Those are pretty much toys in my experience. Stronghand is a decent brand tho. I would want at least 1,000 lbs of force

 

how soon do you need them? Do you know if there's an auction coming up in your neck of the woods? I'd get a little bigger and heavier because there's that time coming that you'll need a clamp stretcher.

 

Not soon, but eventually. I've been looking on FB and CL, but not much there.

 

Chances are those $16 clamps will be fine for what you need to do.

$16usd for f clamps are “ almost free” imo. lol

 

Price some Bessey clamps to put it into perspective.

 

Bessey makes a clamp in that relative price, capacity and quality range. Home Depot use to sale them. Hence, those cheap f-clamps are decent, the swivel pad make the difference at the higher price. Heat kill cheap swivel pads.

 

HF "Berger" clamps are Strong Hands knock-offs for a whole lot less money (pretty beefy clamp too!)

https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-f-style-welding-clamp-63512.html

 

And Stronghand in turn are Bessey knock offs.

 

...I've used small C-clamps that were the right size, but it got tiresome to unscrew them all the time.
...
Strong Hand Utility Welding Clamps set up 10X faster than C-Clamps.

Thoughts and comments appreciated! Thanks!

If you grab a C-clamp by the screw and spin that hand in a circle, you can get the clamp body to spin rapidly, opening or closing the clamp quickly and easily. Doesn't take lots of coordination, and its easy to get used to. Sometimes only one hand is available, and other types can require two.

Yes, I have a number of clamp styles in addition to the C-type, and each has situations it's good for.

 

Thanks! I'll still use the C-clamps, but I thought I'd try something else as well. All my clamps are for woodworking, so they are plastic and will melt if I use them for welding. I thought I would start small and go from there. I still need to get a feel for clamping the work, etc.

 

I have one of those Stronghand clamps.
Much faster than C-clamp but not really rigid enough for
forcing things into position.
Are you saying you need a clamp 8’ long? You’d probably need a pipe (bar)clamp
or the old shop made 2 x 4s and wedges clamp

 

So these are not strong enough for forcing 1" square steel tube into position? I've been using clamps so far just to hold pieces together so I could weld them. I'm not good enough to be getting too fancy; I've just made a "U"-shaped handle for a vacuum sled so far. It was 2 miter joints.

No, I don't need 8 foot-long clamps, I'm just thinking I could be working with pieces that long at some point.

 

Buy 4 if you think you only need 2

 

Never forget, if you need something:
2 is 1.
1 is none.

 

If you need heavy duty, I own about 24 of these. They are #3500 clamping force and I use a 18" 1 inch pipe on them. Now I have broke and bent a few. But I put them through helll.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T5S8MGQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1


PS: That links has various sizes.

 

Those are pretty much toys in my experience. Stronghand is a decent brand tho. I would want at least 1,000 lbs of force

@MJD: What do I need so much force for? I've used clamps so far for just holding parts while I weld them. I'm a noob, so school me!

 

@MJD: What do I need so much force for? I've used clamps so far for just holding parts while I weld them. I'm a noob, so school me!

Thanks! I'll still use the C-clamps, but I thought I'd try something else as well. All my clamps are for woodworking, so they are plastic and will melt if I use them for welding. I thought I would start small and go from there. I still need to get a feel for clamping the work, etc.

So these are not strong enough for forcing 1" square steel tube into position? I've been using clamps so far just to hold pieces together so I could weld them. I'm not good enough to be getting too fancy; I've just made a "U"-shaped handle for a vacuum sled so far. It was 2 miter joints.

No, I don't need 8 foot-long clamps, I'm just thinking I could be working with pieces that long at some point.

If you have good tools, you will eventually find a good use/need for them. If working with metal (and sometimes with wood), you will find occasions when parts are warped and have to be forced into position.
I have clamps (and other tools) I have found, been given or resurrected, some not good enough that I would have bought them but which I keep for when they are useful.

Yesterday I used a 4' pipe clamp to "square" [squeeze diagonally] a wooden frame for screen to cover an animal pen, this while the corner glue joints set.

