Bessey DUO45-8 18-Inch DuoKlamp One Hand Clamp/Spreader

List Price: $30.16 Discount Price: $16.03

Features:

• Just turn the knob to change from clamping to spreading while using only one hand
• Large flat clamping jaws with soft pads allows clamping sensitive surfaces, right angles and both rounded and pointed work pieces
• 18" capacity with 800 lbs of clamping and spreading force
• Innovative pump lever allows effort free clamping or spreading
• Quick release of jaws with the push of a button

Accessories:
Exploring Woodworking: Fundamentals of Technology	Fine Woodworking

Customer Reviews:

Difficult to release the clamp. [Posted on 2005-06-28]
I am a big fan of Bessey clamps. However, I am disappointed in this clamp because the release button is very difficult to engage. For about the same money, I am much more satisfied with Sears Craftsman Bar Clamps/Spreaders. The Craftsman Clamp clamps harder and releases more easily.

One Hand says it all [Posted on 2006-05-30]
These clamps are the easiest I have ever used. The Duoklamp becomes a Clamp or a spreader with the flip of a switch. I'm buying more today

Very Good product [Posted on 2006-10-29]
I have had a set of four (4) for several months and I reach for them before anything when clamping anything under 18". These clamps are the easiest I have ever used. The Duoklamp becomes a Clamp or a spreader with the flip of a switch. I'm buying more today.

The first clamp I usually reach for [Posted on 2007-02-24]
Frankly, I wouldn't buy a clamp based on how easily it changes from clamping to spreading. It's not something I need to do very often. First and foremost, I want a clamp that works well in it's primary role of clamping. As a clamp, the DuoKlamp is superb. It's not bad for spreading, either.

I like the grip, which is in-line with the bar, as opposed to the pistol grip used on most squeeze-operated clamps. Whether the bar is vertical or horizontal, it's usually possible to find a grip that doesn't put an unnatural twist on your wrist, enabling you to squeeze tighter with less strain. The heads have lots of squeezing power. I can't measure the force, but it's certainly adequate for my needs.

There are situations when the head design causes problems. The heads are a bit wide and thick, so they won't fit in some restricted spaces. Don't expect to fit a DuoKlamp everywhere you might be able to use a bar clamp. Also, the grip depth of 3 3/8" isn't as deep as it is on some clamps. DuoKlamps won't replace your bar clamps, and you may need other designs in some situations. Nevertheless, the heads work for most jobs I do.

Another review criticizes the button that releases the clamp head when it is tightened down. The button is indeed small and a bit stiff, making it harder to release the head than on some other one-hand clamps. Before you make a big investment in DuoKlamps, see if you are comfortable with the finger strength that is required. I'm not terribly bothered by it, but my wife has trouble with them. A bigger release trigger would be a welcome improvement. I think Bessey kept the trigger small so it wouldn't stick out any further than necessary from the body of the clamp.

To convert the DuoKlamp to a spreader, you twist a knob, after which squeezing the handle spreads the heads rather than closing them. But that doesn't make conversion instantaneous. If you want to use the no-mar pads, you have to peel them off one side of the head and press them on to the other. The spreader side of the head isn't quite as well-suited to accepting the pads. Minor differences in the two sides of the head mean that there may be situations when the heads can grip but can't spread.

On a minor note, the no-mar pads don't readily slip off the heads. This has been a problem with other clamps I've used. To get them off the DuoKlamp, you really have to make a concerted effort to peel them off the clamp heads, avoiding the irritation of pads that spontaneously slip off, something that always seems to happen when it's least convenient..

Here's the bottom line: When I want a clamp, the first one I reach for is usually a DuoKlamp. Of all the one-hand clamps I've tried, the DuoKlamp is the one I most want to spend my money on.

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