Customer Reviews

Bessey WS-3 Angle Clamp

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Great clamp for larger glue-up projects like frames and cabinets. It will hold two identical pieces about 4 inches wide. Strong feature of this tool is that it can also handle two pieces of different widths but you then trade off the size of one side to accomodate the other. My only complaint is that you can't work with pieces much smaller than a foot in length if you want to clamp several corners at once. The clamps interfere with each other. Also, it comes with a plastic piece attached to the screw/guide bar that allows you to hang the clamp on a peg board hook. Careful with it, though, because it's easily broken. Otherwise, a good solid clamp, best if you use four at one time on larger pieces.

The Bessey angle clamp requires that you align all edges and provide pressure -- all simultaneously -- while you tighten the one clamping handle. It is less convenient than corner clamps with two separate clamping handles to tighten separately. Their large surface area provides solid alignment, even if it also makes these clamps more appropriate for larger tasks (e.g., over one foot per side).

I have tried several things for a solution to the "one person assembly problem" on casework. I bought a couple of these Bessey clamps to try to assist in keeping casework square while I dry-fitted parts during assembly. They work fine, and it's a real plus that they can deal with materials of different thicknesses being joined together. These are typical Bessey quality -- nice, precise. I compared them on the shelf to a similar product made by Columbian, but the Columbian was much heavier and had a cheap cast metal look about it. It didn't seem as precise as the Bessey.

My one complaint is that, as one other reviewer pointed out, they don't apply pressure to force the pieces to "meet." Imagine having another person holding your pieces but simply holding them perfectly square, not pressing them together. Of course, this "press" is easily accomplished with another clamp or two.

By the way, Jet makes some corner clamps of a completely different design, and this Bessey product blows that stuff away. The Bessey is easier to handle, doesn't mark the surface, and just generally better.

You won't go wrong with this well-made Bessey product!

This clamp is nice to use. I found it to be a little akward getting the boards aligned, but once in place the 90 degree angle is fixed and that was very helpful. I've used standard bar clamps, wooden clamps and strap clamps to mend various frames and i found this to be the best so far at clamping a true 90 degree angle.

This clamp is great for corner clamping! It is strong and is obviously built to survive a lot of punishment. Great for clamping heavy-duty stock together. The only limitations that I found with it are:
* Limited capacity when dealing with T-joints.
* It is quite heavy (is that really a limitation?)

I've got one of these, and a Kreg right-angle clamp of a different design. I thought I'd try one of each to see which one would be more useful. While both are good clamps and have a place in the shop, I'll be buying more of the Bessey clamps.

I recently assembled a bookshelf built from sheet goods, and this clamp worked very well for holding the shelf to the side of the case while I drove pocket-hole screws in place. One big advantage this clamp has is that it can clamp both a right-angle AND a T-joint such as a shelf on the interior (as opposed to the ends) of the cabinet.

No, it does not apply clamping pressure to the joint but for simple case construction using pocket-hole screws, it will hold the parts in alignment while the screws are driven, and that is a huge help.

I have used other corner type clamps and the Bessey works similar, but the quality of the materials and heft of these clamps made holding perfect miter joints a breeze. The heavy slick finish on the casting helps keep the clamps free of glue buildup. I would buy these again.

After reading a few less than favorable review on this clamp I feel compelled toi write own review if only to bost it's rating.

This clamp is a quality piece of engineering that will stand the test of time. I've had mine since 1990 and I believe it was between $35 to $40 back then. Mine was made in West Germany ....not sure where the new ones are made but I've handled a few at Lowes and they seem to be the same quality as the one I have. I know all the other clamps from Bessey are made in China. But the quality out of China can be of extremely high quality. If the quality control of a company is set to a high standard than high quality products will be sent to market. This clamp would never go out of wack like the step angle clamps. If that type of clamp gets bent in any way it loses it's accuracy. THis would never happen to this clamp. A truck could run over it with no damage. I'm not willing to test that theory out.....but I'd put money on it.

OK now that have that out of the way...... In a situation where you need one hand free to align your 2 pieces this clamp is excellent. I used to build alot of speaker boxes and this clamp was very useful. This clamp is excellent if you need to join 2 piece perpendicular to each other....even 2 different thicknesses....align your pieces with one hand...tighten with the other. And it's a strong a very secure connection. One everythings tightened down if you need to re-align you can just back the tension off a bit and re-adjust. I do prefer this clamp over the 2 step set angle variety. You need both....but I prefer this one due to it's one handed operation. Quick even clamping every time....with one hand.

I've been using mine for 21 years now and I can recommend this clamp %100 to any wood worker. tools especially clamps are very specific and design for a narrow range of operation....they aren't Swiss army knives. I would never buy a clamp that I didn't feel suits my needs. So if a clamp serves it's function, is built well, and is durable it deserves the highest recommendations. This clamp from Bessey gets 5 stars all day long. And it's cheaper than it was 20 years ago. I think I'll buy another.....

I used this clamp on 1 inch pine while building a train table for my son. I thought it 'generally' did a good job with right angles, but it wasn't as precise as I had hoped and after using it twice, I switched back to bar clamps for right angles and got better results. It was also tricky to line up two pieces of wood vertically. I'm not sorry that I bought it, but I think it will take some experience to learn how to use it to get perfect right angles. Maybe it's best to use these in pairs depending on the joint. I think I'll get more use out of it on other projects.

After looking at other Bessey clamps at the Big Box store and seeing that they were made in Germany, I was very disappointed when these arrived with a Made in China copy on the packaging. Nice clamps and a good price on Amazon however.