Rockwell’s JawHorse portable work clamp is on sale again, for $99 with free shipping. It’s temporarily out of stock, but you can still order one.
The JawHorse drops to $100 just about every holiday season, and I post about it every time it does. Why? Because it’s a fantastic “makes your work easier” kind of tool.
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Price: $99
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What’s a Rockwell JawHorse?
It’s a portable work clamp with a clamping range of up to 37″, and it can support up to 600 lbs. You can exert a clamping force of up to 2,200 lbs.
It gives you hands-free clamping. You need a free hand to lock or unlock the JawHorse, but clamping pressure is applied via a foot-operated level.
It’s portable. It weighs around 43 lbs, and folds up for relatively easy transport or storage. If you don’t want to carry it, pull it along – it has built-in wheels.
I’ve never been a fan of how JawHorses roll, but it’s doable.
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There used to be some neat JawHorse accessories, but most seem to have been discontinued or are otherwise extremely difficult to find. But you can always build your own and clamp it in the JawHorse.
$99 is a great price. The JawHorse typically retails for $120-$150. This $99 price comes around at least 2 times a year, and every time it does it’s a great deal.
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The Rockwell JawHorse is so good, you’ll often see it at media events or trade shows, holding material that’s to be drilled into, cut, or work on in other ways as part of a tool or accessory demo.
RC WARD
These things are a must have for any garage or shop. 99 dollars is a great price
Fm2176
The price is great, and the JawHorse even better. I recommend getting two if possible. One is excellent, but two is outstanding! I just broke down my temporary table, freeing both of mine up for sone projects this weekend.
Chris
If you can afford it go with the sheetmaster if you plan on using it to cut 4X8 sheets of plywood.
Stuart
I briefly reviewed the Sheetmaster a few years ago. https://toolguyd.com/rockwell-jawhorse-sheetmaster-review/
Between the two, I much more prefer the standard JawHorse, since I use other methods to cut down large sheet goods and rarely need full 4-foot capacity.
John
I just watched a youtube video where a guy bought a new jawhorse and seemingly every accessory at a garage sale (for $100!). Among the accessories was a 48″ jaw to swap out with the standard 36″ jaw (there was also some welding accessories, a miter saw table and in/outfeed rollers and maybe some other pieces, too.)
The miter saw table and rollers would be of great interest to me. If anyone has any links/leads on accessories, please post! Thanks.
Stuart
I search around every now and then, and when posting about this deal, but Rockwell seems to have given up on selling the accessories. I guess they haven’t been that popular.
nigeldh
John, I agree with you. When I got my Sheetmaster JawHorse those accessories were listed but out-of-stock. I wish Rockwell would do like WoodPeckers – have an order these for a custom production run.
I was able to get the 3 log holding jaws – its great for holding turning blanks for trimming with a portable bandsaw or electric chainsaw.
Last year the Sheetmaster version wasn’t available during the holiday sales so I got the regular version.
Mike McFalls
Ditto on the woodpeckers idea!
Jimmy
I’ve had one of these for several years, after seeing one in a store somewhere and not being able to walk past it without buying one.
I don’t use it all the time, but it makes a lot of things so much easier.
Most recent example, I was putting together a swingset/playset for my daughters. A bunch of the play area fence pieces were just a little bit too long to fit between the posts.
Pop one in the Jawhorse, hit it with an angle grinder with a flap disc, pop it out. Repeat.
John
I notice that the more expensive model’s 3 legs all have a wide base, but that the less expensive model ($99 on sale) has one skinny leg without any kind of “foot”. If setting this up on dirt/jobsite, does the skinny leg have a tendency to drop/sink into the ground, under weight?
Appreciate hearing from anyone who’s set this up on dirt…
firefly
Wow, I didn’t notice that at all. I knew there was two different model back when I purchase them. What I didn’t realize is that there are some subtle different between them, one being the wider base on the more expensive model.
I also saw another different is the more expensive model come with two wheel vs one roller. I don’t know whether the wheel will make a different rolling but they do seem to give better clearance. As Stuart mentioned he didn’t care much for how they roll. I have the less expensive model with the roller and I agree with that assessment. I don’t know which model Stuart have.
Rockwell website have both model listed on there. They seem to share similar specs. They don’t provide any info on what the different between the two models though.
