The Best Clamps
Every woodworker and maker says the same thing: you can never have too many clamps. Clamps hold glue-ups, secure workpieces for cutting, and act as a third hand when you are working alone. Quality clamps apply even pressure, hold without slipping, and last for decades. These are the ones worth accumulating.
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How to Choose
Bar clamps for long reaches. F-clamps for general clamping. C-clamps for heavy pressure in a small area. Spring clamps for quick, light-duty holds. Pipe clamps for panel glue-ups on a budget. The jaw pads should be flat and parallel under pressure. The screw mechanism should be smooth and not require excessive force to tighten.
Bessey TGJ2.518 18-Inch Bar Clamp
If you only buy one, make it this one. Read the full guide below for alternatives at every price point.
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Six things that separate the good from the rest.
Measured in pounds. Bar clamps: 300-600 lbs. C-clamps: 500-1200 lbs. Quick-grip: 150-300 lbs. Match the pressure to the task. Glue-ups need even, moderate pressure. Metalwork needs heavy pressure.
Non-marring pads protect the workpiece. Swivel pads adjust to angled surfaces. Fixed pads only work on flat, parallel surfaces.
The distance from the bar to the screw center. Deeper throats reach further onto the workpiece. 2.5 to 4 inches covers most bench work.
Forged steel screws are smooth and durable. Threaded rod screws are cheaper but can strip. The screw should turn easily under load.
The sliding tail should move freely when loose and lock firmly when tightened. A tail that slips under pressure is useless.
You need more clamps than you think. Four bar clamps, four quick-grips, and four C-clamps is a solid starting point. You will add more.
The Picks
Bessey TGJ2.518 18-Inch Bar Clamp
German-made by Bessey, the world's largest clamp manufacturer. The TGJ series has a fixed head, a sliding tail, and a forged steel screw that applies up to 600 pounds of clamping pressure. The jaw pads are non-marring and swivel to accommodate angled surfaces. This is the bar clamp that equips serious workshops.
The bar clamp standard. Bessey has been making these in Germany since 1889. Buy four to start.
Find on Amazon arrow_forwardIrwin Quick-Grip Medium-Duty 12-Inch
One-handed operation. Squeeze the trigger to tighten, press the release to open. Fast clamping for situations where you are holding the workpiece with the other hand. Up to 300 pounds of clamping pressure. Converts to a spreader by reversing the head.
The fastest clamp in the shop. Squeeze, hold, done. Buy six.
Find on Amazon arrow_forwardBessey C-Clamp 4-Inch
Cast steel body with a forged steel screw. The C-clamp applies more pressure per square inch than any other clamp type. 4-inch throat depth covers most workbench tasks. The swivel pad adjusts to angled surfaces automatically.
The pressure clamp. When bar clamps are not enough, the C-clamp provides the force.
Find on Amazon arrow_forwardPony Jorgensen Pipe Clamp Fixture Set
Turn any length of 3/4-inch pipe into a bar clamp. The fixture clamps onto standard pipe, which means your clamping length is limited only by the pipe you own. The most economical way to clamp wide panels for edge gluing.
The budget woodworker's secret. A $15 fixture on a $5 pipe gives you a 4-foot bar clamp.
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