The Mother of All Bar Clamps

[Philip1231]

From time to time, I've thought that it might be advantageous to have a couple deep-reach bar clamps: maybe of a size that could reach half way across the top of my 24" wide bench. I took a flyer on a pair Bessey 24" x 12" bar clamps and was amazed at the size of the them when they arrived. Might be more appropriate for millwrights or boat builders, but I think might get some good use out of them. Tried to capture their size in the pic: they are 16 lbs each. Surprisingly, made in Germany.
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[Handplanesandmore]

How many did you get? I hope you got at least a pair as sometimes one alone can't do the job.

A previous neighbor was a welder and he had a bunch of deep throat clamps. When he retired and moved, I snatched a few from him after some pleading. I would've bought all of them if he had wanted to.

They aren't replacements for the holdfasts and aren't used too often. But they can be a lifesaver!

If yours was the mother of all bar clamps, meet the grandmom: https://www.piher.com/530-large_default/...h50-cm.jpg
Max pressure: 1500N

Simon

[Philip1231]

How many did you get? I hope you got at least a pair as sometimes one alone can't do the job.

A previous neighbor was a welder and he had a bunch of deep throat clamps. When he retired and moved, I snatched a few from him after some pleading. I would've bought all of them if he had wanted to.

They aren't replacements for the holdfasts and aren't used too often. But they can be a lifesaver!

If yours was the mother of all bar clamps, meet the grandmom: https://www.piher.com/530-large_default/...h50-cm.jpg
Max pressure: 1500N

Simon

I ended up with two: I generally buy clamps in even numbered sets. I will have to start wearing steel-tipped work boots in the shop: would not want to drop one of these!

[adamcherubini]

18th c furniture makers probably didn’t have a lot of clamps. Their joinery didn’t require them. Their glue didn’t benefit from high clamping pressure. The clamps they almost always had were big parallel clamps kinda like these. I built my set a long time ago. They have been extremely helpful but for things I hadn’t initially assumed they were for. I use them for work holding or supporting boards on top of the bench (like the moxon vise).

Wondering if you’ll end up using these for work holding as opposed to glue ups etc. Please let us know.

[Handplanesandmore]

If you have old furniture restorers in your city or town, some of them should own a few of these deep throat F clamps, made in the US. Nothing else will work as expidently when you try to clamp down on a veneer repair in the midfle of a top that's a foot or more from the edge.

Simon

[Philip1231]

18th c furniture makers probably didn’t have a lot of clamps. Their joinery didn’t require them. Their glue didn’t benefit from high clamping pressure. The clamps they almost always had were big parallel clamps kinda like these. I built my set a long time ago. They have been extremely helpful but for things I hadn’t initially assumed they were for. I use them for work holding or supporting boards on top of the bench (like the moxon vise).

Wondering if you’ll end up using these for work holding as opposed to glue ups etc. Please let us know.

That was precisely my plan, to use these for work holding. That is why I chose the 12" deep model: it reaches to the center of the bench. I will be sure to report back when I have had a chance to put them to work.

[TGW]

That was precisely my plan, to use these for work holding. That is why I chose the 12" deep model: it reaches to the center of the bench. I will be sure to report back when I have had a chance to put them to work.

I have one of those. I found it at one of the local scrap yards with the swiveling pad and the handle missing and covered in a half centimetre of polyester and fiberglass fibres. It came out of a boat yard. With a new pad and a new handle and the polyester cleaned away it became all right.

Anyway workholding was my first thought when I wound it but in practice it proved to be a bit on the heavy and clumsy side for that. It is easier to position the workpiece closer to the front edge of the bech and use a slightly smaller cramp.
However the huge Bessey has proven useful for odd glue ups and holding awkward workpieces. The sort of jobs nobody could predict. The odd tool to fetch when nothing else helps. I don't use it often but every time it saves me from considerable trouble. I would not want to be without it.

[CarolMoors]

Well, suppose you are planning to use the wooden tools. In that case, I recommend also buying the toggle clamps to fix the issues or the necessary parts. Here's the link to the online platform where I usually buy toggle clamps and other tools SPAM LINK FOR UK WEBSITE DELETED. If you decide to buy on that platform, feel free to reach me in private messages I will share with you the free delivery promo code. Have a great day, Philip1231!

[Timberwolf]

From time to time, I've thought that it might be advantageous to have a couple deep-reach bar clamps: maybe of a size that could reach half way across the top of my 24" wide bench. I took a flyer on a pair Bessey 24" x 12" bar clamps and was amazed at the size of the them when they arrived. Might be more appropriate for millwrights or boat builders, but I think might get some good use out of them. Tried to capture their size in the pic: they are 16 lbs each. Surprisingly, made in Germany. 
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If Bessy is the "mother of all bar clamps", then Wetzler is the father...I snagged several of them with the center clamps made for them at a flea market many years ago,,The bar itself is very heavy, being made out of 1/2" X 1 1/2" steel...deep throat..only about 18" long, they are for when you mean business!






These are Ebay photos...like mine but ones I have are deep throat..about 12/14" I would guess.