kreg clamps harbor freight

First time I really had a need for the ACS miter guide.

After 25+ years woodworking theres always room for value tools. I might have to try them out again at some point.

If you just need a couple clamps to get by with or you want to invest as little as possible then dealing with the frustrations of Harbor Freight clamps will probably be OK. Exchange includes Kreg K4 & k5, Harbor Freight Drill Master, & MasscaM1. I had me own cabinet business building custom cabinets and furniture. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED AS IS AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME. I couldnt buy on-line. Not Pleased With Pocket Hole Construction. The legs are 1.5 thick by 2 wide. We are currently looking at a 2 week wait time to receive your shipping label. HF alum bar clamps have done me well, after filling them with plywood strips. Have you looked at the new Kreg automatic face type clamp.? What does this mean? Even more expensive than the same length Bessey K Body clamps. That means a 1/2 pipe clamp that is 24 long is $8.50. Keep sharing! In this article youll discover a comprehensive breakdown of all Harbor Freight wood tools, with purchasing advice on: What if I dont have a Harbor Freight near me? Youll likely STILL be buying Kregs screws and clamps; and if you want to venture into their mini-size jigs its best to stick with Kreg to start. And mostly because I use them heavily for cabinet making and need features like: While HF offers a good selection of plunge, fixed base and trim routers Id make a purchase decision based on: Planning to move to advanced woodworking projects? WE REPEAT. On the other side, I cant recommend DeWalts heavy duty quick-clamps highly enough. No adjustments for different thickness, The 6 HF clamps work well as a bench hold down if you grind off the weld on the back allowing them to come apart. Inexpensive 2 spring clamps are handy.

Hopefully this will be helpful to some people. The catch? Irwin Quickgrips, well lets just say i cant keep track of all mine of the 6-12 size. I can get 1/2 pipe clamps locally for $6 and pipe at $1.20 per foot. One thing I didnt mention in an earlier post is that while I dont like the HF f clamps, I do buy the 1/2 pipe clamp working parts from Harbor Freight (posters were asking) and then buy 1/2 black pipe from Home Depot or Lowes. And these stores offer budget friendly tools great for new woodworkers. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge. The aluminum bar clamps and pipe clamps clean up very fast from glue drips. Terms of Service. Simply because sometimes things just don't need to be complicated. Workbench organization isnt just important for looks. Every non Irwin brand quick clamp Ive used (a couple knock offs and Harbor Freight versions) have broke. Thanks for your advice Jay! While you might be familiar with standard brands like Dewalt, Makita and Milwaukee the popular woodworking brands from Harbor Freight include: So how do I know if the tool is junk or worth the spend? Why are you trying to put so much pressure on clamps that they break? I prefer aluminum bar clamps and 1/2 pipe clamps over Bessey K Body clamps. So not wanting to spend a lot of money on clamps that I might never use again I tried HF clamps and found them to be a great value for my dollar. What does this mean? NOTE: Armor offers Free Standard Shipping on orders over $100. But what most woodworkers miss is the unique tool brands that make woodworking faster, easier and improve quality. Home Depot has the larger spring clamps for $.99. Please check your browser settings or contact your system administrator. This also guarantees you will get the trade and $70 Off. FC. Theres no reason to drag a cord around the. Get that lifetime warranty. I recently purchased one. You can put a wood bar inside the aluminum bar clamps to make them much more rigid. Everyone does. Both work well. And you dont want to replace it after a few years use. I didnt care for the best Bessy F style clamps because the wooden handle is small and its harder to torque down on the clamp. Or, Powertec has a huge line of high quality tools at a much discounted price vs. large. I really like them. Enjoy you videos, Thank you. Kreg sent me a few of their bar automaxx bar clamps. But on a positive note typically the price is right and the collective thought comes to mind, you get what you pay for! I cant find them for twice that price. (you pay shipping). As a woodworker with over 25 years experience, 100+ kitchens built and many other projects Im sharing my tips, tricks and tool choices on this site. Be sure to check out my favorite woodworking charity Sleep in Heavenly Peace that builds beds for kids who sleep on the floor. Can you give us some more information on the 1/2 pipe clamp heads? Jay! Instead Ill just focus on the things I like about the tool, things I dont like about the tool, and would I buy it again. You can still participate in the exchange, purchase the Make The Trade shipping label, and it will hold you place in the exchange, but we WILL NOT request you send your jig until the transaction (trade) can be processed within 7 days. I still have most of them today and that was 2006 when I bought them Never used the Kreg one to compare but didn't like the plastic build. Or, check out our pocket hole jig guide and start opening doors on a whole new world of projects. Facebook. Disclosures: (1) If you click a link on this site and buy something I will earn a commission. Theyre my favorite type of clamp. The Auto-Jig Offers unprecedented efficiency and convenience. I think clamps have a steady middle ground that just seems to work. Harbor Freight carries many brands and pride themselves in lower cost tools vs. brand name alternatives. As a discount versus the Kreg system, the Harbor Freight wood pocket hole jig offers a cheaper entry point in an all aluminum body. A whole lot cheaper buying the bits and pieces and assembling what length of clamps you want. He drilled holes through the handle of every wood-handled clamp he had, and then you can use any screwdriver or I guess a bolt to really torque them down. If your just looking for a tool you only need here and there than its worth pulling the trigger on a deal. They sell for $5.99 all the time in California. They are relatively inexpensive, have plenty of power for what I do, clean up easily, and are easy to handle and use. Report an Issue | I have them and really like them. My own personal belief is, that if your thinking of going with HF and its going to be needed to perform a daily task youre better off going down the road and buying a better quality name brand. Privacy Policy |

