Це відео не доступне.
Перепрошуємо.
Best Parallel Clamp? Harbor Freight vs Bessey, Jet, & More!
Вставка
- Опубліковано 17 сер 2024
- 8 Parallel Clamps: Harbor Freight, Bessey, Jet, Jorgensen, Bora, Irwin, Semble, and Ehoma. I tested these parallel clamps for jaw deflection, build quality, bar deflection, durability, warranty, and price. I purchased all of these clamps with the exception of the Bessey and Semble which were gifts from a friend a year ago.
⚓️ Thank you for supporting the channel through memberships: / @731woodworks
⚓️ Thank you very much for supporting the channel through Patreon: / 731woodworks
🎥 See my past videos of tools reviews: • Woodworking Tool Reviews
🔩 PLANS and MERCH: www.731woodwor...
🎁 Greatest Free Gift: story4.us/731Wo...
As an Amazon affiliate member, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
📄 More detailed information on this test is on my website www.731woodwor...
Clamps in this Video*
🥇 Best Clamp for Most People
Bessey Parallel Clamps 2-Pack - amzn.to/3L3bn6i
Bessey Parallel Clamps 4-Pack (better deal) - amzn.to/3QGWiZG
🥈 Budget Pick
Harbor Freight (Bremen) Parallel Clamps - sovrn.co/fd3b841
🥉 Other Clamps in the Video
Jet Parallel Clamp (good but pricey) - amzn.to/3RCO3yU
Ehoma Parallel Clamp - amzn.to/3DfxIfl
Semble Parallel Clamp - bit.ly/3DkxYd3
Jorgensen Parallel Clamp - amzn.to/3qypVBq
Irwin Parallel Clamp - amzn.to/3BxAJXa
Bora Parallel Clamp - amzn.to/3B3ogc1
🛠 Other Tools I Like
Woodpeckers Delve Square - amzn.to/3DcCgD9
Woodpeckers Stainless Square - bit.ly/3B56NAa
Jorgensen F-Clamps - amzn.to/3B2Kg73
Bessey 6-inch F-Clamps - amzn.to/3QDdCP0
Follow me on Amazon for more tool reviews: www.amazon.com/shop/influencer-4e5e1fdd
I get my stickers from Sticker Mule: www.stickermul...
#woodworking #toolreviews #tools
▼EXPAND FOR LINKS TO THE TOOLS▼
This Sander will change the way you woodwork ► ua-cam.com/video/xjeWACxBdM0/v-deo.html
Tools In This Video:
Bessey Parallel Clamps 2-Pack - amzn.to/3L3bn6i
Bessey Parallel Clamps 4-Pack (better deal) - amzn.to/3QGWiZG
Harbor Freight (Bremen) Parallel Clamps - sovrn.co/fd3b841
Jet Parallel Clamp (good but pricey) - amzn.to/3RCO3yU
Ehoma Parallel Clamp - amzn.to/3DfxIfl
Semble Parallel Clamp - bit.ly/3DkxYd3
Jorgensen Parallel Clamp - amzn.to/3qypVBq
Irwin Parallel Clamp - amzn.to/3BxAJXa
Bora Parallel Clamp - amzn.to/3B3ogc1
Other Tools I Like
Woodpeckers Delve Square - amzn.to/3DcCgD9
Woodpeckers Stainless Square - bit.ly/3B56NAa
Jorgensen F-Clamps - amzn.to/3B2Kg73
Bessey 6-inch F-Clamps - amzn.to/3QDdCP0
(If you use one of these Amazon and other affiliate links, I may receive a commission)
Some other useful links:
-Daily Tool Deals on my website: www.731woodworks.com/tool-deals
-Subscribe to our email Newsletter: mailchi.mp/7e44c16eefdc/731-woodworks-email-newsletter
-Check out our easy-to-follow woodworking plans: www.731woodworks.com/store
Outlaw's Board Butter - So Good it Should be Outlawed: www.731woodworks.com/store/boardbutter
I got the Bessey Parallel Clamp 2 pack. Very nice. Thanks for the review.
I highly suspect the slight inward angle on the clamps are "intentionally" engineered into their design to account for the deflection when the clamps are tightened. In fact, I am sure this is the case.
