Bessey Revo Clamp Handles

[AHill]

Question: How many on this forum have had joints fail because you cranked too hard on the Bessey clamps and all the glue squeezed out?

Doug

Jorgensen / Pony seems to think it's possible.  Other threads I've read on other forums claim glue squeezeout from too much and clamp pressure is a myth.  So, pick your poison.  I personally haven't experienced joint failure due to glue starvation, but I also think that if it's necessary to apply max pressure to to a joint, then the joint was poorly designed.

Interestingly enough, one thread claimed you can't apply more than 250 lbs of pressure with a hand clamp.  The article cited below says you can get up to 8000 lbs.  Quite a difference.

https://ponyjorgensen.com/blogs/clamping...echniques/

More interesting clamp information (more than you might want to know):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7e-gd-ZBdI

[lincmercguy]

"but I also think that if it's necessary to apply max pressure to to a joint, then the joint was poorly designed."

If a parallel grain edge joint is poorly designed, we're all in a lot of trouble.

[Tapper]

Just a follow-up on the Bessey grips. Was down in shop today and decided to measure the handles.

      Bessey Revo          Wooden handle

Dia.    1 5/16"                    1 1/8"
Length 4 1/2"                      3 1/2"

No comparison in feel and comfort - Revos far, far better. My tape came in today. Will wrap the wooden handles tomorrow.

Doug

[lincmercguy]

No comparison in feel and comfort - Revos far, far better. My tape came in today. Will wrap the wooden handles tomorrow.

Mine are all Revos.  I really do like them.

[meackerman]

Rockler still sells the rubber clamp handle grips.  Most of my older K-Bodies have them and they work great.

Rubber Handle Grips for Rockler Wooden Handscrew Clamp (4 per Pack) | Rockler Woodworking and Hardware

[Martin S.]

Mark, thanks for posting. I tried to search for those but they didn't come up.

[coldspot]

I cut small grooves in the wood handled ones, and dipped in "Plasti Dip"
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Plasti-Dip-1.../202196703

[Handplanesandmore]

I cut small grooves in the wood handled ones, and dipped in "Plasti Dip"
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Plasti-Dip-1.../202196703

The dip worked well for a time, but over time when the surface was covered with micro dust, it lost its effectiveness. Eventually, I had to wrap the handles with hockey tape. Even the tape behaved like that from dust and oil after years, but replacing the tape was a lot cheaper.

Simon

[MarkSingleton]

Well, twenty five meter length of hockey tape arrived awhile back.

Yesterday I wrapped two of the Bessey clamp
handles. Easy to do, just followed the method on the Rob Cosman
video above.

Haven't used them yet but they do feel "grippier." Simple modification
that will no doubt pay dividends.


Oh, and for the first time ever.... the search feature worked great to find this thread
to post this. Of course, the words "hockey tape" probably do not feature in too many
others.

[camp10]

I recieved the red hockey tape last week and have wrapped aboult 1/2 of my handles so far. It does make a difference to my aging, arthritic hands.

And the red color almost exactly matches the Bessey red paint. I can't tell the difference without looking close.