HF 48" Alum. Bar Clamp

[lcm1947]

I was wondering if anybody has this particular clamp Item # 38185-1BUA and if so are they any good. They are a lot cheaper then any other brand I can find so am thinking they aren't really made that well or something. Anybody know for sure? I sure need some and at this price I could actually afford to buy some. Oh and I know there is or was a discussion about bar clamps but these are the alum. 48" bar clamps not to be confused with the regular bar clamps. What scares me is the length. If cheaply made they may not perform properly on heavy projects like a small desk, etc. I would use pipe clamps but they are just too heavy in some applications if you know what I mean.

[Brian G]

I don't have any of that length, but I do have some of the 24 and 36" lengths. My local HF never seems to have any longer than the 36".

I stated in a different thread that I wish I had put the $ I spent on pipe and pipe clamps toward aluminum bar clamps.

I'm intrigued by HF Items #92750, #92751, and #92731

[Pappy]

I also have several of the 24" and 36" and they are good clamps. Test the sliding jar in the store before you leave. Some of them don't lock into the detents on the shaft real well or are a bit too tight to slide.

If I ever catch the 48" and 60" on sale and in stock, I plan to buy about 6 of each.

[LCHIEN]

I got some real similar 36" clamps from Penn State.

The aluminum makes them lighter weight. Esp. compared to pipe clamps.
The extruded bar and short throat depth makes them stiffer than pipe clamps and F-clamps.
Though short, the jaws stay mostly parallel to each other, a possible advantage.

Overall, though, not my favorite clamps - the sliding and screwing mechanisms are't real smooth, it takes a bit of fidgeting to
get the right combination of detent on the main bar and the screw clamp set right.

I guess they have their place: inexpensive, light, stiff and parallel
vs. heavy, easy to set and/or costly (but also stiff and parallel) (and I'm talking compared to Quick Grips, K-bodies and Cabinet Masters here.)

[monte]

I've got a dozen of the 24" ones and they work good. Not sure how stable they are in longer lengths than that though.

[sweensdv]

quote:Originally posted by Knuckles
I'm intrigued by HF Items #92750, #92751, and #92731

I've stated before that I've never been very impressed with the design of the 38185 like clamps. The above listed clamps however sure look like they might be worth looking into. They certainly look like they might be a little better quality than the other style.

Knuckles, do you know if these are catalog only? I can't recall ever seeing them at my local HF but then again I don't pay much attention to the alum. bar clamps when I go there.

[John Hunter]

quote:Originally posted by sweensdv

quote:Originally posted by Knuckles
I'm intrigued by HF Items #92750, #92751, and #92731

Knuckles, do you know if these are catalog only? I can't recall ever seeing them at my local HF but then again I don't pay much attention to the alum. bar clamps when I go there.

I have them all the way up to 36" and bought them at my local HF store. I plan on grabbing some of the 48" when they are on sale.

[Brian G]

Dave,

I saw them in the Green Bay HF last weekend. I have not seen them in one of my two local stores (I have not been to the new one. . . yet).

I fiddled with them in the store, and they are a bit beefier than the standard HF aluminum bar clamps. I really didn't study them too closely, as I have had to put the brakes on my clamping purchases. At the time, I didn't know that they were on sale, and there wasn't a price on the shelf.

[lcm1947]

Thanks for the replies everybody. I'm going to try the 36" ones and if they seem OK may get the longer ones then but 48" seem alwful long to stay stiff. Let's see what the 36" look like first.

[LarryG]

Brian, do those New! Improved! clamps you saw have a solid bar, rather than a hollow tube? They sure look like they might be solid, on the HF web site.

[monte]

quote:Originally posted by LarryG

Brian, do those New! Improved! clamps you saw have a solid bar, rather than a hollow tube? They sure look like they might be solid, on the HF web site.

It may make a real difference it they have a solid bar. At the price I kinda doubt it but who knows? My experience is if you want a real solid clamp at over 24" I've had better luck going with Besseys or pipe clamps in the 3/4" size.

[Luckbox]

I have 4 of the 36" clamps and they have worked well for me. I have some pipe clamps but have never bought the clamps. Didn't relize the price of the pipes.

[Brian G]

Larry, they are not solid bars. It would be like having a slightly smaller extrusion telescoping inside the regular aluminum bar clamp. When collapsed the the shortest length, they felt much sturdier. . . by that I mean no flex or twist. I also like the more traditional handle.

[tmaceroli]

I have the 24" bar clamp (F clamp) from Harbor Freight, and the 48" Aluminum bar clamp, like in Loring's picture from Penn State. They are both relatively inexpensive and work OK. The HF clamps, at 24" seem to bow rather easily, although I could still put enough pressure on a butt joint to hold it toget5her for gluing. I would be very wary of a 48" clamp - I think it would bend too much and affect the hold/alignment of the joint. The bar clamps from PSI are good, but pin that goes through the threaded rod that thightens the jaws is held in by a flimsy little rubber cap, which comes off quite easily, and already knows the way to under the bench, right in the middle so you can't reach it from either end. But they're lighter than pipe clamps. I originally bought them for gluing up wider panels, for which they seem quite adequate.

My two cents....

Tony

[monte]

Even with alternating the clamps from top to bottom on our panel glue ups I doubt they would keep everything inline. I guess that's why I prefer the pipe clamps for panel glue ups instead of the long aluminum bar clamps. It actually takes very little pressure to edge join your boards but the aluminum still has the tendancy to flex.