessey cabinet clamps but I read what Alan Freedman said and I couldn't have said it better.So, to use Alan Freedman's comments (which I totally agree with)....

WHY YOU SHOULD BUY THEM: These are best clamps for squaring up a cabinet side/face frame ever. They work great standing up on a workbench. I consider them an invaluable part of my woodworking shop.

THE OTHER STUFF: These are not the end all. I still use my jorgenson clamps a lot. They apply point pressure (versus even pressure across the face of the clamp) which can be useful for truing up some jobs and clamping some irregular surfaces. The Bessey clamps are pretty heavy which can be ackward when clamping with one hand (and using the other hand to hold the project together).

THE BOTTOM LINE: You can never have too many clamps. I would not have less than a pair of the Bessey clamps in my shop. Four are better.

these are great clamps
My only complaint is the price, but you get your money's worth. I plan to pick up a few more of these sometime in the future. The faces give you square pressure against the stock, which I find really important for edge gluing and cabinet building. I keep a little pressure on the heads for storage. The one time I did not I rotated the clamp head vertically and the clamp body slid down pinching my hand on the way down.

Makes Woodworking an Absolute Pleasure!
My husband has been using his grandfather's pipe clamps for years.After doing extensive research, he finally decided to invest in some Bessey's.Needless to say, it's made his woodworking pasttime even more enjoyable.In fact, he liked these so well that he bought a second, identical set.These clamps are well worth the money! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Bar & Pipe Clamps   

Features

• Glue resistant
• Advanced hand-clamping technology
• All-steel design
• For gluing applications
• Nonmarring

Reviews (72)

I couldn't have said it better
I was going to write a review of the Bessey cabinet clamps but I read what Alan Freedman said and I couldn't have said it better.So, to use Alan Freedman's comments (which I totally agree with)....

WHY YOU SHOULD BUY THEM: These are best clamps for squaring up a cabinet side/face frame ever. They work great standing up on a workbench. I consider them an invaluable part of my woodworking shop.

THE OTHER STUFF: These are not the end all. I still use my jorgenson clamps a lot. They apply point pressure (versus even pressure across the face of the clamp) which can be useful for truing up some jobs and clamping some irregular surfaces. The Bessey clamps are pretty heavy which can be ackward when clamping with one hand (and using the other hand to hold the project together).

THE BOTTOM LINE: You can never have too many clamps. I would not have less than a pair of the Bessey clamps in my shop. Four are better.

these are great clamps
My only complaint is the price, but you get your money's worth. I plan to pick up a few more of these sometime in the future. The faces give you square pressure against the stock, which I find really important for edge gluing and cabinet building. I keep a little pressure on the heads for storage. The one time I did not I rotated the clamp head vertically and the clamp body slid down pinching my hand on the way down.

Makes Woodworking an Absolute Pleasure!
My husband has been using his grandfather's pipe clamps for years.After doing extensive research, he finally decided to invest in some Bessey's.Needless to say, it's made his woodworking pasttime even more enjoyable.In fact, he liked these so well that he bought a second, identical set.These clamps are well worth the money! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Bar & Pipe Clamps   

Features

• Ideal for all gluing applications
• All-steel design
• Jaws encased in non-marring glue-resistant material
• Evenly distributed clamping pressure
• Sliding-arm braking system

Reviews (72)

I couldn't have said it better
I was going to write a review of the Bessey cabinet clamps but I read what Alan Freedman said and I couldn't have said it better.So, to use Alan Freedman's comments (which I totally agree with)....

WHY YOU SHOULD BUY THEM: These are best clamps for squaring up a cabinet side/face frame ever. They work great standing up on a workbench. I consider them an invaluable part of my woodworking shop.

THE OTHER STUFF: These are not the end all. I still use my jorgenson clamps a lot. They apply point pressure (versus even pressure across the face of the clamp) which can be useful for truing up some jobs and clamping some irregular surfaces. The Bessey clamps are pretty heavy which can be ackward when clamping with one hand (and using the other hand to hold the project together).

THE BOTTOM LINE: You can never have too many clamps. I would not have less than a pair of the Bessey clamps in my shop. Four are better.

these are great clamps
My only complaint is the price, but you get your money's worth. I plan to pick up a few more of these sometime in the future. The faces give you square pressure against the stock, which I find really important for edge gluing and cabinet building. I keep a little pressure on the heads for storage. The one time I did not I rotated the clamp head vertically and the clamp body slid down pinching my hand on the way down.

