Thanks Jay. I recently purchased one. While you can use a router in a table without a lift, a lift will make your projects easier, faster and arguably improve quality. A forum community dedicated to router and woodworking professionals and enthusiasts. Is it a supply house that I may be able to order from online or one that might be up by me in Idaho?
Heck you really dont need clamps at all if the wood is machined right. 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. Harbor Freight carries many brands and pride themselves in lower cost tools vs. brand name alternatives. I now also have the new versions of the Kreg slide mounting jig(s) and find that they work quite well. Tip I got from an old cabinet-maker. Instead of through 4,5, or 6 different steps like many other pocket hole system. Make/Model? Powered by, Badges | "It ain't what you're told, it's what you know." Hopefully this article was helpful in helping you discover and decide what Harbor Freight wood working tools are worth investing in. So, what should you look for? What does this mean? 
Over the past few years Ive realized, for the most part, that you get what you pay for with woodworking tools. Take that shipping label to the nearest location and ship. As a discount versus the Kreg system, the Harbor Freight wood pocket hole jig offers a cheaper entry point in an all aluminum body. Got a full dozen of the bessey 6 on sale years ago. They are also crazy expensive. The legs are 1.5 thick by 2 wide.
Theres no reason to drag a cord around the. Inexpensive 2 spring clamps are handy. Also have the HF pocket hole jig. I use my 1 inch spring clamps for potato chip bags.? Sure enjoy your stuff.
Simply because sometimes things just don't need to be complicated. Is the Kreg Drawer slide jig worth the money or is the Rockler slide jig better? Irwin quick clamps have never let me down. In this video, you state that you are able to pick up the aluminum bar clamps and the 1/2 pipe clamps locally. As a HF premier brand, Bauer tools represent a wide swath of Harbor Freight power tools.. The self adjusting ones would be handy to use. Hopefully this will be helpful to some people. 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. I bet that works like a charm. We agree on pipe clamps. Home Depot has the larger spring clamps for $.99. 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. BTW have you ever used band clamps and bowed cauls for clamping? Started by Mike Bohannon in Beginners' Zone. Also the straps tend to reduce, if not eliminate, twisting from the clamping, generally allowing me to clamp entirely from one side. 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");
Or even waist-aprons for compact tool storage? Use any shipping service of your choice. 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. I bought the Kreg. Armor wants you to MAKE THE TRADE to the only fully self adjusting pocket hole jig! Keep sharing! A vises number one job is hold onto your woodworking piece when you need it. I would expect to only have 80% the real(not listed) clamp force of the kreg and it'll have more twist to it. The Bessey K Body clamps are heavy, bulky, and hard to clean when glue drips on them. Worked well. Get that lifetime warranty. thE MANUAL ARE OK HAVN'T HAD PROBLEMS ITS THE SELF ADJUSTING. Which is why the best random orbital sanders are both great at removing wood but also have the features and power professionals turn to. 