With clamps I dont see that as a clear cut situation. Also not a fan of the kbody price/usage ratio. One of the best pieces of advice someone gave me about buying clamps is: always buy in pairs. Most probably set every slide before moving on to something else. They are reliable and strong for closing bags of charcoal, fertilizer, dog food, and most anything else. I found a clamp that is more durable and works better. Send us your old jig to upgrade to the Armor Auto Auto-Jig! So . How do these clamps compare to the Kreg clamps? Most things from HF are adequate as long as you don't mind tweaking the tool\item where applicable.

Disclaimer: DIY projects can be dangerous,hire a professional (link to Home Advisor) if unsure. The top of the line is where I think the value diminishes quickly. I started using them about a year ago.

Jay I have used the Ervin clamps for a while, and personally I have broken one of them. They also have problems with the handles stripping. You can learn more in our woodworking clamp guide, but heres what I look for in pipe clamps: Because pipe clamps have one job (glue wood together) theres only a few variations in their design.. No complaints so far. Those coupons and free items keep me going to Harbor freight, Stepson bought 4 of these for me at Xmas. On the bottom youve got the super inexpensive Harbor Freight clamps that I previously recommended to everyone. The best one word description of them is frustrating.. Woodworkers are used to comparing tool brands to decide what their next tools should be. Started by Mike Bohannon in Beginners' Zone. But, for budget minded projects or one-time use, a less expensive jig with a reputation for durability and precision is what DIYers or occasional woodworkers will choose. But, most importantly, the top cabinet hardware jigs will work on all styles of doors, including shaker cabinets that have a challenging inset face. If you plan on using them year after year and enjoy woodworking you will probably find them to be more frustrating than what they are worth. With that being said, I know you can buy a few gems there if your not planning on daily use and long lasting. IMHO to each their own, I wont judge you I do scratch my head from time to time when I see people at the counter buying certain items knowing its not going to last. If the glue squeezes out ant there is no deformity, then that is tight enuf!!! Four 24 pipe clamps or five 24 aluminum bar clampscost less than one 24 Bessey K Body clamp and in 99% of situations I would prefer the multiple pipe or bar clamps. Due to the overwhelming amount of response to the Make The Trade Campaign and shipping challenges posed by Covid limitations a longer exchange time can be expected. Automatically Adjust Drill Guide Block to Correct Height. But does that mean they are lower quality than the (also made in China) well known brands? And free up valuable bench space. The self adjusting ones would be handy to use.