Makes Woodworking an Absolute Pleasure!
My husband has been using his grandfather's pipe clamps for years.After doing extensive research, he finally decided to invest in some Bessey's.Needless to say, it's made his woodworking pasttime even more enjoyable.In fact, he liked these so well that he bought a second, identical set.These clamps are well worth the money! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Bar & Pipe Clamps   

Features

• Ideal for gluing applications
• All-steel design
• Jaws encased in non-marring glue-resistant material
• Evenly distributed clamping pressure
• Sliding-arm braking system

Reviews (72)

I couldn't have said it better
I was going to write a review of the Bessey cabinet clamps but I read what Alan Freedman said and I couldn't have said it better.So, to use Alan Freedman's comments (which I totally agree with)....

WHY YOU SHOULD BUY THEM: These are best clamps for squaring up a cabinet side/face frame ever. They work great standing up on a workbench. I consider them an invaluable part of my woodworking shop.

THE OTHER STUFF: These are not the end all. I still use my jorgenson clamps a lot. They apply point pressure (versus even pressure across the face of the clamp) which can be useful for truing up some jobs and clamping some irregular surfaces. The Bessey clamps are pretty heavy which can be ackward when clamping with one hand (and using the other hand to hold the project together).

THE BOTTOM LINE: You can never have too many clamps. I would not have less than a pair of the Bessey clamps in my shop. Four are better.

these are great clamps
My only complaint is the price, but you get your money's worth. I plan to pick up a few more of these sometime in the future. The faces give you square pressure against the stock, which I find really important for edge gluing and cabinet building. I keep a little pressure on the heads for storage. The one time I did not I rotated the clamp head vertically and the clamp body slid down pinching my hand on the way down.

Makes Woodworking an Absolute Pleasure!
My husband has been using his grandfather's pipe clamps for years.After doing extensive research, he finally decided to invest in some Bessey's.Needless to say, it's made his woodworking pasttime even more enjoyable.In fact, he liked these so well that he bought a second, identical set.These clamps are well worth the money! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Bar & Pipe Clamps   

Features

• Glue resistant
• Advanced hand-clamping technology
• All-steel design
• For gluing applications
• Nonmarring

Reviews (72)

I couldn't have said it better
I was going to write a review of the Bessey cabinet clamps but I read what Alan Freedman said and I couldn't have said it better.So, to use Alan Freedman's comments (which I totally agree with)....

WHY YOU SHOULD BUY THEM: These are best clamps for squaring up a cabinet side/face frame ever. They work great standing up on a workbench. I consider them an invaluable part of my woodworking shop.

THE OTHER STUFF: These are not the end all. I still use my jorgenson clamps a lot. They apply point pressure (versus even pressure across the face of the clamp) which can be useful for truing up some jobs and clamping some irregular surfaces. The Bessey clamps are pretty heavy which can be ackward when clamping with one hand (and using the other hand to hold the project together).

THE BOTTOM LINE: You can never have too many clamps. I would not have less than a pair of the Bessey clamps in my shop. Four are better.

these are great clamps
My only complaint is the price, but you get your money's worth. I plan to pick up a few more of these sometime in the future. The faces give you square pressure against the stock, which I find really important for edge gluing and cabinet building. I keep a little pressure on the heads for storage. The one time I did not I rotated the clamp head vertically and the clamp body slid down pinching my hand on the way down.

Makes Woodworking an Absolute Pleasure!
My husband has been using his grandfather's pipe clamps for years.After doing extensive research, he finally decided to invest in some Bessey's.Needless to say, it's made his woodworking pasttime even more enjoyable.In fact, he liked these so well that he bought a second, identical set.These clamps are well worth the money! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Bar & Pipe Clamps   

Features

• Glue resistant
• Advanced hand-clamping technology
• All-steel design
• For gluing applications
• Nonmarring

Reviews (72)

I couldn't have said it better
I was going to write a review of the Bessey cabinet clamps but I read what Alan Freedman said and I couldn't have said it better.So, to use Alan Freedman's comments (which I totally agree with)....