I was thinking the same thing. Like a flatbed trailer. It is intentionally made with a crown so that by the time you add the weight of the freight, it's flat, instead of sunken.
Having said that, Matt's test didn't seem to show that any of the clamps did a good job of deflecting back to parallel when under pressure.
@@awlthatwoodcrafts8911 BTW - Your truck bed analogy is perfect! Just a final point. Matt wasn't testing the clamps on wide material (i.e. holding cabinet sides together) that would put pressure along the entire length of the clamps out to the ends where the deflection would be the greatest. He was comparing the clamps with boards about an inch or less thick which only pressed into the lowest corner of the clamps.
You're correct, they're specifically made that way. It's not a defect. It really irked me that he made it sound like it was.
I agree with your flatbed analogy but I have some Bessey Revos that will not deflect enough for the jaws to become parallel no matter how much pressure. Also, the amount each clamp is out of parallel is not consistent from one to the next. My advice is to check them while you can still return them.
Absolutely! This guy doesn't know how to test these. Clamping pressure measurement is essential for nearly all the [important]testing he did.
I saw this video when it first came out, but since then I learned a little more about parallel clamps. The head of a parallel clamp is not supposed to be 90 degrees parallel to the bar. There should be a slight deflection, or toe in at the upper portion of the head, or the area opposite the bar. When you tighten the clamp, the bar deflects or bends slightly upward which in turn pulls the top of the head out slightly which brings it 90 degrees with the bar. In theory that’s how it’s supposed to work anyway.
Obviously, if you tighten the parallel clamp too hard, it’s most likely going to raise your panel in the center so it no longer sits flat and level. However, in all likelihood, the panel will return flat and level one the clamps are released, but this may not always be the case. When gluing up panels, you only need to tighten parallel clamps, well probably any clamp until the boards come together and you get the glue squeeze out. There’s no need to tighten it further.
So, since the Harbor Freight parallel clamp head is almost, or at 90 degrees, or square to the bar, when you tighten the clamp the top of the head, or the area of the head furthest from the bar will toe out a bit as the bar deflects, or slightly bends upwards. Again, the bar deflection or bend, and toe out will all depend on how tight you set your clamps. This shouldn’t have much, if any impact on panel glue ups, as most panels are 1” or less. However, it really shouldn’t matter if your panel is 2” or so.
The only time this could be a problem is when you actually need the full hight of the parallel clamp head and base to hold a workpiece. So what is that 4-5”? Therefore this is more for your education as in practice, it probably isn’t going to impact your clamping, unless you need equal clamping pressure along the full area of the head and base. I personally believe if you’re clamping panels that are 1” or less, “F” style clamps would be just as effective as parallel clamps. This information is my opinion only. I have not tested this theory, but I have seen it tested on a couple UA-cam woodworking channels.
As a metal worker, when i make jaws on the cnc lathe i put a taper in them, smaller at top and about .003 bigger at the bottom, when clamping the part it will push the jaws out and will make the jaws parallel. that should be the same on the clamps, top will deflect out to put more surface area clamped, this how its done on a cnc lathe, Had my hands on HF 24" clamps but I bought 3 scopes for a rifle before i bought the one for the job so I bought the 18" Bessey guess i will go back and get the HF 24" Thanks for saving me money
this is why they are out of square, These clamps are designed to apply even pressure.
Agree wholeheartedly on minor jaw defection. I believe this is part of the design for parallel clamps. It would have been interesting to measure bar thickness and it’s relation to bar deflection. I did a review of trigger clamps this way. It is no surprise that the Bremen came in so high after doing some in store evaluation. Solid clamp
They do the same with woodworking clamps.
If the vast majority of them are all angles, it’s probably for a reason
I bought the Bremens recently. The 48" are only $40 while the 24" are $35 as Matt said. I got my 48" ones for $30 when they were on sale recently. An awesome price! They are fantastic and also come with those clips to hold up your workpiece.
I was really happy that his tests showed they were comparable to Jet and Bessey. I was a little worried that I had just gotten some diamonds in the rough. Glad to see that if I need more, I can buy with relative confidence.
