Customer Reviews

IRWIN SET150 6-Piece Clamp Set

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have had this clamp set for about 1 year. It is OK at best. There isn't alot of clamping strengeth or length to use with these clamps. I find myself using them more for light strenght hold downs (clamping something I"m going to hold into place while I glue and shoot nails into). The spreader clamp feature is OK, but remember these are plastic clamps with spring triggered clamping pressure, there is only so much strength and resistance these can be forced to apply. I use these enough to not give away, but can't see myself ever needing another set.

I have several of these, and they're wonderful: they clip onto a hook on your tool belt, they hold rock solid, and come off easily. The rubber pads do a lot to prevent marring the work, but use blocks on more delicate work to avoid damage.

My only complaint was that I dropped one onto a concrete floor and the plastic on the sides came off. The clamp still functions well, but occasionally the trigger falls of at inopportune moments.

Once you start using these Quick-Grip clamps you will think that all other clamps are obsolete. They supply all the power you can possibly need and are so much quicker on and off that repositioning them is a snap. They take a lot of the "stress" out of having to race to get your glue-up clamped. As soon as I finished using them the 1st time I ordered more.

I love Irwin products,especially the bar clamps/spreaders. However this is one case where a little "not-taking-care-of-your-tools-so-great" actually pays off.

Let me explain. The bars, when new, are smooth and slick. When you tighten down on something really tight, they tend to slip a bit after a moment or two, not much but enough to be a pain. Now if you leave them out for a fortnight (as I have done by accident) a little rust appears on the bars surface. This rust actually HELPS-it gives the clamp part something to "bite" onto.

That being said, these are great little clamps-you can never have too many!

I read lots of reviews, but rarely write them. I am a part time remodeler. I work alone lots of the time and could not do some of the jobs I do w/o one-handed quick clamps. They hold pieces plumb and level and tight together for fastening w/o a helper. This set is great for the price because you get 2- 12" bigger clamps with the ability to remove and heads and use them as a spreader (ie. push up and hold a length of fencing level, when working alone) 2- 6" thinner clamps (nice size to hold pieces of material for cutting etc)and the 2- small hand clamps which are handy for holding down plywood or a guide for cutting plywood. A useful assortment for a wide range of jobs. Get it when Amazon is having a sale and it is a "no brainer". You will be surprised at the uses you will find for these clamps. I have even used them for some glue-ups but pony clamps are generally better for that.

Home depot sells an 8 piece set of Irwin clamps for less than half of the price of this 6 piece set. Both sets in clude 12", 6" and 2" spring, but HD's set also includes a pair of 2" miniclamp. HD item number is Model # 4935502 Internet # 202214073 Store SKU # 457896.

You can get some real deals at Amazon.com, but this isn't one of them.

As of writing, I have only had my Quik-Grip clamps a single day, but I already absolutely love them! They are easily set up with only one hand, which is really convenient when clamping down a homemade fence for a router table, or anthing else that reguires the other hand to hold your workpiece down.
This package of clamps is a very good deal too. Ratcheting hand clamps are usually very expensive (the price of the two largest clamps from a home center is about the same as this entire package!). The description says you get 2 2" smaller clamps as well. I got 4! I don't know if this an error, but I'm not complaining!
Ratchet clamps, although expensive, are totally amazing. They are especially handy for sanding and routing, where vibration can undo screws. This package is a great deal and I haven't ruled out buying another set. These things are total time savers.
(And, if you ever get really bored, you can race them! We actually used to do that in my shop class!)

I've been using Irwin clamps since they came out. I generally prefer the new stocky ones over their lighter weight original ones...but sometimes the small ones just fit the job. The non-marring pads are great. They don't slip like some other brands, and more importantly they don't fall off easily like some do. Then again I ALWAYS close the clamps when not in use, so I've never lost a pad. They are far faster than my vast collection of pipe style clamps, but can't be used for really long span clamping projects like the pipe clamps can. And they have nearly replaced the use of my buckets of C-clamps, except for when you need to clamp something "deeper" than these jaws will reach. Also when you need to reverse the clamp heads and use these babies as spreaders they can really save the day. That's a feature that took me some time to start using, but now I use it more all the time. All in all...the most handy and fastest clamps in my arsenal.

I already had a pair of Irwin's mini slide clamps for small art projects. I recently moved up to larger projects doing more seious wood working. Since I live in an apartment, space is very limited. (I do my work outside on the deck. Too narrow and not strong enough for a real workbench.) So, adding the Irwin clamp set to my Black and Decker WM125 Workmate 125 Portable Work Bench made a huge difference. Their versatility in clamping and ease of use allows me to make much greater use of the Workmate workstation, including as a base for my Dremel 220-01 Rotary Tool Work Station.
I can clamp equipment in place, or, better yet, because of the ease of opening and closing Irwin's clamps, I can safely move a piece of material without taking my other hand off a tool or working piece.

Clamps work well though one-hand operation of the features required to engage and disengage the clamps is a bit difficult on some models and of course one generally only has one hand free. As clamps go though these are some of the best I have used.