WHY YOU SHOULD BUY THEM: These are best clamps for squaring up a cabinet side/face frame ever. They work great standing up on a workbench. I consider them an invaluable part of my woodworking shop.

THE OTHER STUFF: These are not the end all. I still use my jorgenson clamps a lot. They apply point pressure (versus even pressure across the face of the clamp) which can be useful for truing up some jobs and clamping some irregular surfaces. The Bessey clamps are pretty heavy which can be ackward when clamping with one hand (and using the other hand to hold the project together).

THE BOTTOM LINE: You can never have too many clamps. I would not have less than a pair of the Bessey clamps in my shop. Four are better.

these are great clamps
My only complaint is the price, but you get your money's worth. I plan to pick up a few more of these sometime in the future. The faces give you square pressure against the stock, which I find really important for edge gluing and cabinet building. I keep a little pressure on the heads for storage. The one time I did not I rotated the clamp head vertically and the clamp body slid down pinching my hand on the way down.

Makes Woodworking an Absolute Pleasure!
My husband has been using his grandfather's pipe clamps for years.After doing extensive research, he finally decided to invest in some Bessey's.Needless to say, it's made his woodworking pasttime even more enjoyable.In fact, he liked these so well that he bought a second, identical set.These clamps are well worth the money! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Bar & Pipe Clamps   

Features

• 23-foot capacity
• Reciprocal gears
• Woven polyester strap
• High-tensile strength
• Swiveling pressure plates

Reviews (4)

Framework is impossible without - this thing is sweeeeeet!
I can't believe how nice this stap clamp from Bessey is. Because it's designed so well, the product worked easily right out of the box ... no instructions needed.A few things worth special mention are the corner/angle plates and the tensioner.First the angle plates have two individual swivel plates so they fit up to the frame and provide even pressure without indentation.Second, the tensioner is so easy to use, yet extremely effective, that it's a dream to use (o.k. "dream" and power tools should probably not be used in the same sentence, but that's what came to mind; and no I'm not iffeminite!).Normally, I wouldn't take the time to give a review right out of the box/1st time use, but this thing impressed me so much and I liked how intuitive the design was that I had to tell the power tool/woodworking community immediately.

The more you use it, the more you use it.
This is a nice strap clamp kit. The key is the adjusting system. At first I thought, why not just use a strapping tie down assembly available at the local home center, at a third of the price. After all, it is a nylon web strap and it has a tightening and releasing system. The problem is that it gives you tighteness in a racheting fashion. So you are either at one click or the next one. No fine adjustment. Additionally, without the corner braces that comes with the Vario kit, you would be catching the corners, and creating a less than equal pressure.
All told this Bessey kit is a very nice unit, and does a good job. For the money it would be hard to beat. Highly recommended.

Terrific Clamp
This clamp has come to my rescue several times when building boxes, bookshelves, or anything where I need even pressure all around an object.The mechanism for tightening the clamp tightens very well -- first you turna gear to get the straps snug, then you turn a thumbscrew to firm it up allthe way.The corner braces are great when you are tightening a box and youwant to make sure the corners don't get damaged.Yes, even though it is avinyl strap, the clamp can still make indentations in the wood if youtighten it enough.

I gave the clamp 4 stars instead of 5 only because thegear mechanism is a little awkward to use.I emphasize that it is a minorproblem.Sometimes, when you are trying to turn the gear, the clamp feelsa little off-balance.But once it's tight, and you turn the thumbscrew,it's fine.With better positioning of the gear, these clamps would get 5stars, no doubt. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Strap Clamps   

Features

• 2.5" throat
• 30-piece mix
• Eight(8) 24" Clamps
• Four(4) each 6", 18", 30" and 36" clamps
• Six(6) 12" Clamps

Features

• Eliminate the driving plates and prevent drive pin holes form elongating
• Super tough bi-metal
• Teeth electron beam welded to a steel body
• 3/16-inch thick
• Less vibration/shatter resistant

Reviews (1)

Overclockers
This is what overclockers need for making the blow holes! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Milwaukee    4. (Milwakee)    5. (Milwuakee)    6. (Milwauke)    7. (Milwake)    8. Drill Bits    9. Hole Saw Bits    10. (Drils)    11. Drills   

Features

• Non-marring stay-on pads are soft, pliable, large pads that protect the finish, yet can be replaced
• 24"
• Quick Change Multi-Positioning Jaw locks on end-pin or any position on bar
• Quick-Clip feature on jaw converts clamp into a spreader quickly and easily; no tools required
• Quick one handed operation moves 2X faster than the Original Quick-Grip trigger

Reviews (2)

Extremely handy
Great clamps for two reasons.1, you only need one hand.2, you don't need to put blocks to prevent mares and dents.