Back at ya Matt!👊
👊🏻
I got some of the Jorgensens and I hate these things. The bar sucks. I clamped up a pine panel and the lock cut into the bar so bad that they locked in place, so bad that I had to drop them on the floor to knock them loose. After getting them open I noticed how bad they cut the bar. And it's really bad. My bessey don't do that and I've cranked down on the hard.
I too recently picked up the Bremens. Completely satisfied way more than my Jorgensen clamps.
the bremens C clamps are also pretty good and the pistol clamps ain't bad
Bessey’s prices went up at the Home Depot.
It’s now $70 for the 50” clamp. Not sure it just the Depot or Bessey them selves. I have 2 50” that I got for $56 each a while back. It’s a. Great clamp but now at $70 makes me think a little am I getting value?
I thought i was on Project Farms channel for a minute there. 🤣
😂
You could say I was I inspired by his videos on this one
@@731Woodworks I will say you were as thorough as he is.
That’s a huge compliment. Love his videos.
I thought the same thing. Great video!
My man, are you following me around or something lol??? I was literally holding the HF clamps yesterday morning, trying to decide if I should buy a few just because, or just keep buying my bessy clamps. Ultimately I decided to do my research, found nothing. Then you release this. 13 hours sooner Matt and I would have had blues with the reds. Haha great video.
Thank you for an honest unbiased review. I would rather do without than “save” on something that is junk. Paying $200+ for a set of 4 clamps was out of the reach of my budget. Sounds like harbor freight to the rescue with a set of good parallel clamps. 👍🏼
I love how much detail you go into and you are fair with your judging. Also, the drop test was a great shout! I wish we had this much choice at this price point in the UK.
I have Bessey and Jet clamps, both great clamps. I recently had a broken jaw on my Bessey clamp, I contacted Bessey, and they sent me a replacement clamp. Outstanding customer service!!!
Bessey makes some higher quality ones but they aren't cheap depending on the size you get!
@@HondaCrf450r.you’re right, 2:27 they are all expensive. I started buying pony pipe clamps and then bought others on sale. Overall, pipe clamps still work great!
I own a set of 4 of the 24” Bessey’s, and I just picked up a pair of Bremen 48’s. The Bremens are every bit as good as the Bessey’s. As shocking as that sounds, there is no question about it. They are very well built and worked perfectly for me on my last big glue up. I am going to go back to HF and pick up 4 of the 24’s as well. You can never have too many clamps and at half the price of the Bessey’s its a no brainer.
I've been holding off on getting these style of clamps because of the price. I see a trip to harbor frieght in my future. Thanks your your input.
Same here big dog. These Bremen clamps are fantastic…and if you were lucky you were able to get 20% off during labor day. I walked out with 2 for $54. STEAL!!
I picked up a few Bessey clamps about a month ago for $44 each (not a whole lot more than Harbor Freight). I’ve used them a bunch since then and I’m very pleased.
Hello to the group.. I have an up-date about my post about the Harbor Freight Clamps... I purchased 6 clamps from Harbor Freight, and I was really impressed with the way that they have worked.
After about 3 weeks of using the clamps, I had two of the 6 clamps fail.
Harbor Freight changed them out without any issues, so I was happy and just figured maybe it was operator error on my part.
Two weeks later, I had three more of the clamps fail again. 1 of the clamps that failed was the replacement clamp.
I took them back on Saturday and they again replaced them.
Now, I am afraid to use these clamps anymore due to the failure rate of these clamps. I was lucky that I had Jorgensen clamps in the shop.
So, now... I have to rate the Harbor Freight Clamps, a No Buy....
Thanks for sharing!
I use cheap painter's tape on the clamp bars under the work piece. Glue sticks to the tape and is simple to remove.
I'm glad you did this! Being a woodworker on a shoestring budget, I was glad to see that the Harbor Freight clamps did so well. I also did some searching on the Ehoma brand and found that they in fact have a 1 year warranty.
Me too
Just picked up 4 Bessey 800mm parallel clamps - direct from Bessey UK - for about £26 each. They have numerous special offers on at the moment...
Matt,
I own Bessy and Jorgensen Tradesman clamps along with Bessy parallel clamps. By far you demonstrated a very value added presentation on which clamps to consider and which to avoid. As a woodworker you can never have enough clamps and they are expensive. However, as every woodworker knows, if you buy cheap you always buy twice. In the case of the Bremen clamps perhaps not.
