Pipe Clamps vs Bar Clamps

[wmartins]

I decided to get a little more decent about my furniture making hobby. I'd appreciatte if anyone can tell what should I consider when chosing between pipe clamps and bar clamps. I understand that B clamps come in different lenghts and you may need several while pipe clamps one can just change the pipe. aside from this I have no further clue. Also, for pipe, what are my options and, again, what you I consider when buying the pipes.
Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise.
Walter.

[sweensdv]

If you're talking Harbor Freight type quality clamps then I would suggest you go with pipe clamps for any length over 18". The longer bar clamps have a tendency to bow when tightened down. OTOH, high quality bar clamps such as those made by Bessey, Jorgensen and some others are fine for lengths up to 36"-40".

[jackellis]

I'm far from an expert but a fellow I heard talk at this weekend's woodworking show in San Mateo, California advised against overtightening clamps because it's not particularly helpful. He said that according to one of the glue manufacturers, you only needed about 150 PSI of clamping pressure, which means the number of clamps is probably more important (pressure distribution) than how tight you can make them. On that basis, I don't think it matters as long as the tension load is along the length of the clamp and you limit yourself to firm pressure. I don't go more than comfortably hand tight on mine and so far, so good.

[wmartins]

Thanks. I'm thinking on going for the pipe clamps. Regarding the pipes itself what are my options ? and what are the pros and cons ?
Many thanks,
W.

[LarryG]

Regarding the pipes itself what are my options ? and what are the pros and cons?

On options, you have two basic choices: 1/2" vs 3/4" pipe, and black iron vs galvanized. Most people say you should avoid 1/2" pipe since it is too limber; 3/4" is not much more expensive (in actual dollars) and is much stiffer. The choice between black iron and galvanized is more contentious. Black iron is cheaper, but it can leave black marks on the wood if you're not careful to leave a gap or separate the two with paper or thin cardboard or whatever. Galvanized doesn't have this problem, but it costs more, and some find that the clamp's jaws don't grip the slicker galvanized surface as well they do with black iron. FWIW, all my pipes are black iron.

Most, but not all, Home Depots will cut and thread black iron pipe for free, or for a nominal charge. At my local HD, I can buy a 10 foot stick of 3/4" black pipe and have it cut and threaded to the lengths I need cheaper than I can buy the pre-cut lengths of the same pipe in the same store!

Remember that you will lose about 5" - 6" of capacity to the clamps jaws. So for a net 24" clamp, you need a 30" long pipe.

Have the pipe threaded on both ends and buy some couplers so you can combine two or more short lengths of pipe when you need some really long clamps.

I personally find that pipe clamps don't really make sense until you get to 24" and longer. For shorter ones, heavy-duty F-bodies like the Jorgensen HD series, or even the various parallel jaw models (Bessey K-Body, etc) if you can catch them on sale, work better and are almost as economical.

Lastly, the 3/4" pipe clamps available for a few bucks each from Harbor Freight work every bit as well as the Ponys and Irwins that cost roughly three times as much.

[SARGE..g-47]

You might check out the Rockler pipe clamps. That taller (deeper) jaw and the solid feet make life easier if you're glueing up 3" thick work-bench tops.

Regards...

[pcombs]

Bar clamp advantages: Light, especially on the longer ones and relatively cheaper when you take into consideration the cost of the clamp and pipe.

Pipe Clamps: Rigid and strong especially the 3/4" variety ones.

I would think you would need a mixture of the 2. And if you are on a strict budget, buy pittburg clamps (Bar, pipe and aluminium bar) from Harbor Freight - check store and on-line for bargains. I have a bunch and they work very well.

And as someone mentioned before, the effectiveness of the clamp is not the magnitude of the pressure. Joints have to fit snuggly !!!

[stav]

I like those aluminum bar/pipe clamps Harbor Freight sells. You can usually get them on sale for really good prices and they have worked really well for me so far. I try to get one or two when ever they go on sale.

[LCHIEN]

my 2 cents:

I assume we're talking the "F" clamps from HF or similar when we say barr clamps.
the bar clamps and the pipe clamps both have problems that they bend and bow when tightened. The longer the worse the problem. I would not get the 1/2" pipe clamps, just the 3/4" ones for this reason. I also find the bar clamps tend to dent the wood on my projects on the swivel pad end, so i always use a piece of scrap under them. That said, I prefer the bar clamps, they're cheap on sales and you should buy a range of them. The pipe clamps despite their apparent versatility are too heavy to be easily maneuverable and even though you might have five lengths of pipe you still only have one clamp.

For serious clamping, I prefer the square tube aluminum clamps or the
Bessey K-body style parallel jaw clamps. For quick clamping I like the Irwin Quick grips.

[LarryG]

I assume we're talking the "F" clamps from HF or similar when we say barr clamps.

Actually, you seem to be the only one talking about barr clamps ...

Seriously, the terminology is a problem. When I hear "bar clamp," I think of those tubular aluminum jobbies (a type of clamp that I don't personally own). But I know that a lot of people call F-body clamps "bar clamps" because, well, they have a flat bar that connects the fixed head to the sliding part. And there's also a heavy-duty bar clamp that is essentially like a pipe clamp except that instead of a pipe, it uses a steel rail that's sort of like a miniature I-beam or railroad track. You'll often see David Marks using these on "WoodWorks."

And of course anytime someone says "Bessey," most people assume he means the top-of-the-line K-Body model, when in fact Bessey makes all manner of clamps. Jorgensen, too, for that matter, in addition to their K-Body equivalent, the CabinetMaster.

Not sure what my point is here, unless it's that maybe we need an Everything You Need To Know About Clamps FAQ ...

[TheRic]

....
Not sure what my point is here, unless it's that maybe we need an Everything You Need To Know About Clamps FAQ ...

Plus 1 (if not more) on that!!! Clamps are a very important part of woodworking. There is very little you can do in woodworking that does not require a clamp, of some type, at some point.

There was an article / breakdown on clamps in one of my mags in the last month or so. It gave the different types, and the basic pros / cons of each.

[agent511]

I, for one, am now totally confused by the lack of good terminolgy. Some people in this thread have knocked the HF bar clamps, but were not specific, and were probably talking about their (red) F clamps with the thin bar when saying they are subject to bending when they are long.

HF, as mentioned also sells the tubular aluminum (blue) clamps that I cannot see how they would bend at longer lengths. I buy these when they are on sale.

If anyone wants to knock the HF clamps as bendable, they should differentiate exactly what they are referring to.

[LarryG]

TheRic: Aww, no, man, you can do a LOT of woodworking without clamps! All ya gotta do is "Just shoot a few brads to hold it until the glue dries ..."

511: Most of the long-time forum miscreants know that for Harbor Freight F-bodies, only the Pittsburgh brand are worth fooling with; but you're correct that not everyone will know this and more specific info is always good. But even the Pittsburghs get a little whippy around 18", as Dave says, and certainly in the 24" and longer sizes. (To be fair, so do other brands, unless they use a larger, heavier steel bar like the Jorgensen HD series.) I have some of both the 18" and the 24" Pittsburghs, and find the former marginal and the latter basically unacceptable except in a pinch.

Since I floated the idea ... if no one else steps forward to write a clamp FAQ, I'll take the job on provided everyone understands that it may be a few weeks before I can get to it.

[agent511]

I eagerly await your FAQ.

[TheRic]

......Since I floated the idea ... if no one else steps forward to write a clamp FAQ, I'll take the job on provided everyone understands that it may be a few weeks before I can get to it.

I'm not going to stop you.