Great Clamp, Good Size (You Decide)
This clamp uses the ingenius trigger grip design for unbelievable ease of use. This makes the clamp unbelievably easy to tighten using one hand. A few warnings about this particular product, however:

(1) Be sure the size is correct. I think the 24" size is probably a bit too big for most projects. I think the 18" size is the best all-around size.Personal preference and common usage really should make this decision for you.

(2) The plastic construction makes the clamps best for holding items "approximately" in place. If you need total clamping for cutting precision, look elsewhere.

All in all, a good product if it is the right size, and used for the right purpose.A good collection would probably include either this or the 18" size, the 36" size and the smallest size.If building such a collection, I would start with this or the 18" size. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Bar & Pipe Clamps    5. Spreader Clamps   

Features

• Frame-less, furniture, cabinet construction
• Most advanced hand clamping technology
• All steel design
• Jaws encased in non-marring glue resistant material
• Ideal for all gluing applications

Reviews (72)

I couldn't have said it better
I was going to write a review of the Bessey cabinet clamps but I read what Alan Freedman said and I couldn't have said it better.So, to use Alan Freedman's comments (which I totally agree with)....

WHY YOU SHOULD BUY THEM: These are best clamps for squaring up a cabinet side/face frame ever. They work great standing up on a workbench. I consider them an invaluable part of my woodworking shop.

THE OTHER STUFF: These are not the end all. I still use my jorgenson clamps a lot. They apply point pressure (versus even pressure across the face of the clamp) which can be useful for truing up some jobs and clamping some irregular surfaces. The Bessey clamps are pretty heavy which can be ackward when clamping with one hand (and using the other hand to hold the project together).

THE BOTTOM LINE: You can never have too many clamps. I would not have less than a pair of the Bessey clamps in my shop. Four are better.

these are great clamps
My only complaint is the price, but you get your money's worth. I plan to pick up a few more of these sometime in the future. The faces give you square pressure against the stock, which I find really important for edge gluing and cabinet building. I keep a little pressure on the heads for storage. The one time I did not I rotated the clamp head vertically and the clamp body slid down pinching my hand on the way down.

Makes Woodworking an Absolute Pleasure!
My husband has been using his grandfather's pipe clamps for years.After doing extensive research, he finally decided to invest in some Bessey's.Needless to say, it's made his woodworking pasttime even more enjoyable.In fact, he liked these so well that he bought a second, identical set.These clamps are well worth the money! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Bar & Pipe Clamps   

Features

• Lifetime warranty against defects and workmanship
• Replaces c-clamps
• Ergonomic wood grip handle
• Lighter duty clamp for delicate projects
• Protective cap prevents damage to material

Subjects:  1. Clamps    2. C-Clamps   

Features

• Clamping pressure: 220 pounds
• Lays flooring panels
• Installs lashing straps
• Opening: 4,000 mm
• Clamping width: 120 mm

Reviews (4)

good clamps
I'm just a do it your selfer, I'm installing 1500 sqft of flooring in my own house.I bought 8 clamps, they our great for pulling joints together. I found that once joints our pulled tight that blue tape holds them in place. If clamps our pulled to tight your last row will come up. I could have easily gotten by with only 2 clamps.