Another detail that I believe you may have been the only one that I know to address is the clamp flexion. There is nothing more frustrating than doing a panel glue up only to find that the clamping pressure applied warped the panel. Excellent tip there!
You have offered the best detailed report on clamps that I have run across in a long while. This will definitely have an influence on what I buy and how much I am spending.
Thank you for your service to the industry.
When I use my Bessey clamps, I drape wax paper strips over the rails to eliminate having to remove glue drips later. It has been effective so far.
I bought the Bora a few years ago. I was not happy with the jaws not being parallel so I contacted customer service. I no longer have their direct response but is was along the lines of "this is by design so that when pressure is applied the clamps will be parallel". My experience is that by the time I have applied enough pressure for most clamping operations the heads are parallel but if working with thin wood the pressure I would apply is not enough for that. Having said all that while I have a good supply of the Bora I will probably be adding more clamps in the future (shock!), just not Bora.
Very helpful video to me. I have been doubtful about parallel clamps (claims and cost) and this convinced me that I am going to be happiest sticking with my pipe clamps. Thanks for a clear and thorough review!
I will never give up my pipe clamps. It’s what I watched my dad use when I was a kid and it’s what my daughter watches me use. Hopefully she’ll carry on the tradition.
Agreed! Bessey pipe clamps.
I agree on the Bora. I have 4 of them and one completely failed to hold pressure.
I have several Bora clamps and think they're great. I've never had a problem using or adjusting them. I must point out that they are supposed to start out of square and square up as you apply pressure. I also like that you can remove the jaw, turn it around and use the clamp as a spreader. I'm sure some of those other clamps have this feature as well. As far as those little feet go, the longer clamps come with 2 but I never used them.(have about 20 of them piled in a drawer somewhere) Funny thing is I had some Bessy clamps and hated them for many of the same reasons you didn't like the Boras. I guess no one product can please everyone. Thanks for doing this comparison.
Good comparison. I have a bunch of the Jorgensens and actually like that they slide quick. They don’t get hung up in stressful glue ups. Also something about the orange has always just seamed right for clamps in my head for whatever reason, totally irrelevant to functionality but I just like the way they look!
Personally, I really like my Jorgensens. I also appreciate how easily they slide when I’m doing quick glue ups. That said, I’ll likely go with the Horror Fright clamps if I buy any more. I have both the Bessey and HF bar clamps, and for the price, the HF work just as well for a lot less money. Plus, I like the rubber grip handles better than the slick wood on the Bessey. HF have really been upping their game lately.
The Wood Whisperer just called you out. They're not supposed to be square. When you tighten the clamp the bar flexes and that allows the faces to square up.
Yep, I was wrong on that part. Only one man ever lived a perfect life and they crucified Him. 🤷🏻♂️
I have Jet and Bessey . My Bessey stopped holding pressure . No problems with the jet. I have more Bessey but Jets my favorite.
I agree! I haveJet and Bessey and I always grab the Jets first.
I don't currently own any parallel clamps but I am in the market for them. I do have several bar clamps about equal numbers of both harbor freight and besse. Both get the job done.
thank you for the comparison. I see a lot of folks talking about HF Brand and how well they do, I am sold based on seeing it in action here.
You missed the allen key in the handle option, that is great!... Bessey all day everyday... But might pick up Bremens as I have broke a Bessey before with normal hand clamping. HomeDepot took care of me.
Howdy Mr. 731...
I stopped my entire router table build just to watch this video .
If ya don't recall, I'm the one who kept buggin ya to do a tool review on the Bora clamps.
I am very excited and pleased that ya did these tests.
I am not to to surprised on the outcome of the Bora but at the same time a bit puzzled as to why Izzy uses them? Perhaps he just needed some extra clamps at the time, I dunno.
Ironically...speaking of "needing clamps". I needed some a few weeks back and being on a VERY low budget, Hello Harbor Freight. So, being in the need, I got some just to complete my build. I agree, they worked great and I got mine for around $20 bucks each cause they were on sale to members. 2 clamps for less than the cost of a single Bessey clamp. SCORE!!!!