As far as sinking in that depend on how you use it. The majority of the weight is on the working end with two legs. However I only use it to clamp fairly narrow material. If you plan on clamp larger/heavier material and you spend a lot of time working on soft ground the wider base might worth the investment. With a little bit of ingenuity I am sure you could have a makeshift support if the ground were truly sinking.
Stuart
The Sheetmaster has 2 wheels. On my test sample, it’d rock back and forth if you pulled it too fast.
firefly
Upon closer inspection it look like the more expensive one is called the Sheetmaster. It claim to be able to clamp a 4’x8′ sheet of material being the main difference. It’s also slightly larger and heavier.
Shawn
The Jawhorse is great. I use mine often. Recently, I have been looking at the new DeWALT Portable Workbench. It has bench-dog holes on top and about 10 on the side. It’s unclear how the side holes will be used, but maybe they work with DeWALT spreader clamps by removing the fixed end? The DeWALT is more like the Kreg KWS1000 or Worx Pegasus versus the Jawhorse. However, I’m curious if anyone has clamped a workbench top to two Jawhorses in order to create a “portable” workbench. Two Jawhorses and a workbench top would weigh a lot more than the DeWALT unit, but the weigh could be a benefit for some applications. Here are the links for the DeWALT workbench and spreader clamps:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-33-in-Folding-Portable-Workbench-DWST11556/301867227
https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-12-in-and-6-in-Bar-Clamp-Set-4-Pieces-DWHT83855/303177956
Stuart
I bought that Dewalt but haven’t used it very much yet.
There have been requests for a comparison, and I’m trying to arrange to do just that next week.
Shawn
I look forward to seeing your review/comparison!
Have you checked to see if the DeWalt clamps that I mentioned work for side-clamping with the DeWalt workbench/bench-dogs?
Your efforts are greatly appreciated!
Stuart
I didn’t see those clamps before. Right after I saw your link, I fired off an email to my Dewalt hand tools contact, asking for more info.
I’ll have to check, but I think squeeze clamps will fit, and they might not need to be reversible. I’m also wondering whether Dewalt track clamps will fit with minimal effort.
Shawn
I think that we’re thinking along the same lines, but I’m not sure. Using the squeeze clamp you mentioned would be better for the workbench, but I cannot see how any of them will fit through the side-hole without removing the fixed jaw first. I posted the following as a question on the Home Depot link for the DeWALT workbench.
Can the side-holes accommodate a 12 in. DeWALT spreader/clamp by A) taking off the fixed jaw, B) putting the bar through the 3/4 in side-hole, and then C) replacing the fixed jaw in an upside-down position on the same end of the clamp? This would allow for some type of side-clamping option with bench-dogs. Here’s a link for the clamp:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-12-in-Large-Trigger-Clamp-DWHT83193/204987960
Stuart
If a clamp has a spring pin on the bar, you might be able to drive it out, remove the dynamic jaw, slide the clamp through, and reattach the dynamic jaw.
Dewalt shows clamps through the dog holes in their product packaging, and my media event photos show clamps in the slots.
They had the more premium reversible clamps shown in the demo.
I have a pair of these clamps that I bought last year, but couldn’t find them in a quick search. It’ll take me time to dig them out, or buy a new pair.
At the event I asked about parallel-action clamps that would give you an unobstructed surface for planing or sanding, and we talked a little about clamping to the side for certain applications.
I’ll try to take a photo of the underside of the table – maybe that will help?
Shawn
Don’t go to too much trouble Stuart. If I’m following you, the key issue is how much clearance there is underneath the table, directly above the side-holes. I have this table on order but will have to wait a week to pick it up. Otherwise, I would check it myself.
If you come across your spreader clamps, that’s probably the best check. A second option is this DIY approach http://lumberjocks.com/projects/39190 but this would probably require even more clearance than the DeWALT clamp. A third option would be to run a long bar clamp or smaller diameter pipe clamp from one side of the table all the way through to the other side. I think this would only work with the two holes to the side of the yellow handle, because they are the only holes with matching holes on the other side.
