Whether you’re a seasoned woodworker who can never find enough clamps when you need them, or a homeowner that’s looking to gradually add useful tools to your toolbox, you’ll want to pay attention to this new Bessey bar clamp deal.
For a limited time, you can buy a pack of (6) 6-inch Bessey clutch-style bar clamps for $25. While 6-inch clamps with 2-1/2″ deep jaws won’t be big enough for every job, they are still very handy for many projects.
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These clutch-style clamps, so named because of the two clutch plates that grip the rail, are constructed with powder-coated ductile cast iron jaws, and a drawn nickel plated serrated-edged rail. What all this means is that the jaws and rail aren’t going to snap on you like cheaper tools, and they’ll resist corrosion. The clamps come with non-marring pads for the jaws, and a wooden handle on the adjustment screw.
If you’ve never used a clutch-style F-clamp before, they are designed to be both fast and capable of applying a lot of pressure. You make the quick adjustment by pulling the clutch plates straight and sliding the lower jaw along the rail. When the jaws are opened enough to fit your workpiece, you then twist the handle to close the smaller gap and to apply pressure. These particular clamps are said to have a max clamping strength of 600 pounds.
You can find this clamp set on sale for $25 at Home Depot, in stores and online, through June 16th, 2015. Sure you can buy cheaper clamps, but you’re not going to find Bessey clamps this cheap very often. There are also beefier clamps out there, but not for anywhere near the $4.15/clamp you’re paying here.
Buy Now (via Home Depot)
The same clamp is on sale for $7.60 each at Woodcraft, or $10 each at Amazon.
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Drew M
Thanks Benjamin. I’ve been looking at clamps for my woodshop the past few days and I think these might be a good choice.
ktash
Good deal, Benjamen! I was hoping for the much smaller ones on special. I could use a couple more. I’ll take a look at these in Home Depot.
Yadda
Thanks for the heads up on this deal. I need some better clamps and this fits the ticket. Now if I could just find a way to forward my billing for all these purchases to ToolGuyd…
Stuart
Yadda, Okay, send me a copy of the receipt or invoice. =)
Hmm… on second thought… if I’m buying, maybe you want something a bit more fun? Check your email.
Derek
Might be the coolest thing ever! Nice work Stuart!
NCD
Where are they made?
fred
If these are the ones HD had on sale for Christmas – they are made in China.
I believe that some other Bessey clamps are still made in Germany
Lukas
Yeah, I saw those too. I bet these are the same
Grady
Stuart
Thanks for the heads up. Great news on pay day!
Tyler Boespflug
Can someone comment to the quality comparison to Jorgensen’s bar clamps? I have a couple like the following and some of their original wood handled ones (similar to the Bessey handles here). Are the Bessey bar clamps that much better ?
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Jorgensen-6-in-Steel-Bar-Clamp-3706-4PK/100111918?N=5yc1vZc266Ztb
Currently I have Jorgensen bar clamps and a few other misc Bessey clamps.
fred
Bessey’s reputation was based more on their parallel jaw clamps – which (now off-patent) are much imitated. On Norm Abrams’ old TV show you might have seen these and their Grip Pliers peeking out – which probably helped their sales
This bar clamp design – seems to be part of Bessey’s light-duty DIY line of products. Their Tradesman Line Light Duty clamp in this size (TGJ2.506) would set you back about $60 for a set of six. It uses a flat bar with serrations along its narrow edges – which a few users seem to find problematical. Heavier Duty Bessey clamps – move to a bar shape that is a bit more structurally robust – being capable of applying more clamping force. A set of six TG5.512 (12 inch) might set you back $180.
Josh
I have one Jorgensen bar clamp and a bunch of the bessey 12″ and 6″ clamps from their previous promotion. I’d have to say the jorgensen is more than a bit better made, it feels a lot sturdier. The Bessey clamps work though, and $4 a clamp is fantastic. If you do lots of smaller glue-ups this size is remarkably convenient.
The Bessey K-Body Revos are in another class altogether, though. Love those clamps.
Drew M
Since I’ve been researching clamps the past week or so…
Seems the best parallel jaw clamps are made by Jet but the differences between the brands are small. Most woodworkers seem to recommend getting whatever happens to be on sale at the time.
http://www.amazon.com/Jet-70411-Parallel-Clamp-Cabinet/dp/B000F79022
For general purpose woodworking the Jorgensen 37xx-hd clamps with the newer molded grips seem to be some of the best out there.
http://www.amazon.com/Jorgensen-3736-HD-36-Inch-Heavy-Duty-Clamp/dp/B00005R1I0
I plan to outfit my shop with some of both of the above clamps and I can see using the Jorgensens a lot when glueing things that don’t require the extra precision of parallel jaw clamps. I’m not in any huge hurry so I will wait for them to go on sale.
I picked up some of these Bessey 6″ clamps to replace some REALLY cheap chinese made bar clamps that I have had for years. I mainly used them for holding jigs and other random tasks around the house that didn’t require crazy clamp pressure and I think the Bessey will be more than up to the task.
JH
I just picked these up today. My daughter questioned this decision reminding me that I have lots of clamps in the shop. I reminded her that one can never have too many clamps.
Bill K
Still available at local HD today, so I snagged a set. Going to use them tomorrow in a door rebuild project! The look like they’ll be a worthy sturdy addition to my clamp collection. Thanks for the heads-up on the sale!