Thanks for taking the time and money to do these tests. Just so you know, it """IS""" appreciated.
I've got another idea for ya for another tool review, but based solely on Harbor Freight.
How bout Harbor Freight bandsaws, drill presses (both bench top and stand alone) and perhaps toss in their Jointer too. Compare them to the Wen and Ryobi. I know you've done tool reviews on the Wen's...but I don't think you've done a side by side with other "budget" tools of those categories.
Just a thought
Keep up the good work...I'm getting back to my router table build now.
Thanks for the idea Mike! Keep us posted on the router build! 👊🏻
Thanks for this! I am a HF fan, usually on tight budget, but was hesitant to save on clamps. This helped!
Thank you for this review! When I first got into woodworking (many, many years ago) I got two Bessey 40" Parallel Clamps (PC) for a specific project. They were mid-priced but came with a good recommendations, they work very well and I was impressed with them. Fast forward to last November (2021) as I was getting my shop back up and running, after 15 years, not only did I need some longer clamps (PC 50") but smaller 24" PC for some small tabletops I was making. I was in Lowe's and they had the Jorgensen 24" PC were on sale for $29.98 (normally $50) each! Well, the Bessey's were right at $50 each so I got 6 of the Jorgensen's. For me they have worked very well through the 8-side tabletops and dozens of cutting boards. So was back a Lowe's last week and they are back on sale for $29.98 so I got 6 more. They also had the 50" Jorgensen PC on sale for $39.98 each but, I'm sticking with the Bessey's for anything longer.
I'm just gonna say it. Harbour freight has 1 of the best f-style clamps out there and for the price they are definitely worth checking out
Thank you, been on the fence with the HF clamps. They have been making steps towards more quality tools, look at the Icon line, they are going after the tool trucks with them.
I'm a YUGE Bessey fan. I glue up tons of Cutting boards and they perform very well. They also have a built in screw in the handle to give you that extra umph if needed (using a T handle Allen wrench). Soaking dried glue on the ribbed rails in white vinegar is the simplest way to remove the glue. Lots of videos on that. Excellent comparison test.
The fixed jaw is supposed to be slightly out of square leaning towards the other jaw. This is because there is some deflection when the clamp is under load.
Just picked up the Harbor Freight 24" clamp. Thanks for the recommendation
Great viddy! No bias! I'm a #BESSEYBOY, but I think if I were getting started today, that HF is a great value. That trigger on the jet is cool. But not for $80 or their wonderful shipping practices. Thanks for doing all those tests so I don't have to! 🤜💥🤛
Glad it was helpful!
I have Bora and Beesey , let’s just say the Beesey sit and collect more dust than the Bora , and forget about the Beesey J style clamp , thin slick handles really suck
Yeah that harbour freight clamp a bunch recommended it, one guy took it apart cause 1 failed out of 4 after 6 months of use took it back after reassembly and got a new one no questions asked, life time warranty...I looked at em but like everything at harbor I don't trust, but I trust the clamp now lol and hands down one of the best clamps out there...crazy..so I'll save a TON of money on clamps now at least lol...thanx Matt. You are the man no doubt...
“ in this video we are going to compare 731 woodworks UA-cam thumbnails to project farms”
Just an FYI on the HF clamps,went today to pick them up but were not on the shelf. Asked an associate if they had any in back,he had to take them out of a box,and they both had 2 blocks each(my guess is the employees take them off and toss then to remove the plastic from the bar before stocking them) he also handed me 2 extra clamp covers( 1 per clamp i guess)he said were laying in the box.
i posted pics on the FB group
Just bought 4 of each size of the bremen. Very satisfied and will be adding to the collection. I definitely want a 36" option just because I'm that guy! Lol
Good comparison; at this point in my life I'll stick to my bar & pipe clamps, a little heavy but durable and good pressure if needed.
Just bought my first set of parallel clamps about the time you posted your comment for a batch of about a dozen (mostly chevron pattern) cutting boards. Parallel clamps outperformed the 1/2" bar clamps I already had (both bessey) by a considerable margin, maybe 3/4 bars would've performed better. The parallels took much less planing to flatten out the cutting boards after glue up. A couple of the cutting boards glued up in the bar clamps ended up having different wood species joints well out of line from each other, guessing the reason was a combo of being location of the bar clamp pressure causing an out of square glue up & requiring more planing accentuating the issue.