Shawn
I picked up the DeWalt Portable Workstation and also bought a 4-pack of DeWalt spreader-clamps. The 6″ clamps will not work, and the 12″ clamps do not work outright. However, I think that it would be possible to lock the 12″ DeWalt spreader-clamp in the workstation’s side-holes by: 1) removing the fixed jaw, 2) put the clamp bar through the side-hole, 3) add a 5/16 pin to the end of the clamp bar underneath the table. 4) It would probably also need a piece of wood between the pin and the inside of the table to help distribute the clamp’s load. The hole is 0.325″ so a 5/16 diameter pin should work well. The bottom of the clamp face is just a hair above the surface of the table. Any better ideas/improvements? Here are the clamps: https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-Medium-and-Large-Trigger-Clamp-4-Pack-DWHT83196/205086878
mattd
The ridgid version ( https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-Super-Clamp-AC9956/301853898 ) is still only $89 which is about the cheapest I have seen one of these. I am not sure who the OEM for it is though. The first one they came out with years ago was a re-branded trighton, but this newer one looks just like the rockwell only with different legs.
mattd
Actually it seems to be the same as the “crock lock” branded version.
Stuart
The new Ridgid is similar, but not quite the same. It’s more resemblance of the older Super Clamps.
In the other post, a reader (KL) mentioned buying one and having some quality concerns.
https://toolguyd.com/home-depot-pro-black-friday-2017-tool-deals/
The Rockwell is a tried and true “safe” buy.
Ryan
I have the ridgid, seems to be identical to the triton superjaws xxl without the rear carrying handle. Other than that, I can see no difference between them. Very quality castings, smooth operation, solid leg locks, and strong grip. No complaints at all, especially for $89.
ktash
It’s also listed at Lowe’s for the same price. I looked at Lowes since that’s where I got a few accessories, the table and the rollers, when I got mine. I don’t use them much, though. It really is great for clamping. The only thing I don’t like about it is that it’s easy to trip over the legs. If I used it all the time, I’d be used to this, but since I only use it infrequently, I forget.
Koko The Talking Ape
Anybody know how much that skinny third leg will adjust up and down? Sometimes it would be nice to hold a work piece level on sloping ground. That is something traditional saw horses can’t do.
Amazon is “temporarily out of stock,” by the way.
E
Would the Jawhorse be a better buy than the Worx clamping saw horses?
https://www.lowes.com/pd/WORX-27-in-ABS-Plastic-Clamping-Saw-Horses-1-000-lb-Weight-Capacity/50387304
Stuart
The clamping saw horses are completely different. But if I had to answer, I’d say yes, absolutely. I’ve used my JawHorse sample in ways that those clamping saw horses just wouldn’t have worked out well.
E
Makes sense. I have the Dewalt quick table you mentioned above too and the Worx sawhorses I mentioned. Looks like its off to Lowes again, added the 12 in Cruzer and the Hitachi table saw $299 special. I should have everything I need to build the shed to hold all this stuff and empty out the garage! Thanks! I have been a constant lurker! You have persuaded me to purchase more than a few tools, did I mention you talked me into the Dewalt 611 setup last week.. LOL Keep up the good work!!
E
Makes sense. I have the Dewalt quick table you mentioned above too and the Worx sawhorses I mentioned. Looks like its off to Lowes again, added the 12 in Cruzer and the Hitachi table saw $299 special. I should have everything I need to build the shed to hold all this stuff and empty out the garage! Thanks! I have been a constant lurker! You have persuaded me to purchase more than a few tools, did I mention you talked me into the Dewalt 611 setup last week.. LOL Keep up the good work!!
E
Sorry work internet is horrible today!
Chris
Rockwell is selling the sheetmaster RK9002 through ebay for $139 and ebay has a promo code to get an additional 10% off bringing the price to $125 brand new. That is the best price I’ve seen for this. Just bought it. https://www.ebay.com/itm/RK9002-Rockwell-JawHorse-Sheetmaster-Workstation/192362990751?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Wade
Thanks for the tip! Bought one too!
Wade
The regular Jawhorse is now on sale for $99 less 20% = $79.20 with free shipping at the ebay Rockwell store
https://www.ebay.com/itm/RK9003-Rockwell-Jawhorse-Hands-Free-Portable-Workstation/192039459208
Chris W
I was looking at getting one of these recently, but they’ve basically discontinued all their accessories (and it sounds like parts, etc can be problematic). I think I’ll probably end up getting the Triton SuperJaws XXL. I kind of prefer the Jawhorse, but I’m not interested in getting it when their dropping support for it.
Chris W
I had the impression that Triton SuperJaws still had accessories available, but it turns out that their accessories aren’t compatible with their newer models. Kind of confusing. Perhaps the Jawhorse is the better option, even if it is being phased out.