Bar Clamp Serendipity

Hovannes · Post by **Hovannes** » 03 Jan 2025, 13:52

I was hunting for some old-fashioned gentlemanly bar clamps to support my wood working amusements. I have a pair,
but I got those for a specialized project and they're 4' long, too long and awkward for most purposes.
I also have some pipe clamps on 12" pipes which are useful, but the throats on these are too shallow for some projects, so I'm thinking a pair of good ol' Jorgensens in the 16"-24" would be the ticket.
After Jorgensen moved production to the PRC, the wooden screw handles were replaced with plastic.
Plastics have their place, but darn it I want wood. Not really a problem as used clamps would serve me every bit as well, however after rooting through garage sales and Craig's, there were no bar clamps to be found.
Plan B is eBay and there were a few, with pleasant patinas, but the shipping was more than what the clamps were going for. Just the clamps were approx. 26 bucks, with shipping they were in the mid $50s
No bueno.
So I went to an old mom and pop hardware store and had a look around and found two new old stock Jorgensen bar clamps (with wood screw handles) for $17 apiece.
2025 is starting to look up

FredS · Post by **FredS** » 04 Jan 2025, 11:03

Once, when the PRC outlet store (aka Harbor Freight) was having a sale on clamps I loaded up on them. Mrs FredS was tagging along and asked if I really needed all those clamps. I said "You can never have too many clamps." At checkout, she told the the clerk she thought my clamp haul was ridiculous. The clerk said "Well, you can never have too many clamps." Mrs FredS asked if I paid him to say that.

Hovannes · Post by **Hovannes** » 04 Jan 2025, 12:37

FredS wrote: 04 Jan 2025, 11:03 Once, when the PRC outlet store (aka Harbor Freight) was having a sale on clamps I loaded up on them. Mrs FredS was tagging along and asked if I really needed all those clamps. I said "You can never have too many clamps." At checkout, she told the the clerk she thought my clamp haul was ridiculous. The clerk said "Well, you can never have too many clamps." Mrs FredS asked if I paid him to say that.

I worked for a wooden boat builder and caught the clamp derangement syndrome. Somewhere in my garage I've got maybe forty 6-inch c-clamps left over from the experience, but the old boat builder I worked for must have had hundreds, both 6" and 10"ers.

Del · Post by **Del** » 04 Jan 2025, 16:26

Remember this guy?