Tool Review: I-Beam Clamps by Bessey
Mike Pekovich takes a look at Bessey's new beefy I-beam clamps
I tend toward using lighter-weight clamps these days, but there are occasions when a heavy-duty clamp comes in handy. It’s nice, for instance, to be able to lock down the pressure on a panel or cutting board glue-up. But there aren’t a lot of options for new heavy-duty clamps. That’s why I was happy to give Bessey’s I-beam clamps a try.
With a nickel-plated I-beam at their heart, the clamps have 2-in.-wide jaws. They’re available in lengths ranging from 2 ft. to 8 ft., and all are rated for 7,000 lb. of clamping pressure. I put them to use on a recent cutting board glue-up, and they handled the job with ease. The large handles made it easy to apply as much pressure as I wanted, though I’m pretty sure I didn’t come close to maxing out the clamps. Glue drips on the bars popped off fairly easily when dry.
The only concern I had was that the steel clutch plates left slight ridges along the bar. Whether they were digging into the cast iron or just the nickel plating wasn’t clear, but it didn’t seem to hinder the sliding action of the jaw. The clamps are priced from $44 to $75, with the 48-in. version costing $52. For what they offer in a beefy clamp, I’d consider them to be a pretty good value.
More on FineWoodworking.com:
- Picture-Perfect Clamps – For all mitered joints and budgets, there are clamps to get the job done right
- Extend the Reach of Your Clamps – This simple wooden clamp extension allows you to make clamps of any length from the clamps you already have, and can really save you in a pinch. To make it,…
- When Clamps Fall Short – Standard clamps are blunt instruments. For precise glue-ups, they need help.
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
3M Blue Tape
Jorgensen 6 inch Bar Clamp Set, 4 Pack
Estwing Dead-Blow Mallet
Comments
Seems pricey when a good pipe clamp would suffice
BTW These are actually $97 / pair on Amazon with Prime delivery available
Good review, MP. IIRC, these are identical to the ones Jorgensen/Pony/adjustable clamp company made before going out of business. Perhaps “bessey” bought the design and just changed the color from orange to red.
"For what they offer in a beefy clamp, I’d consider them to be a pretty good value."
How to make this statement useful:
--define beefy (big and heavy? powerful?)
-what does "pretty good value" mean?
-compared to _____
Also, why was a cutting board glue-up chosen to test out a 7,000 lb force clamp? Seems like one of the most simple glue-ups one could choose, and no, it doesn't require a literal ton of force--a simple spring joint with one clamp would be good enough. But was it an end grain cutting board with multiple layers and multiple steps--who knows? And no mention of pipe clamps?
Not be a total curmudgeon, but this write up essentially amounts to, "We got these clamps, here are the specs, we used them."
not specifically review related, but ... does anyone know why clamp manufactures don't offer their body lengths without jaws? Surely it would make the clamp more affordable, and a set of jaws will work on any length body. ... like a pipe clamp.
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Sign up Log in