Clamp Suggestion

[Gibbcutter]

Pipe or bar clamps....

[Gibbcutter]

Gluing up for multiple applications.

[Strokes77]

People will disagree with me. But I have both $50+ parallel clamps of various makers, and the cheap aluminum $9 clamps from HF... I like the HF clamps far more. Lighter and easier to use. Highly recommend.

[Bill Holt]

My guess, I use the Jet parallel bar clamps 90% of the time, hand screws 8%, pipe and F clamps make up the balance.

[JGrout]

Most bang for the buck 

Pipe clamps

[sweensdv2]

I hate pipe clamps! For me, parallel clamps and F-clamps are my main go to clamps.

[BloomingtonMike]

Of your choices I like parallels. Having collections of each kind is very handy.

[rwe2156]

Its mostly a matter of economics but actually,  its only about 2:1 on the cost for a 24 or 36" clamp.  Where you save money is clamps 48" and longer.  BTW, I've seen master ww'ers shops with walls full of pipe clamps.

I use parallel clamps mostly & I keep several 60" long pipe clamps for longer applications. 

The biggest drawback to pipe clamps is they tend to make a panel bow due to non-parallel forces.  Therefore, it takes twice as many because you have to do opposing clamps. 

BTW with a little tuning those cheap Harbor Freight aluminum bar clamps actually aren't bad.  ;-)

[daddo]

Better than pipe clamps for wood.




  I have a set of F clamps made in Germany with a 4" throat I use a lot. These particular ones aren't made anymore but they do have some that aren't quite as heavy duty now. These are my go to clamps unless I'm gluing up small stuff.

[joe1086]

If the Bessey parallel clamp sales from years ago did not happen I would for sure have way more pipe clamps than parallels.

Those were the days....

One thing to remember is the pipe clamps can exert a lot more force than parallels.