I've been using wax paper and lay it across my clamps. It works great . It protects my clamps from the glue and it really doesn't stick to the wood or glue
Thank you for this video. And great timing. I never realized there is so many different brands. So I was confused by whichever would be a good choice.
I learned much.
I have some Harbor Frieght 48" bar clamps in my shop. Got them on sale for $20 each. By far the best clamps for large panels, specially for that sale price. True story.
Thanks for doing this test, been on the fence about the HF clamp! Will give them a try
I threw one of my HF Bremens out on the driveway. It jumped up and offered me a 20% parking lot sale discount. Man I’m sold..
I’m not really a harbor freight guy and don’t really use any of their tools with the exception of the Breman quick grip clamps which are right on par with the DeWalt clamps which I was really surprised how good the quality was for the price because the Pittsburgh clamps are trash. So I’ll definitely have to check these out don’t think I saw them at my HF.
That Projekt Farm thumbnail 👌Fantastic video as always
👊🏻
Very impressive!👍
They make them out of square so as the bar flexes when you apply pressure they square them self up to counter act it
I got 4 bora clamps for xmas last year........and you're right, I really dislike them. I think I'm gonna go for the quick hit of HF/Bremen clamps until I win the powerball and then buy all Bessey :D
I definitely appreciate your comparison videos. I’ve always been into furniture flipping and renovating. Which doesn’t require a lot of tools. But recently I’ve expanded my interest. Which also means I need to start collecting the appropriate tools. You do a good job about comparing. So I don’t waste time and money. Which is good because I don’t have a lot of either! 😂 Thank you so much!
As a entry level woodworker, thank you for this information. This type of information allows me to be more wise with my money and saves on frustration. As a new viewer, I have to ask, what's with the handcuffs in the back?
I’m a former Arkansas State Trooper. Video about that here ua-cam.com/video/gZ7g7MTc7-Y/v-deo.html
@@731Woodworks thank you for your service! Back the blue!
Your thumbnail picture tricked me. I thought “oh wow project farm has a new video.” Trickery of the highest order.
lol
Well, that was helpful. I did not know about HF's, but that looks promising! Great test and review! Thank you!
i think the thing you hate about Jorgensen clamps is one of the things i love about them. I love how they slide open unassisted. i store all my clamps fully open so i can grab them and clamp whatever without having to open them. the slick bars are way easier to clean. just my opinion.
After using both the Jorgensen and the Harbor Freight clamps, I have to agree with you about these clamps.
I hadn't issues glueing up cutting boards with the Jorgensens, but after purchasing the Harbor Freight clamps, I have glued about 35 cutting boards with them and no issues at all.
So, I will be purchasing and use the Harbor Freight clamps.
Loved your review!!
I've used Bessy clamps for about 30 plus years on a professional level and the first version had about a third break on me. The second version not so much.(they are on the third version now). The Jorgensen clamps I have never failed (the older wood handled ones) so when it came time to buy more, I went with the Jorgensen. Just FYI, the smooth bar makes the quicker to slide in and out and won't "drop" unless you don't push the handle in when storing vertically. They changed the thread to be finer on the newer ones so you can get much more torque plus they lengthened it. The only thing that I really like about the bessey clamps is that you can get joiners that you can join the bars back to back for those occasional long clamp ups.
Parallel clamps are designed to take deflection, They are intentionally out of square to absorb that pressure, they have different tolerance. But all of them become square once pressure is applied.
I have 2 sets (4) of the Jett 36" parallel clamps that I got on sale, which they have often. I love them but I didn't even know they were as good as they performed in your review, so thank you for making me feel better about buying them. That being said, they are pricey, but if you find them on sale, which happens often, they are a great buy!
Good comparison. I have Jet and Bessey clamps. I prefer the Bessey because the clutch on the Jet causes sticking when moving the head into position before turning the screw... a simple upward pressure on the Bessey allows it to slide easily into clamping position.. Sliding onto my hand like you show is not an issue. I don't use the clamps in that position. Another observation - Dropping the Jet causes the handle cap to fly off .