But, when you do, the following features are crucial: So lets start off with introducing you to one of Harbor Freights (HF) more popular corded and cordless brands in the: Bauer 6.5 Amp Laser Line Jigsaw. A vises number one job is hold onto your woodworking piece when you need it. The local store I mentioned in the video is Discount Tools in Starkville Mississippi. AutomaticallyAdjusting Clamp. I prefer Bessey 6 F style clamps over the Harbor Freight F style clamps. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo, https://www.amazon.com/Armor-Tool-6MP-70-Adjust-Multi-Purpose/dp/B074WF5FKD/ref=asc_df_B074WF5FKD/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309735728871&hvpos=1o4&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11421581268342124766&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007848&hvtargid=pla-570328979250&psc=1, https://armor-tool.com/products/industrial/hand-tools/c-clamps/, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Not thrilled with the Kreg clamps, but buying a whole new set will pinch the wallet. I also put a good coat of paste wax on them keeps the glue from sticking to them only have to clean them every two years or so. Thanks! - Granny Weatherwax If it ain't a pig, it ain't a piggy bank. BTW have you ever used band clamps and bowed cauls for clamping? I will be buying a number of clamps in the near future and this has greatly helped me in my decision making. they were all name brand power equipment , did not ever consider using anything from Harbour freight. Stay away from the low end and stay away from the high end. I made a clean sweep of my shop just a couple of days ago and ALL my Harbor Freight clamps found the way to the trash. Started by Adam in General Woodworking May 6. Theres a YouTube video on it. As a HF premier brand, Bauer tools represent a wide swath of Harbor Freight power tools.. Great review. Guess what, that's exactly what the original style Kreg mounting jig already has! Also the straps tend to reduce, if not eliminate, twisting from the clamping, generally allowing me to clamp entirely from one side. They have since become more frustrating than what they are worth in my opinion. Those plastic screw heads are no good at all. The HF pipe clamp hardware is cheap in price and I havent had any problem with them. Which Kreg tools do you use these clamps with? For many a planer is a big ticket purchase much like a table saw. Over the past few years Ive realized, for the most part, that you get what you pay for with woodworking tools. (5) Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates. They have almost as much surface area and power as the K-body clamps, but without the finicky set up, and all the advantages of the Irwins. Thanks Luke! I got hooked on antique boats and bought one. Whenever you can add to your woodworking tool collection its a good day.. The kreg clamps new self adjusting clamps broke easy and kicked back like mule. First, I was blown away to find out thatthe Kreg automaxx bar clamps were the most expensive clamps I had. Thats a good note Larry, this might be why Ive always had such bad luck with pipe clamps. I use the small spring clamps all the time for closing bags. We agree on pipe clamps. I epoxied some larger washers onto the swivel pads and use them for clamping workpieces together when doing pocket screws. I also agree on 1/2 pipe clamps. I stocked up on my 1/2 pipe clamp ends at Harbor Freight when they were 50% off so mine cost $2.99. Worked well. FYI, the Bessey 6 F style clamps from Home Depot are a result of oversupply Christmas inventory. Customer will be responsible for shipping cost of any non-qualifying returns. PROFESSIONAL SCREW ORGANIZERS: is a see-through and portable solution for small part and screw organization. Deciding on the best woodworking apron for your shop involves understanding types of fabric, your storage needs and use. It makes projects easier to start (and finish) and reduces time spent hunting for tools and supplies. What other items does HF have that are comparable to Kreg items? I've been using my Adaptive Cutting System table for a few years now, and it's been really solid. (3) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. I now also have the new versions of the Kreg slide mounting