IMG_5705
These are the two types of small clamps I like most. Both have strengths and weaknesses. The Jorgensen's - at left - have nice flat edges, and stand up easily, supporting small work well. They're lighter, but still strong, and the sliding part slides a bit more easily, but their handles are tiny, rickety, and hard to grip, with fastening rivets that often scrape up my hand ,smaller threads that can take 10-15 twists (not full revolutions) to tighten fully, and the pads leave dark, ugly, deep, oily marks in wood that are hard to sand out.
The Bessey Tradesmen - at right - are much stockier, stronger, clamp with more power (600lbs, IIRC), have very strong, easy to grab handles that don't scrape me up, and tighten up in 2 or 3 twists (not full revolutions), but can't stand up on their own, and can be quite heavy for lighter operations, as with these boxes, which I would consider at the lower limit for Tradesman work.
In short, despite the dark oily marks, and uncomfortable grips, I sort of prefer a stack of Jorgensens for little box work like this, but definitely want the Bessey's for larger projects that stand up on their own, supporting the clamps with their own weight.
IMG_5705
These are the two types of small clamps I like most. Both have strengths and weaknesses. The Jorgensen's - at left - have nice flat edges, and stand up easily, supporting small work well. They're lighter, but still strong, and the sliding part slides a bit more easily, but their handles are tiny, rickety, and hard to grip, with fastening rivets that often scrape up my hand ,smaller threads that can take 10-15 twists (not full revolutions) to tighten fully, and the pads leave dark, ugly, deep, oily marks in wood that are hard to sand out.
The Bessey Tradesmen - at right - are much stockier, stronger, clamp with more power (600lbs, IIRC), have very strong, easy to grab handles that don't scrape me up, and tighten up in 2 or 3 twists (not full revolutions), but can't stand up on their own, and can be quite heavy for lighter operations, as with these boxes, which I would consider at the lower limit for Tradesman work.
In short, despite the dark oily marks, and uncomfortable grips, I sort of prefer a stack of Jorgensens for little box work like this, but definitely want the Bessey's for larger projects that stand up on their own, supporting the clamps with their own weight.