Here are a few shots showing some Vice-Grip clamps, together w/C-clamps, being used to assemble a shed door. They can often be used one-handed, once adjusted.

Can anyone identify the ring-handled tool in the first picture?

View attachment IMG_1439.jpg
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.

 

Thanks for the replies so far. Maybe I need to figure out how to clamp parts and see how many of these I really should look at getting. Any resources/videos/posts that I should check out?

 

Thought about pipe clamps? A little heavier, but stronger. This is from a Canadian site so you'll find them cheaper... https://www.amazon.ca/Bessey-BPC-H3...keywords=pipe+clamps+3/4+inch&qid=1731549012&sprefix=pipe+clamps,aps,161&sr=8-5

 

Thought about pipe clamps? A little heavier, but stronger. This is from a Canadian site so you'll find them cheaper... https://www.amazon.ca/Bessey-BPC-H3...keywords=pipe+clamps+3/4+inch&qid=1731549012&sprefix=pipe+clamps,aps,161&sr=8-5

Yeah, I've been looking for them used on FB and CL. When the price is right, I'll buy them.

@Broccoli1 I bought 4 Strong Hand clamps and they are really nice so far. Glad I bought 4, too!

 

I have some of the HARBOR FREIGHT clamps and one smaller BESSEY, from what I can tell the HF clamps are as good as the BESSEY. Lots of money made on product NAMES! I have some pipe clamps too, I like them because it's easy and fairly cheap to change the length. I also have several of the IRWIN CLAMPS with the plastic heads, they're ok if you keep them from the heat.

 

View attachment IMG_20241114_093658803_HDR.jpg . Here's a good example of using a lot of clamping force. Forming the 3/8" thick plate to the contour of this ramp section on this lowboy trailer. I believe these clamps are rated for about a ton of force each. Tightening one then the other in close proximity to each other pretty much doubles the force.

 

I need to get some f-clamps, or all-metal clamps for welding. I won't do anything larger than about 2" square and maybe 8 feet long at the most. Will these work? I'd like something smaller; the ones at HF are huge. I've used small C-clamps that were the right size, but it got tiresome to unscrew them all the time.

Here's what I'm thinking ($16 at weldingoutfitter.com):
View attachment 1801643

Strong Hand Utility Welding Clamps set up 10X faster than C-Clamps.
These welding clamps let you weld in many positions and makes sure the metal stays in place.


Clamp Size: 4 1/2"
Clamping Pressure: 500 LBS
Throat Depth: 3-1/4"
Rail Size: 5/8 x 5/16"
Tapped Hole: 5/16-18 (M8)
Standard Pads

Is this a reputable vendor? How many should I get? I was thinking 2 for now.

Thoughts and comments appreciated! Thanks!

I buy the Harbor Freight Berger clamps when on sale for some $19. If I need a short one and don't have it I would not hesitate to trim the Berger clamp down half way for tight sports. The 1600 clamping force is right on. We like them better than our Besseys.

 

If I need a short one and don't have it I would not hesitate to trim the Berger clamp down .

Same.

View attachment IMG_9536.jpg


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They make decent cable hangers…

View attachment IMG_3190.jpg

 

I bought some Strong Hand clamps for a local welding supply place. Had a chance to use them and they are really nice. Much easier than a c-clamp. I'm glad I bought 4!

I tried using some of my all-metal woodworking bar clamps and those seem to work for now.

I need to get some sort of miter clamp. Strong Hand makes one, but it's $60! Fireball Tools has a sale going on for 2 miter jigs and 4 clamps that looks like a deal. I may do that.

 

Whatever you buy try to stick with better quality.

That “Buy once…(BS crap that I don’t recall the rest ) “ saying applies here.

View attachment IMG_3992.jpg

View attachment IMG_3988.jpg

View attachment IMG_0322.jpg

 

"Buy once and cry all the way to the bank?"

 

But with your bank app it’s only a click away……

 

Princess Auto has been beating up my credit card again...