jig(s) and find that they work quite well. I refuse to buy anything with a cord on it from HF because typically the smoke gets let out too soon or the cheap bearings or brushes blow their guts too soon. Which is why the best random orbital sanders are both great at removing wood but also have the features and power professionals turn to. Through an eliminate-the-middleman approach they advertise tools made by the same manufacturers that supply well known brands. Great idea David! Or even waist-aprons for compact tool storage? As far as HF clamps, they're great as long as you're buying the metal ones. The most efficient and versatile way to secure your workpiece. Thanks for the tip on the couplings Floyd. Ive had them for about a year now sitting in the same area as the rest of my clamps and I never seem to reach for them. Many of the users said that the jig was constantly dropping the glide and a way to avoid that was to put a strong magnet on the side of the jig. That means you keep your jig until we can complete your transaction in full. But, if youre a fan of JET (its my table saw of 20 years) then you can always make a purchase decision on brand. Well, consider: While I recommend the Dewalt for its enhanced performance, in the field of off-brand planers the Bauer from Harbor Freight will work., But, if you have more ambitious woodworking plans then invest extra few hundred in the Dewalt DW735x.. A sub-reddit dedicated to Harbor Freight and reviewing their tools. The plastic clamps from HF are not totally horrible but don't allow you to apply a great deal of pressure. Arent they just a knock-off to the big box stores like Lowes and Home Depot? I dont have any experience with the HF F style clamps I can admit to buying things at the HF stores though! But cheap at the cost of missing needed features is never a good investment. At least I do. When I need more small clamps I resort to my now antique Jorgenson screw-type clamps. Dewalt), Entry-grade 3/4 (these are cheaper and lack the feet found on the pro versions), If you are just starting out and wont make cabinets or furniture, go for it.. In this guide learn how a few minutes time will have your bench upgraded from messy to tidy with easy to use products like: PEGBOARD ORGANIZERS: will quickly organize tools and parts. Make/Model? Copyright (c) 2022 LEAN Woodworking LLC. Well over half of the emails sent to me are on the subject of tools. Learn why woodworkers prefer a vise like the aptly named for its versatility, compactness and all-wood jaws plus other types of woodworking vises. The spring clamps are also good for holding down a table cloth in the wind, assuming the table surface isnt too thick. I wish I could get the 48 for the $6 price Jay was quoting. I bought a brass wire wheel that goes in my drill to clean the bars on my k bodies makes it a lot easier and wont tear the bar up since the brass is softer. Simply put your workpiece into the Auto-Jig, engage the system, and the Drill Guide Block and Drill Bit Collar will automatically make adjustments based off the the material thickness giving you the correct depth and angle while creating the most accurate and efficient pocket holes. And then, Makita vs. Dewalt. Luke Troughton said: What I found interesting about the Rockler product was the clamping mechanism to hold the drawer slide. You can produce pocket holes in ONE-STEP. Armor reserved the sole right and discretion to determine if any jig received qualified for this promotion and will promptly return any non-qualified jig to the customer. So, feel free to compare brands and then decide if the Harbor Freight wood tools on this list are something youll want to consider: In my experience, most woodworkers will turn to a jigsaw only occasionally. One of the woodworking mags (might have been Wood) had a piece about coating them with cheaper heat-shrink tubing to provide better grip. Also have the HF pocket hole jig. what are you using it for ? Harbor Freight has some traditional adjusting - manual - vice grips with swivel pads. None of these have broke. For Technical Support, please call 800-447-8638 or send a message. This website uses cookies to improve your experience and track site visits. Armor wants you to MAKE THE TRADE to the only fully self adjusting pocket hole jig!