Thanks Matt. Great review and I am going to get some HF clamps. Bessey is still a great clamp but I am still on a budget.
You should watch the parallel clamp review video by the Wood Whisperer. Specifically he talks about how the jaws are intentionally angled inwards to compensate for bar deflection
Great job Matt I love comparison videos, makes life much easier for everyone
Finally, a reason to go back to HF after all these years. I bought a bunch of their cheap shorter f-clamps, just for general abuse use and they work well enough for that. I've been looking for some parallel clamps and the sticker shock was preventing me from doing so. Looks like the Bremens are worthy of a serious purchase.
Thanks for the recommendation! Picked up 2 Bremen with the New Years 25% off coupon…can’t go wrong with ~$26 per parallel clamp!
Awesome video. Super helpful. Thank you!
Agreed on HB clamps. Especially when they're on sale. Crazy inexpensive, but very good quality.
Thank you for that test. I've been wandering about the harbor freight one. I have a couple Jorgensen and bessey. I love my bessey clamps. The Jorgensen does good for me but on smaller pieces. Larger pieces tend to warp during glue up with the Jorgensen. Thanks to your test I might just try out the harbor freight ones. Thank you
I didn't think the harbor freight would score so high, interesting
I bought 5 48" Jogensons bc they were on sale for 39.99. I haven't had any issues with glue ups so far. As of now since they are on sale for a low price I'd say they are the best for price and quality.
Thank you so much for doing this video! The HF performance did surprise me, but shouldn’t have since I have a few of these and haven’t been unsatisfied.
Loved the video, Matt. Great job, great perspective.
I have two 48” Bessey clamps and have nothing but trouble with them since day 1. The movable jaw is very stubborn to move. The “threads” along the clamping bar are nearly impossible to remove dried glue. In contrast, my “go to” parallel clamps are the Irwin. The jaws slide easily and the bars clean off using a screwdriver and brass brush. I have not tried the Bremen, but after seeing this video, you can bet that my next purchase will be a couple of Bremen clamps.
I appreciate your work, I have Bessey and Irwin, and I actually like the way the Irwin clamp slides all the way to the end. When I glue up I like how easy it slides compared to the Bessey. I'll probably stay away from the Harbor Freight, didn't like how the bins are compared to bolts and or rivets on the others. Thanks again.
I bought the Bremen when they came out and I am very happy with them. I also like their squeeze clamps too. Very affordable and I have done several glue ups and they have come out straight. Great clamps for the money.
That's a great rundown. Now here's a thought for a follow up video. How do parallel clamps like these stack up against pipe clamps and how to various pipe clamps stack up against each other?
Thanks for this video. I was considering the HF clamp but just wasn't sure. I think for my needs that is the winner.
You did an excellent job of comparing the Parallel Clamps!
I have been a fan and very satisfied (happy) user of the Bessey Brand "F" Style Clamps for many years. I am happy to learn that the Bessey Parallel Clamps are a top performing brand, too!
Well done, and please keep bring us more!
Great video! Thanks for doing this
I have 5 of the 48" Bremens that I use for gluing up 36 - 40 in. panels and am very happy with the results. Slowly getting away from my old pipe clamps and really liking the Bremens. In all the side by side reviews I've seen or read the Bremens always perform very well against their peers. They may be a budget brand but they perform in the upper half of the class. You're getting a quality clamp and the price discount is just an obvious bonus.
I have a blue plastic circuit board clamp, it sits on a desk, and you clamp it together to hold onto a large circuit board so you can do repairs. The blue plastic was fine, until a few years went by, and something happened where the plastic was exposed to a little bit of UV light (maybe from sitting near a window) and it became so brittle that I dropped the small clamp jig on the carpet and the blue plastic shattered. I'm wondering what the long term durability of the plastic is on the Harbor Freight clamps, because clearly there are different grades of plastic. Some plastic literally falls apart in a few years, apparently...
Thanks! I’ve been shopping for these clamps and leaning towards the HF brand due to price. I appreciate your report.
In Australia we can't get most of these. I have Boras and Jet (but they are green and sold under the Torquata brand). Jets are my favourite and interestingly are less expensive than the Besseys which are generally considered the best.
