It isn’t easy to hold two pieces of wood together when you’re doing repairs, woodwork, or crafts. If your hands are both busy, it can be impossible. That’s why you need a heavy-duty F-clamp.
Sometimes called bar clamps or carpenter clamps, an F clamp is an ideal solution. It holds materials still so you can use your hands for other purposes.
So, how do you choose the best F clamp set for your needs? Read on and discover what you need to know.
Bessey KLI30 80mm x 300mm Quick Action Lever F-Clamp
The Bessey KLI30 f clamp is a great overall choice if you want a combination of value and performance. Designed to be incredibly robust, the Bessey may have a lightweight construction, but it’s surprisingly tough.
How Do You Find The Best F Clamps For Sale?
| Image | Name | Features | |
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Bessey KLI30 80mm x 300mm Quick Action Lever F-Clamp |
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Metaltech MT30-12H 120mm x 300mm Heavy Duty Welding F-Clamp |
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Metaltech MT40-14HK 140mm x 400mm Heavy Duty Industrial Welding F-Clamp |
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Do you need to find high-quality carpentry clamps? You’re going to need to know which features to look for when choosing a product, so read on and discover exactly what you require.
Which Kind Of Project?
You need to know which type of project you’re working on to choose the right clamps.
Are you going to be working on a heavy-weight or light-weight project? Will you need more than one type of clamp?
You need to check you’re choosing an F clamp that is designed for your typical projects.
Clutch Consistency
A consistent clutch is important if you’re choosing an F clamp. You need to be sure it can maintain its hold for an extended period of time.
Materials And Construction
Of course, it goes without saying that you need to be sure your clamp is safe for use. Check out its design and its construction materials to ensure they’re strong and durable.
Ease Of Use
Is your chosen F clamp going to be easy to use? The grip of the handle, how easy it is to adjust, and how easy the levers are to release are key considerations.
Value For Money
The most expensive tool isn’t always the best quality. However, the cheapest isn’t always the best value for money. Read our reviews to make sure you’re making the right choice.
1. Bessey KLI30 80mm x 300mm Quick Action Lever F-Clamp – Best Overall
Specifications
Span: 300mm
- Depth: 80mm
- Max Clamping Force: 1200n
The Bessey KLI30 f clamp is a great overall choice if you want a combination of value and performance.
Designed to be incredibly robust, the Bessey may have a lightweight construction, but it’s surprisingly tough.
Designed for even heavy-duty applications, this tool features jaws made from magnesium alloy. This stable metal has been coated with a protective surface coat to keep it in good shape for years to come.
The polyamide plastics are glass fibre reinforced and are resistant to both glue and solvents. They are also breakproof, so you won’t need to worry about accidental damage during use.
Even better, this tool is very comfortable and simple to use, even single-handed. Its lever ratchet mechanism is designed to quickly enable instant pressure.
The sliding jaw of this tool locks firmly into position, and as it is entirely vibration resistant, the clamp is perfect for use with power tools. You can use a jigsaw, router, circular saw, reciprocating saw or an impact driver with this clamp without any problems.
The impressive clamping force up to 1200N won’t disappoint. Also, the crossed fixed and v grooved jaw head can enable rounds, angular and pointed components to be held firmly in place. All of this adds up to an excellent tool that can suit all purposes at a surprisingly low price.
If you need a great all-round F clamp, the Bessey is the best choice for you.
2. Metaltech MT30-12H 120mm x 300mm Heavy Duty Welding F-Clamp – Best on a Budget
Specifications
Span: 300mm
- Depth: 120mm
- Max Clamping Force: 12000n
If you’re on a tight budget but want a strong and durable F clamp, the Metaltech MT30-12H 120mm x 300mm Heavy Duty Welding F-Clamp is a great choice.
With its large rail and acme spindle, this clamp is perfect for any heavy-duty application. It is made from extremely robust materials.
Constructed from hot forged and tempered steel, it is extremely rigid. Meanwhile, its controlled tempering and hardening across the entire body of the clamp ensures optimal strength and high clamping force.
This clamp won’t easily corrode or become damaged either. It features chrome and nickel plating to protect it against corrosive materials.
Weighing just 2.83kg, this is a portable and convenient tool ideal for all kinds of purposes. At its affordable price tag, it’s perfect for domestic use and for hobbyists.
If you’re looking for a great value F clamp, this could be just what you’re looking for.
3. Metaltech MT40-14HK 140mm x 400mm Heavy Duty Industrial Welding F-Clamp – Best For Professionals
Specifications
Span: 400mm
- Depth: 140mm
- Max Clamping Force: 12000n
If you’re a professional needing an F clamp for welding applications, the Metaltech MT40-14HHK is perfect. Designed to withstand even the toughest duty jobs, this tool is strong, durable, and robust.
Featuring a large rail and acme spindle, it has a hot forged and tempered steel construction. This means that the tool has even more rigidity, while the controlled tempering and hardening throughout the entire clamp body ensures optimal clamping force.
This F clamp even has impressive corrosion resistance. Its chrome and nickel plating ensures that contaminants cannot damage the metal.
If you’re looking for a strong, heavy-duty F clamp that can withstand welding applications, this is the one for you.
The Verdict – Which F Clamp Do We Recommend?
We think that all three F clamps would be a great addition to your toolkit. However, if we were to only recommend one it would be the Bessey F clamp.
Not only is it a strong and lightweight tool, it’s also easy to use. Its quick-release lever design means you can use it single-handed. It’s easy to carry between locations, and yet durable enough for various different applications.
It truly is a great overall choice.
Featured Image Source: wuestenigel.com
F Clamp FAQs
Both C clamps and F clamps (1) are used for similar purposes. However, they aren’t the same thing. As you might imagine, they get their names from their unique shapes – a C clamp has a C shape and an F clamp is similar in shape to an F.
C clamps and F clamps are both used for metalwork or woodwork. However, F clamps have a bigger throat opening. This makes them more suited to more heavy-duty projects.
F clamps have slider bars. These are used for adjusting the clamp’s opening capacity. Therefore, they are able to accommodate a far greater spectrum of projects.
F clamps are used for metalwork or woodwork projects. They are used for holding pieces of wood or other materials together.
F clamps are used for temporarily holding two pieces in place until a more permanent attachment can be applied such as screws or glue. Since the jaws are adjustable via the bar, the clamp can accommodate larger projects.
Getting the amount of force right when using an F clamp can be tricky. You need to get the correct balance.
Using excessive force is a bad idea as it could damage the piece that you’re working on. Should you tighten your clamp too much, marks might be left behind. Therefore, using some protective pads is best to prevent this from happening.
It’s important to tighten the clamp sufficiently to hold the materials firmly in place, though. You don’t want your wood or metal to move about when you’re working on it. This could cause poor results when completing your project. It could also potentially be dangerous, for example, if you’re working on a welding project.
F clamps can usually apply forces of up to 1200 Newtons (2). This is quite a considerable amount of force, so you need to be sure to use it correctly. Avoid over-tightening the clamp but make sure it’s tight enough to meet your project’s needs.
References
- Hobby Farms, C Clamps and F Clamps: How They Differ And Why You Need Them – Retrieved from https://www.hobbyfarms.com/clamps-f-c-tools-farm/
- Newton, Unit Of Measurement – retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/science/newton-unit-of-measurement