YOU WILL NOT NEED TO SEND YOUR TRADE IN, UNTIL WE NOTIFY YOU AND WILL MAKE THE EXCHANGE WITHIN 7 DAYS. Currently a 6 pack of Bessey 6 clamps are $15 on HomeDepot.com. They aren't auto adjusting but then again once you set the clamp its set. Just tighten with the onboard allen wrench and youre ready to drill. Aluminum bar clamps are a close second on my list. If I were to rebuild my shop tomorrow I would definitely stock up on 1/2 pipe clampsfirst as I find them to be the best value for the money. Sure enjoy your stuff. Jigs received on trade do not need to be functional, but must include all main component parts (complete jig). All you need to do is sign-upand as a BONUS receive a guide to 300+ lumber retailers (with price lists). Drills holes at a precise angle and depth for installation of pocket holes in wood assembly, Depth control for varying thickness of wood. And, if you can buy a lesser-known brand from a merchant like Harbor Freight (and not sacrifice features) its an even better day. For example (see picture) the material is 3/4, the guide block indicates 3/4 and matches a yellow screw for optimal joining. Insert your workpiece into the Auto-Jig and engage, the drill guide block will automatically self adjust to the correct height and angle based off the material thickness. Due to limited features like adjustable speed (adapters required) on the Harbor Freight wood routers youll encounter issues down the road. Just like the Guide Block, the Drill Bit Collar will automatically adjust to the correct depth simultaneously synchronized with the Guide Block. Well I have a comment on the F style clamps. I would expect to only have 80% the real(not listed) clamp force of the kreg and it'll have more twist to it. We offer two ways to get us your jig. As a discount versus the Kreg system, the Harbor Freight version offers a cheaper entry point in an all aluminum body. How do you know how much pressure to apply when glueing up ? While the mainstream stores stick with mainstream brands, youll find Harbor Freight has lesser known brands bought from the same manufacturers that build name brand tools. I have the Kreg and if you are using it with one of the kids, don't buy the HF version. The Kreg has a larger pad that clicks on to the jig. In this article learn what Harbor Freight wood working tools are great finds and what you should consider buying elsewhere. Reps are available Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm CST. You can ship your jig by purchasing our prepaid negotiated shipping rates (way cheaper) to get your trade to our shop. While most woodworking uses a drill press infrequently, a few mortise and tenon or cabinet door drilling heavy projects will rely on it. The only catch? When replacing the wood you need a ton of different clamps. And, since there many types of planers, its worth noting that a benchtop planer typically features: Straight or helical blades Support for boards up to 13-inches (33 cm) Single phase 15-amp motors Adjustable height up to 6-inches (15.2 cm) Single or two speed, Until youve connecteda random orbital sander to a dust extractor you dont know what youre missing. Well, to future-proof this drill consider: Unless you projects will include machining metal or precision layouts, there just isnt enough difference between brands to warrant the extra expense. Please keep it up the good summaries and honesty! The Bessey K Body clamps are heavy, bulky, and hard to clean when glue drips on them. From wood chisels to clamps and router bits Harbor Freight is a reliable source of woodworking and many other tools. Share !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); The kreg extra long square bit and square drive screws are very good for pocket holes. I don't normally use tools like that, so if a need for one arises again, may well just make a cam clamp.

Right on! I recently happened into the local Rockler store and saw the mounting jig was on sale. The Bessey K Body clamps are the strongest clamps I have and create the most stable platform to begin a glue-up but are also the least convenient in my opinion. Only used once or twice, then they followed my younger son, and ran away from home. A good tip is to buy a few black pipe couplings and different lengths of pipe so you can easily add to the length of the pipe by using a coupling and more pipe. Visit Armor-Tool.com and use your $70 credit toward purchasing the Auto-Jig or Auto-Jig Bundles. Heck you really dont need clamps at all if the wood is machined right. I have no objections to responding to them but I thought it would be beneficial to start a video library of sorts to briefly touch on what I think of a particular tool or set of tools. "It ain't what you're told, it's what you know."

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kreg clamps harbor freight