some nice HF savings

[cabinetman]

For a few dollars more a similar tool may save time and money over a period of time. So, the initial expense, while part of the decision process, shouldn't be the only criteria.

.

[Dal300]

YEah BUT......
If I happened to tell my wife, who is the one that gave these claps to me as a Christmas present, that they are as worthless as the nipples on a boar hog it would be an awfully cold winter.
The better part of valor is to use them and let her see them being used. In order to use them they need some modification.

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.

[Dal300]

Pictures of the simple modification:

[JoeyGee]

YEah BUT......
If I happened to tell my wife, who is the one that gave these claps to me as a Christmas present, that they are as worthless as the nipples on a boar hog it would be an awfully cold winter.
The better part of valor is to use them and let her see them being used. In order to use them they need some modification.

Your wife gave you the clap for Christmas?

[Dal300]

Sorry about that.... I was never known for my spelling abilities.

[chopnhack]

LOL, wouldn't want to go there with ya Dal ;-)

I agree with you Loring and Mike, however, sometimes its not in the budget and you simply need something to clamp with.

Would I kill for some Bessey Revo's - you betcha, but $20 and fifteen minutes worth of work fixing the HF clamps won't buy me even one Bessey. At least I have something to aid me in my work now.

As I said I agree with you guys and treasure quality tools and have spent some serious dollars in the past for a starrett square and some veritas planes but we have to make do with what we have sometimes.

Dal, that was a very smart modification! I don't have a triangular file, but I will keep my eye out for one. I didn't realize the top side was where the plate was engaging. Your fix addresses the slippage, which to be honest after wiping off the storage oil, I have never had one slip, all have failed me when clamping with the trigger handle's pivot point shearing off.

Again, these are cheap tools, but with a few minutes work and next to nothing investment they can become serviceable.

[aggrex]

Dal, that was a very smart modification! I don't have a triangular file, but I will keep my eye out for one

Definitely a great diy improvement of the HF clap, Dal

As we all know HF has the triangular file in stock and probably on sale!!

[sweensdv]

.......................
As we all know HF has the triangular file in stock and probably on sale!!

Gee, you sure know your HF sales!

[Dal300]

C&H,

I score both the top and the bottom because the clamp uses both sides for leverage. The problem I have with the scoring is that my hands aren't real steady so I can't get the lines really close together.
Instead of a triangle file I used the dremel tool on one, but it seems the disks are too thick to make that fine a cut. If I could find thinner blades it might work better.

[chopnhack]

When I get some time, I want to try out your improvement. 20 sides is a bit of work, I wonder if perhaps a clamp rest with indexing guide would make the work go faster.. :-) Some time in the next year, maybe

[Dal300]

I did mine when I couldn't do anything else.... like when waiting for the finish to set up, or when getting some quiet time with a cold adult beverage.

When I get some time, I want to try out your improvement. 20 sides is a bit of work, I wonder if perhaps a clamp rest with indexing guide would make the work go faster.. :-) Some time in the next year, maybe

[durango dude]

well - I skipped HF - and bought:
- 3 Jorgensen 3712 clamps from ($8/each)
- an 8 piece Irwin quick grip clamp set from HD ($25 set)

The clamps were certainly worth the $50 I spent.

Some time ago, I purchased a cheap Bessey starter set from Lowe's.

I've tossed out most of those pieces ---- they worked 2-3 times - and really weren't worth much.

[dstern]

HF return "policy"

...the would replace it "this time".

- Lonnie

I and several others (3 stores) found it depends who's working the register of late. May be best to view HF as a rental outlet, just make sure item returned in 30 days

[BrazosJake]

+1 on the QG knockoffs being junk. I bought some when I first started WW several years ago thinking I could do things on the cheap. Used in glue ups, they pulled the workpieces out of alignment. I finally managed to break them all.

The pittsburgh bar clamps, on the other hand, are a great bargain on sale. When I saw a picture of Michael Fortune using them on a bentwood lamination, I figured they were good enough for me.

I have no complaints about the HF pipe clamps, either, just make sure the jaws are square as soon as you take them out of the package. I also found no difference between the $3.99 clamps and the $7.99 ones (both for 3/4 ID pipe). The latter ones just have a slightly more stable foot.

[jeepman71]

Your wife gave you the clap for Christmas?

Oh this was worth a good laugh. Thanks for lightening my day.