some nice HF savings

[durango dude]

HF just sent me a coupon book - with $1.99 12" clamps.

Didn't look through the whole set - but those certainly caught my attention.

[sweensdv]

What kind of clamp? If it's this one, don't waste your money. On the other hand, if it's this one, buy a bunch.

[Cubsfan]

Agreed. I have a dozen of the first kind, and they are sort of ok for those times when you need a million clamps. Otherwise, they are absolutely the last clamps I use. The bar clamps, especially for the 12" length, are pretty good.

Is the coupon book online?

[durango dude]

Whoops - wrong clamp!

(link to HF coupons)

http://tinyurl.com/6nbaa4g

[gnal41]

What kind of clamp? If it's this one, don't waste your money. On the other hand, if it's this one, buy a bunch.

I'm with Sweensdv, I purchased ten of the HF no. 46807 12 invh clamps last year. The locking feature on two of the clamps failed. One failure was a little too much force on my part and the second one failed under what I thought was a normal clamping pressure. The other eight work well.

[jdon]

Also note that HF doesn't consider clamps "hand tools" (i.e. subject to lifetime replacement warranty), if/when you break it.

[Lonnie in Orlando]

I have both types of HF clamps. I never expected the squeeze clamps to be heavy duty, but I use them a lot to hold parts in position. They're cheap enough that I don't mind throwing them away when they fail. The little 4" are handy for small work, but they are really prone to failure.

I have a ton of HF bar clamps. Probably use the 6" most. I crank them down pretty tight on glue-ups. Like most bar clamps the longer HF bar clamps will flex when screwed down really tight.

Actually, the bar clamps do have a lifetime warrenty - at least they used to. I have returned a couple for replacement. One new manager balked at the replacement saying that he couldn't tell if it was a HF clamp, but he would replace it "this time". The check-out guy and I laughed at him, because none of the HF bar clamps are stamped with Pittsburg or HF.

- Lonnie

[cwsmith]

Also note that HF doesn't consider clamps "hand tools" (i.e. subject to lifetime replacement warranty), if/when you break it.

Jdon,

I just bought four of these bar clamps (the blue-handled screw type) last month and they were all tagged with "Lifetime Warranty". I just double-checked with the second link given in the earlier post and the warranty is "Lifetime".

You are right of course, in that the orange and black, lever-handled clamps are not warranted beyond the normal 30-days, IIRC.

CWS

[LCHIEN]

Whoops - wrong clamp!

(link to HF coupons)

http://tinyurl.com/6nbaa4g

the orange and black ones listed for $1.99 are *worthless*.

[SilentSam]

the orange and black ones listed for $1.99 are *worthless*.

I agree. There is a reason they give them away at the register sometimes.

SS

[Dal300]

I got a whole pile of those orange and black clamp last Christmas and they were pretty much worthless until I took a triangle file and made a number of scores along the shank both top and bottom. They work a lot better now, although nothing to be thrilled about.

[chopnhack]

I have to disagree with you Loring, they certainly are not the best clamp in the world, but I have been able to use them successfully for quite a few things. Dal300, care to post some pics with your mod? I wrote up a review with a cheap and easy mod to make these clamps work better without breaking as easily: http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=50271

[Dal300]

C&H, I'll try to get some pictures today since I'll be in the shop doing glue ups on cutting boards for Christmas.
I read your review and I've not had any problem with the pivot points or release ..... yet.
These still aren't the greatest clamps for glue ups but for holding things steady while getting the real clamps positioned they work pretty good.

[jking]

I have both types of HF clamps. I never expected the squeeze clamps to be heavy duty, but I use them a lot to hold parts in position. They're cheap enough that I don't mind throwing them away when they fail.

I have had some of the Quick-Grip brand clamps for several years now. I like not having to worry about whether they will fail.

[LCHIEN]

I have had some of the Quick-Grip brand clamps for several years now. I like not having to worry about whether they will fail.

i concur with that thinking.

When rating tools for personal use some things are more important than price, such as suitability for task at hand, reliability, pleasure of using, overall preception of pride and satisfaction, etc.