Fantastic video!!! I think those HF clamps are in my future especially if they hit an ITC sale for a bit more off!! I'll keep an eye on the Bessey clamps for a sale as well.
Those clamps are actually supposed to be out of square that way. (At least all but the last 2)
That’s engineered into the clamp on purpose. As the clamp is tightened and approaches its peak pressure, you will notice a curve, or deflection in the bar.
This deflection coupled with the “squareness” will result in a perfectly square clamp under load.
It’s impossible to avoid bar curvature under pressure. So what looks like out-of-squareness, is actually necessary.
Except those last two. They are out of square in the wrong way. Those are trash.
Thank you James!
I have Bora clamps and it’s great to know that the “out-of-squareness” is normal. Aside from sticky sliding motion, I’m very satisfied with the clamps although I’m now tempted to sample the HF Bremens.
Not only that, but I suspect the more out of square they are unloaded indicates the more deflection they have when loaded and why it is built into them. The "cheaper" ones may deflect more. As long as they self-correct, I'm good with any of them.
I've been using Bessy for years and I've always liked them. I have some Jorgensen's too. They work well but I always grab the Bessy.
My shop is full of Bessy clamps. No complaints. I have about 20 parallel clamps, 15 F style.
Despite the fact that you forgot to say that this is Matt “Clamps” Outlaw, this was a great review! Lol!
I’m not currently in the market for clamps, but I had to click because I really appreciate how thorough you are in your reviews! Thank you so much for spending your time and money to do this for us!
Thanks for your time. Truly got very useful information on my next clamp purchase. If you have a video on a product I looking for I will DEFINITELY go by your recommendations because I trust you and your testing method again thanks and God bless
Really nice review! Been looking for better clamps. Fast pace overall but explanation and overview at end was best part flashing back of products! Surprised harbor freight came in so high! Thanks for going through all that trouble to help everyone else out!!
Hey David. I have a terrible experience with bora. Would never buy again. Big fan of the jet. Pony Jorgensen and bessey.
I just bought a few of harbor freight's "sort of" parallel clamps that are kind of a cross between a bar and a parallel clamp, that work great if you don't need a ton of force. $18.99 for the 60" ones when not on sale. I'd get the Bremen if I needed a lot of force.
Hola! 🖐Really good video, I appreciate all the effort you put into it especially the out of pocket expense for you in buying the many clamps. I found it very informative and has definitely helped me narrow down my options for when it's time for me to make a purchase. Keep up the good work sir! 👍Take care and have a good one, Adios!👊
I have 6 besseys, I will buy more to keep with only one brand and color. Works well.
I just picked up a few Rockler parallel clamps on sale. I’ve been happy with them
Just the test I wanted to see! Great video. I'm going to harbor freight today!
Great review, thanks for the information. For what it is worth, I like when there is a summary table at the end of reviews like this. It can be super simple with 1 to 10 for each test and the price. Or super detailed with exact values and with superior performance and failures color highlighted…
I agree with you. However, since his tests were mostly subjective, there was very little data to compare. He didn’t measure the clamping force used on his deflection tests, so those results were non-conclusive. I prefer Project Farm’s testing techniques where objective numbers are accumulated and charted.
@@MrJohnnyboyrebel I agree with you on the subjectiveness of the tests. Even in that there was information gathered and opinions expressed, even if there needs to be a disclaimer about the testing methods, that would be nice to have in a summary at the end.
I put the summary table on my website www.731woodworks.com/731-blog/bestparallelclamp
@@731Woodworks You rock!
Really like the detail in your videos. Amateur DIY wood worker and have used a lot of your videos to get the best options for what I need.
Great testing Matt, thanks for sharing. Harbor Freight has been our initial economic purchase and they are still going strong. Thanks for making me more confident in my selection.
Great news Matt! Thanks for this. I have almost bought 48" Besseys several times but always felt they were over priced. Great to see the competition from Bremen.
I have Stanley parallel clamps. Sometimes, only sometimes, the head slips back when using. But, they are my go to clamps for up the 24” (600mm) jobs, including drawers. £20.00 each in 2011 (approximately) from the black and decker outlet shop in Doncaster, England.