I couldnt buy on-line. *Exchange includes Kreg K4 & k5, Harbor Freight Drill Master, & MasscaM1. I think clamps have a steady middle ground that just seems to work. 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. The aluminum bar clamps and pipe clamps clean up very fast from glue drips. Armor brand much smother and less expensive. The kreg extra long square bit and square drive screws are very good for pocket holes. bandsaw kreg 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? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Retired in 2004 and sold every tool I used. NOTE: Armor offers Free Standard Shipping on orders over $100. The middle ground seems to be the sweet spot for me. This website uses cookies to improve your experience and track site visits. Theyre awkward for some projects but for small clamping tasks they work fine. I also agree on 1/2 pipe clamps. clamps I still have most of them today and that was 2006 when I bought them
Its hard to touch on every single pro and con for every type of clamp I have and have used so Im just going to hit the high and low points of the things that stick out to me. Actually, they are. 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, for small, intricate cuts its a great way to start off woodworking. No need to re-invent the wheel here. Thanks Luke! The most efficient and versatile way to secure your workpiece. I have them and really like them. They are reliable and strong for closing bags of charcoal, fertilizer, dog food, and most anything else. It makes projects easier to start (and finish) and reduces time spent hunting for tools and supplies. I have made legs out of ash hardwood and will make the sides out of 1/2 or 3/4 Baltic birch plywood. Signup for a FREE hardwood directory that organizes 300+ hardwood retailers across the USA. 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. So . How do these clamps compare to the Kreg clamps? Have you looked at the new Kreg automatic face type clamp.? The kreg clamps new self adjusting clamps broke easy and kicked back like mule. 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. The HF pipe clamp hardware is cheap in price and I havent had any problem with them. What does this mean? If your just looking for a tool you only need here and there than its worth pulling the trigger on a deal. Auto-Adjust B5-HH Horizontal T-Track Clamp, 8" Needle Nose Compound Leverage Cutting Pliers. A whole lot cheaper buying the bits and pieces and assembling what length of clamps you want. He is someone who is able to cover them up so that no one can tell. As far as HF clamps, they're great as long as you're buying the metal ones. Keep up the videos. I also have four of the Irwins but I wont be buying any more soon because they are a little too expensive for my retirement budget. Why are you trying to put so much pressure on clamps that they break? And this unit is HIGHLY reviewed as exceeding its entry-level pricing. They sell for $5.99 all the time in California. Through an eliminate-the-middleman approach they advertise tools made by the same manufacturers that supply well known brands.
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. ryobi 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. I would (and already have) pick up some better quality F style clamps if I had to start over. Or, check out our pocket hole jig guide and start opening doors on a whole new world of projects. Ive used them for years (make them myself) with no issues and dont see any need for the much more expensive 3/4 clamps. We are currently looking at a 2 week wait time to receive your shipping label. Eric Everyone does. One of the best pieces of advice someone gave me about buying clamps is: always buy in pairs. They have several and their own Pocket hole jig too. Thanks! Only used once or twice, then they followed my younger son, and ran away from home. Vice Grip makes a similar one for welding with solid tips and not self adjusting but Ive had no issues with it in over 20 years Ive had it.
Come join the discussion about different types of routing and routers, shop safety, finishing, woodworking related topics, styles, tools, scales, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! However, before jumping in and buying your router, its best to pick a router lift and router together. What I read said that Kreg used to use it but was forced to stop, and switch to another (not as good) mechanism (thus the breakage!). (3) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. By visiting this website, you opt-in to the use of cookies. Luke Troughton said: What I found interesting about the Rockler product was the clamping mechanism to hold the drawer slide. First, I was blown away to find out thatthe Kreg automaxx bar clamps were the most expensive clamps I had. In this, Woodworking vises free up your hands to carve, screw, drill or do whatever task is needed while your work stays securely in place. 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. Of course I probably used where I should have used a bigger clamp. But the twist is only real noticeable during side loading such as clamping a non flat item to a flat one and stuff. What other items does HF have that are comparable to Kreg items? I prefer Bessey 6 F style clamps over the Harbor Freight F style clamps. I might have to try them out again at some point. So what makes, While some woodworkers get by without one, a benchtop planer is usually a must for any woodworker. I will be buying a number of clamps in the near future and this has greatly helped me in my decision making. And the store manager has some say in accepting a return (while I havent tested it out, think damaged goods). They aren't auto adjusting but then again once you set the clamp its set. The Color-Coat system also serves as an anti-corrosive coating. I don't normally use tools like that, so if a need for one arises again, may well just make a cam clamp. Disclaimer: DIY projects can be dangerous,hire a professional (link to Home Advisor) if unsure. Limit of one exchange per customer/email/address. YOU WILL NOT NEED TO SEND YOUR TRADE IN, UNTIL WE NOTIFY YOU AND WILL MAKE THE EXCHANGE WITHIN 7 DAYS. You can ship your jig by purchasing our prepaid negotiated shipping rates (way cheaper) to get your trade to our shop.