Jorgensen clamp question

[Mike Ballard]

Hi -

A small discount outlet store in the neighborhood has a couple handfuls of Jorgensen "K-body" knock-offs. I have a couple smaller F-style Jorgensen clamps, was not impressed, don't care for them and for my money there are far better.

Anyway, they're asking $18 for 24", $22 for 36" and $25 for 48" - which is around 40% less than Woodcraft sells the same Jorgensens for. But I don't know if Jorgensen's knock-off is in any way comparable in quality/mechanics to the Bessey (I'm guessing no, but I'm not a pro so it might not matter).

And I also don't know if there's something wrong with them that they'd show up in this store (manufacturing defect(s), counterfeit, etc.). The store's a lot like one of those old 5-and-dimes with mostly cheap crap (although not always).

I don't want to buy these just because they're 40% less than Woodcraft sells them for. And there's no Woodcraft nearby I could take one of their Jorgensen's in to check.

But I am interested. Any idea if this is probably just a waste of money?

Mike

[James "Cubby" Culbertson]

There are a fair number of people that believe the Jorgensens are better than the Bessey's. I don't own either but am looking for the Jorgensens based on comments I've heard. One issue the Bessey's have that the Cabinet Masters (Jorgensen's) evidently don't, is the faces of the clamp falling together and then being difficult to separate. Just what I've read on this group mind you. Do a search on bessey vs. jorgensen and I'm sure you'll see a whole lot more inputs. Cheers, cc

[Leon]

I have tried the Bessy K body and own several Cabinet Masters. IMHO the single most important element that the CM offers over the Bessy is the small black foot that slides up and down the bar behind the screw part of the clamp. This foot enables you to freely side the screw end of the clamp back and forth along the entire length of the bar with out having to lift the screw end off the table surface. In addition the jaws are longer and wider, the screw adjustment is slightly longer and the bar is heavier gauge.

evidently don't, is the faces

No, this is an issue with the Cabinet Master clamp. If you let the clamp slam shut, you often have to use a screw driver on the bottom of the slider portion of the clamp to pry the locking mechanism open. You basically do this one time and then you learn not to do this again. Otherwise it takes the time to find a screw driver and a couple of seconds to pry the jaws open.

Considering that these clamps can be had at the moment from Amazon Tool Crib for about $20 of the regular price, $17 to $18 for the 3 and 4 footers, it becomes a no brainer.. Load UP.

[Mapdude]

These models are discontinued items. Amazon sold out in 48 hours. No backorders. If you got em for this price you did good. If you did not, you missed out.

Le>

[Leon]

I gotum cheaper than what Amazon was offering...

[Secret Squirrel]

Mapdude wrote in news:ZPe1b.1$ [e-mail]:

They're not actually discontinued. This was a promotional price that Jorgensen offered to Amazon. They sold what they had at that price and when they are restocked, they will be back at list price. I had a discussion with one of their customer service supervisors this AM about the questionable advertising they did, and their refusal to honor their advertised prices, and as a result they've lost a high volume, long time customer for life