Harbor Freight handscrew clamp

[BillyJack]

Anybody bought the 12” handscrew clamp?

Anygood?

 

[Tpt life]

If they are anywhere close to the Chinese hand screws sold in Germany, they should be just fine. Don’t trust the corrosion resistance, but lube as a maintenance item. 

[pkinneb]

I bought one that I planed on cutting up for a chair leg hold and it has held up as good as my much more expensive jet clamps. Having said that its a small sample size 

 

[wtnhighlander]

I have a few of them. Just pick through the bin and only choose the ones without defects in the wood. They work quite well.

[Coop]

I too have a couple. It’s hard to go wrong due to the simplicity. Hardly ever use them but they sure come in handy when the need arises. 

[BonPacific]

Yep, got them in a few sizes. No difference in performance to the ones sold at Rockler.

[BillyJack]

I’m going to try and pick up a couple a month till I have enough. 

[Coop]

I find limited use for these other than to hold a piece upright on the workbench. Care to share and others too, what you use these for? 

[wtnhighlander]

Hand screws are great for holding workpieces that aren't 90* or 180* angles.

[Mark J]

I sometimes use one at the drill press.  The wooden clamp holds the workpiece.   Then F-clamps hold the wooden clamp to the press table.  

[BillyJack]

On 12/20/2022 at 8:20 PM, Coop said:

I find limited use for these other than to hold a piece upright on the workbench. Care to share and others too, what you use these for? 

The cam clamp or wood screw clamp?

[BillyJack]

As mentioned before, “It’s not how many clamps you have, but the variety”

[BonPacific]

On 12/20/2022 at 6:20 PM, Coop said:

I find limited use for these other than to hold a piece upright on the workbench. Care to share and others too, what you use these for? 

I find them mostly useful for jigs and operations, rarely for an actual glue-up. Most often the poor-mans-moxon as you mentioned. I have a small kurt vise but I don't love using that on wood, so the screw clamps come in handy at the drill press as Mark mentioned. I also like them for clamping to a vertical piece and supporting a horizontal component like a shelf or runner while I attach it.

[BillyJack]

I find that if you don’t have the right clamp, you just seek option #2 out.,

[JohnG]

I use hand screw clamps to cut golf balls in half on the bandsaw. You can get it at the right angle so that it keeps the ball from spinning but doesn’t pinch the blade. 

[BillyJack]

I’m determined to buy many over the next few years. Just have to buy on a poor boy budget these days…

[Coop]

On 12/22/2022 at 9:11 AM, JohnG said:

I use hand screw clamps to cut golf balls in half on the bandsaw. You can get it at the right angle so that it keeps the ball from spinning but doesn’t pinch the blade. 

I usually do that with a 3 iron. 

[curlyoak]

I needed a 12" hand screw clamp for my drill press. I have a woodpecker table for my drill press and the clamping system will not hold close to the bit. I needed to make a 3" diameter bore on a small piece of wood. I went to harbour freight and found one. I clamped up the small piece of wood laying flat to hold for drilling. couldn't get to the next step. Clamped it would not lay flat on the table. Turns out the bore holes in the wood clamp were anywhere but centered. Brought the junk back and got a refund. Then I ordered one online a Bessey. I could by looking and later confirmed it was made in China. Same junk wood. Something tropical. I was suspicious. But it was built correctly . My thinking is Bessey wrote demanding requirements in the contract. Regardless the Bessey will get a use and avoid H. Freight for this item.

The woodpecker misses the mark by not offering clamps for close to the bit work. That is where you need it the most. All in all I like the table with this exception. The woodpecker fence was much more than welcome in the process.

[Mark J]

Good point, if you are using a hand screw clamp at the drill press or to stand something on a workbench, the clamp does need to sit flat.  Sometimes the barrel nuts holding the hand screws will be proud of the wooden body.

[wtnhighlander]

Perfect example of why people get frustrated with HF. While you can certainly find tools that are properly made, the poorly made ones are mixed in with them. My HF handscrews sit flat against a work surface, and have defect-free wooden jaws, but I picked them with care.

[BonPacific]

On 12/30/2022 at 3:59 AM, curlyoak said:

My thinking is Bessey wrote demanding requirements in the contract.

China can manufacture incredibly precise and quality products, as long as the brand/customer wants to pay for it. Most don't and are only going for lowest dollar which is why the reputation exists. Harbor Freight basically entirely skips doing QA/QC.

[curlyoak]

All the old good ones are made out of beech. This Chinese version with contract demands is better than HF but not like the old days...At least it works for the intended purpose. The first time I only bought one clamp. Every other clamp that I have bought was in pairs. I expect that all I will ever need is one. Probably I   will only need it for the drill press.

[BonPacific]

The Pony Jorgensen's are made with beech if that's a must have for you. They still come out of China though.

[Don Z.]

I'm just going to leave this here.

Just a note, with these, you can make the wooden part out of whatever you like: Beech, purple heart, maple, osage orange, papier maché, whatever floats your boat.  $9.50 going down to $8.70 if you need 4 or more for a 2 1/4 jaw, all the way up to $21.90 ($20.10 for 4 or more) for a 10 1/4 jaw.  Made in USA (complete clamp made wherever you are when you assemble it).  https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/clamps/69826-dubuque-handscrew-kits?item=03F0732

 

 

[BillyJack]

I haven’t been up there yet, but if the threads etc. are the same on the smaller handscrew  clamp, it would be cheaper to use the parts and make bigger ones.