Laminate flooring made easy
Get these flooring clamps--your most important tool for putting down laminate that is tight at the joints!I thought laminate such as Pergo had to be pounded together, frequently disturbing already glued joints until I tried these clamps.My seams are now tighter, my flooring goes down faster, and the work is more satisfying.Use a minimum of two for a narrow layout or four--three across the panels and one side to side--to keep and set tight joints over larger areas.They look a little pricey at first, but once you try them, I think you'll agree that they are the best investment you will make in a laminate tool.

great tool buy enough for your job
I saw this tool on one of the home improvement shows.Usually, for floating floor installations it's just 'glue & tap the tongue into the grove using a scrap piece'.Using a clamping system is just better and easier.The only thing is BUY ENOUGH CLAMPS for your job size/room.The instructions say use 1 clamp every 30 inches; that's a little too generous, but don't skimp here.Spend a little more--buy several for the long way and one for clamping width-wise.You'll have a job that moves a long quickly and looks like a pro did it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Strap Clamps   

Features

• Non marring pads
• Patented profile rail
• Non-slip locking device
• 1 beam design
• Zinc finished drawn rail

Reviews (4)

Bessey wins in medium duty as well
The nice thing about the Bessey Tradesmen's is that they are heavier duty than the competition, in the medium duty class, and you don't have to take out a second mortgage to afford a set of them. The locking mechanism works without any hassles, and the grip is strong. All in all a nice piece of equipment. A major competitor sells this model for less money, but it is also a lighter weight clamp. I like them all. Bessey makes great stuff, you can't go wrong with these. They are a great general-purpose clamp. Highly recommended.

Inspect it before you buy
The clamp looks great until you start look closer at it.If you look at the lower jaw you will notice that the hole for the hand screw is usually not drilled staight or in the center.When the screw is not straight it can cause the work to misalign as you tighten it or if it's not drilled in the center, can weaken the clamp.I still like the clamps but when I buy them I go to the store and inspect each one I buy.I don't mind spending extra for quality tools but I think Bessey can do better than this.

Not a bad Intermediate Clamp
This is a pretty decent clamp.If you need a real clamp though go with a K-body or a JORGENSEN Cabinet Master Clamp.

Works great when used with face frame clamps. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Bar & Pipe Clamps   

Features

• Tiltable pressure plates
• Adjusts from 60 to 180 degrees
• Constant pressure on miters

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Strap Clamps   

Features

• Non marring pads
• Patented profile rail
• Non-slip locking device
• 1 beam design
• Zinc finished drawn rail

Reviews (3)

Bessey wins in medium duty as well
The nice thing about the Bessey Tradesmen's is that they are heavier duty than the competition, in the medium duty class, and you don't have to take out a second mortgage to afford a set of them. The locking mechanism works without any hassles, and the grip is strong. All in all a nice piece of equipment. A major competitor sells this model for less money, but it is also a lighter weight clamp. I like them all. Bessey makes great stuff, you can't go wrong with these. They are a great general-purpose clamp. Highly recommended.

Where was these clamps 8 years ago?
The clamps are made the right way stiff and sturdy.They are better than other clamps similar to this stile, stay away form the cheap clamps.I have the 6", 12", 18", 24", 30" 36" clamps and I know I will buy some more, which I just ordered 6 more of the TGJ2.506 2 ½" x 6, little bit pricey, but WELL WORTH THE MONEY.

Bessey Bar Clamps Beat All
I have recently puchased several sizes of the Tradesman clamps offered by Bessey. I am delighted with their performance. The Bessey clamp is far superior to other bar clamp offerings from suppliers such as Jorgensen. TheBessey clamps have a much sturdier bar and larger clamp screw with ACMEthreads. They also come with protective plastic pads that do not marr theproject. Jorgensen on the other hand requires you to purchase protectivepads seperately and they tend to leave an oily mark. The Bessey clamps aresimple to operate and the serated edge and set screw system workflawlessly. By far the most clamp for the money. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Bar & Pipe Clamps   

Features

• Max: 450-500 lbs. of pressure
• Clamp panels from 3/8 inch to 2 inch
• Prevents materials from slipping
• No harm to clamped surfaces
• Provides secure hold while realignment

Reviews (2)

Bessey EKT-55 edge clamp
Very pleasant to use.The large metal casting is suprisingly lightweight, and some of the mechanism inside is plastic, so it is nice and light.I used mine to clamp edge molding onto plywood while gluing, and it gripped just fine, no slippage at all (so yes, to the reviewer above, it's great for bare wood).Much faster and easier to use than bar clamps. Now if only they can dramatically lower the price so I can get a bunch of 'em instead of just one...

