The handle of Bessy’s new F-style clamp, the GearKlamp, is on its metal rail, allowing you to use the tool in tight spaces. A series of plastic gears rotates the threaded rod that tightens and loosens the clamp pad, and there’s a quick-release button that lets you slide the head quickly along the rail. The large stationary pad is quite useful and has V-grooves to help hold odd-shaped pieces. The clamps come in lengths of 6 in. to 24 in.

My pair of 12-in. clamps have performed nearly flawlessly. When clamping, instead of needing room for the jaws and handle, you now need room only for the jaws. This is great for those times when a traditional F-style clamp handle would be sandwiched against the surface of a bench or machine fence, leaving no room for your hand, so you desperately try to
tighten the clamp with just your finger and thumb. This isn’t a problem with the GearKlamps. They’re also nice for holding cauls in place because they won’t interfere with other clamps.

I found an issue with the pad on the GearKlamp’s movable jaw, though: It can pop off of the ball joint. It snaps back on easily enough, but I keep an eye out so as not to lose one.

— Kelly Dunton makes furniture in Connecticut.

From Fine Woodworking #275

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