SCORE! Jet Parallel Clamp Cabinet Door Set

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(I didn't get them from Rockler, just using the site as a reference.)

Got this set for $109 at a local joint. Anyone use these? Are they as nice as they seem?

Reply to
-MIKE-
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Nice score! I have that same set; I got them at a woodworking show, I think for about the same price but I don't remember. They're great clamps, but they've mostly been sitting in the corner because I've been letting my Besseys do all the dirty work, getting stained with shellac and accumulating all the glue residue. If I had as many of the Jets as I do the Besseys I'd probably be using them instead, but the fact that they mismatch in size and shape is often the reason I don't use both simultaneously.

Reply to
Steve Turner

I have a current project for which I need some good parallels and these sizes will happen to work. I was going to get the Irwin kit from Rockler for $129, w/free shipping, but I have these in my hands and they seem to be a bit better in form and function. (plus, I love their integrated bench dogs)

I have a feeling, I'm going to be throwing out some others and investing in more of these. :-)

Reply to
-MIKE-

I think I'm going to like that feature (these came with). But I probably wouldn't buy those separate, since they appear to be something one could make from wood in about ten minutes. :-)

Although the anti-glue-stick feature is appealing. [pun!]

Reply to
-MIKE-

If you already have any Bessey clamps or something similar, you can use these for a lot less.

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Reply to
Upscale

I have a pair of Jet clamps. I have had Jorgenson Cabinet Masters for several years and liked them better than any. I used Bessey Bodies but still preferred the Cabinet Masters. Then I got a pair of Jets. I still prefer the Cabinet Masters. Than I got (1) of the new 12" Bessey Revo clamps, don't laugh it was a present from a non wood worker. I prefer the (1) Bessey Revo clamp to all of my clamps, so I bought another, now I have a pair.

Of the Cabinet Master, Jet, and Bessey Revo clamps that I own I prefer the Bessey Revo. The Jet has a lot of very cool features but in real life use applications the cool features fall short.

  1. The handles are big, I like that but the screw seems to resist tightening to the degree that I can tighten the other brand clamps. It seems you can tighten just so much and that is it. The other brands will always turn a little more with a little more effort.
  2. The adjustable foot uses a thumb screw to hold it in place. The screw constantly loosens, I fear that one day I will loose the thumb screw. The Cabinet Masters use a spring loaded plunger that holds well enough and will not come unscrewed. The Bessey has a fixed location and can be a problem if your clamp is longer than the work surface.
  3. The Jets simply are not as smooth to operate as the other brands, IMHO the Bessey Revo clamps operate much more smoothly than the older K Bodies.
  4. The Jets have a release lever on the moving clamp end but it does not prevent the clamps from slamming shut if you hold them vertically and let go of the sliding end of the clamp.

Still, all of these style clamps are hard to beat and it sounds like you got a pretty good deal.

Reply to
Leon

I've spoken with several different cabinet shops that have used the Bessey, Gross Stabil and Jorgy parallel clamps, and all of them prefer the Jorgys. The primay thing they mention is that the glue peels off the smooth bar so the action stays smooth. I've used only Bessey (old style) and like them, but I clean them diligently. The ones at work are trashed and broken, but that's more a function of misuse. I'll have to get a couple new sets to try them out.

JP

Reply to
Jay Pique

I've spoken with several different cabinet shops that have used the Bessey, Gross Stabil and Jorgy parallel clamps, and all of them prefer the Jorgys. The primay thing they mention is that the glue peels off the smooth bar so the action stays smooth. I've used only Bessey (old style) and like them, but I clean them diligently. The ones at work are trashed and broken, but that's more a function of misuse. I'll have to get a couple new sets to try them out.

JP

Yeah, the old style Basses were getting a little long in the tooth when the Jorgys came out so the Jorgys had some advantages. I too felt that they operated much more smoothly than the Basses and that may be because the glue come off easily but I have glue on mine and they still operate smoothly. Perhaps they don't fit quite so snugly to the bar then sliding the moving end back and forth. What ever reason, so far the new style Besseys seem to be much smoother than the Jorgys. But, there is no glue on the bar yet. There certainly is nothing really wrong with any of them.

Reply to
Leon

Thumbs ^up.

Reply to
Robatoy

I have over 300 Jorgys (yes nailshooter, over 300..not shitloads.. I guess that *is* shitloads..LOL) and none have failed in 25 years. Okay, so they're mostly 3202HT Pony clamps, but STILL!!

*smirk*
Reply to
Robatoy

If money was no object, I'd have gone with Bessy's or Jorgy's, but couldn't pass up this deal. PLUS, these will be a HUGE improvement over the non-parallel aluminum bar clamps I've been using.

Reply to
-MIKE-

I have a related question:

I own 8 Bessy K-bodies. On most of them, when I tighten the screws, the threads seem to grab, rather than slide, preventing me from getting that last half-turn that I want. A while back FWW had an artical on clamping pressure that indicated that the parallel clamps provided surprisingly little forced... this makes me tend to beleive it.

Oddly, they are not all of my K-bodies this way; one or two of them turn smoothly (albeit, with appropriate resistance) under heavy clamping pressure.

I've tried greasing the threads, but that does not seam to help.

Has anyone else noticed this, and have you found a remedy?

-Steve

Reply to
StephenM

You might try thoroughly cleaning the threads with a wire brush. I oddly had a problem with another brand clamp loosening. Brushing the threads with a wire brush solved the problem.

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Reply to
Leon

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