Bessey EKT55 Clamp
This clamp fills a specific need pretty well (at a significant price).I have used it primarily to install face frames on cabinets.It is easy to use and light considering its size.The mechanism worked smoothly.My only disappointment was that it did not apply as much pressure as I hoped.This may be because it was trying to grip a finished surface.I think it might do better on raw wood.I would be concerned if I needed a lot of pressure and the inside of the cabinet was laminated. I tried the Gross-Stabile model and took it back to get these.I am happy I did. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Edge Clamps   

Features

• One-year warranty
• Aligns and holds material at a 90-degree angle
• Galvanized spindle
• Die-cast plastic-coated jaws
• Rear jaw swivels

Reviews (6)

Nothing's Perfect...
I have tried several things for a solution to the "one person assembly problem" on casework.I bought a couple of these Bessey clamps to try to assist in keeping casework square while I dry-fitted parts during assembly.They work fine, and it's a real plus that they can deal with materials of different thicknesses being joined together.These are typical Bessey quality -- nice, precise.I compared them on the shelf to a similar product made by Columbian, but the Columbian was much heavier and had a cheap cast metal look about it.It didn't seem as precise as the Bessey.

My one complaint is that, as one other reviewer pointed out, they don't apply pressure to force the pieces to "meet."Imagine having another person holding your pieces but simply holding them perfectly square, not pressing them together.Of course, this "press" is easily accomplished with another clamp or two.

By the way, Jet makes some corner clamps of a completely different design, and this Bessey product blows that stuff away.The Bessey is easier to handle, doesn't mark the surface, and just generally better.

You won't go wrong with this well-made Bessey product!

A word of caution
Two things:
-Not suitable for contraceptive use
-When they say keep fingers and other extremities clear from clamp. THEY ARE NOT JOKING!

A bomb-proof beauty!
This clamp is great for corner clamping! It is strong and is obviously built to survive a lot of punishment. Great for clamping heavy-duty stock together. The only limitations that I found with it are:
* Limited capacity when dealing with T-joints.
* It is quite heavy (is that really a limitation?) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Angle Clamps   

Features

• Famous Bessey steel rail
• Ratchet action resists vibration
• Quick clamping, quick release on virtually any shape
• Magnesium jaw, glass-fiber reinforced
• Polyamid lever

Reviews (1)

Excellent, Compact, & Convenient Medium Power Clamp
I have lots of pairs of clamps.Quick-Grips, bar clamps, pipe clamps, spring clamps, and so on.Different versions of somefrom different manufacturers.They all have their perfect uses but limitations.The Quick-Grips are good one handed but you have to really work to get good clamping force and workpieces tend to squirm beneath the large puffy pads.Bar clamps apply strong force and have less tendency to make the workpiece squirm, but take 2 hands to set and sometimes dent the workpiece.Pipe clamps with pads are massively strong and stiff but are awkward to install and have very shallow jaws.All of these options are heavy and large for their opening dimension.

Enter the Bessey KliKlamp.I recently picked up a couple of the 8" ones and have given them a good workout in the shop.The KliKlamps are exceptionally light and compact for their capacity.Let's compare them to a close competitor, the 6" Quick-Grip:

Quick-Grip:6" capacity, 14"x9"x1.5", 2 1/4" jaw depth (to center of pad - the real world test), 24 oz., 250 pound clamping force, 3x mechanical advantage driving clamp, $20.

KliKlamp:8" capacity, 11"x5"x1", 3" jaw depth (to center of pad), 11 oz., 330 pound clamping force, 18x mechanical advantage driving clamp, $20.

The KliKlamp has set a new standard.It offers more capacity, less size and weight for easy jobsite carry, greater jaw depth, higher clamping force, and better mechanical advantage to make getting the clamping force easier.All for the same price.I haven't had the KliKlamps long enough to say how their magnesium jaws hold up compared to the Quick-Grip plastic jaws.The bar pin sheared on one of my four Quick-Grips after extensive shop use.

The KliKlamp can be set one-handed, but not as easily as the Quick-Grip.That difference will keep my Quick-Grips around, but I'll be using the KliKlamp for most tasks.The KliKlamps will for sure be my travel clamps on account of their size and weight.Note that KliKlamps, and Quick-Grips, are "convenience" shop clamps.They get heavy use holding workpieces, stops, and in light duty glue clamping situations.You still typically have to reach for bar and pipe clamps when gluing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bessey    2. (Bessy)    3. Clamps    4. Bar & Pipe Clamps