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Parallel clamps

BESSEY KRE-SET-A parallel clamp set, 12 pieces

Parallel jaws are the difference between a clamped panel and a squeezed one. Bessey is why the category exists.

Bessey KRE parallel clamp set, product photograph

BESSEY KRE-SET-A parallel clamp set, 12 pieces

Parallel jaws are the difference between a clamped panel and a squeezed one. Bessey is why the category exists.

Quantity
12
Type
Parallel jaw clamps
Part number
KRE-SET-A
Amazon reference
B0BXS6L9YB (identical on 5 markets)
EAN
4008158041940
  • Jaws stay square to the bar under load, so the assembly stays square
  • Twelve clamps is a genuine glue-up quantity rather than a starter pack
  • The most expensive accessory on the site

Best for: Panel glue-ups and carcase assembly where square matters

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Specifications

Quantity
12
Type
Parallel jaw clamps
Part number
KRE-SET-A
Amazon reference
B0BXS6L9YB (identical on 5 markets)
EAN
4008158041940

Every figure below is a manufacturer specification read off the listing itself. The judgments are ours.

What the specification says

Twelve Bessey KRE parallel clamps, part number KRE-SET-A.

Clamps do not flatten a panel

Cauls do. See the clamps hub: clamps pull the joint closed along its length, and a pair of slightly curved cauls across the width is what keeps the surface flat. More pressure through badly aligned clamps simply cups the panel harder once the glue cures.

Parallel clamps make that easier because they do not introduce their own twisting force, which is most of what you are fighting with cheaper clamps.

What comes up most often

What makes a parallel clamp different?

The jaws stay at ninety degrees to the bar as pressure increases. A conventional F-clamp's sliding jaw tilts under load, which pushes the workpiece out of plane and racks a carcase — the thing you then spend an hour trying to correct while the glue goes off.

Do I really need twelve?

For a tabletop, yes: clamps alternate above and below the panel to balance the bending force, and they go every 200 to 300 mm (7.87 to 11.8 in). Six clamps make a small panel; twelve make a table.

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    Quantity
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    Clamping force
    Up to 75 kg (165.3 lb) on the large pair, up to 20 kg (44.1 lb) on the small
    Clamping range
    85–345 mm (3.35 to 13.6 in)
    Gripping range
    Under 150 mm (5.91 in)
    Material
    Carbon steel
    Jaws
    Non-slip protective caps
    Function
    Quick release, convertible to spreading
    Part number
    Not published
    Amazon reference
    B0DD1YKYHM (identical on 6 markets)
    EAN
    4262374080125
    • Operated with one hand, which is the whole point when the other is holding the work
    • Two sizes in the set, and the small pair is the one that gets used most
    • The reference exists on all six markets and only the German listing carried a price

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    The clamp whose length you choose at the plumbing counter. Forty-one euros against several hundred for fixed-length sash clamps.

    Quantity
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    Pipe
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    Amazon reference
    B0GYJB4DZ5 (identical on 5 markets)
    EAN
    0762581537152
    • Length is whatever pipe you buy, and it can be changed later
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  • Stier cast iron body clamp with parallel jaws, product photograph

    STIER 904870 body clamp, 800 mm

    Sold singly, which is honest: the throat depth and not the capacity is what decides whether it can reach your joint.

    Capacity
    800 mm (31.5 in)
    Clamping force
    6,000 N
    Throat
    95 mm (3.74 in)
    Arms
    Ductile cast iron with a steel frame
    Jaws
    Large parallel jaws with replaceable caps
    Function
    Sliding jaw reverses for spreading, without tools
    Part number
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    Amazon reference
    B08KSS1VSG (identical on 5 markets)
    EAN
    4251709619673
    • 6,000 N through large parallel jaws, which keeps a carcase square as it closes
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    Best for: Gluing up cabinet carcases where the joint is within 95 mm of the edge

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Elsewhere in the workroom

  • Bosch Expert for Wood 254 mm circular saw blade, product photograph

    Bosch Expert for Wood 254 × 30, 80T

    Eighty teeth on a 254 mm (10 in) blade: the finish blade for sheet goods and veneered panel, and the wrong blade for ripping anything.

    Diameter
    254 mm (10 in)
    Bore
    30 mm (1.18 in)
    Kerf
    2.6 mm (0.10 in)
    Teeth
    80
    Part number
    2608644343
    Amazon reference
    B01MUC0UZ2 (identical on 6 markets)
    EAN
    3165140880930
    • 80 teeth leaves an edge that needs no cleaning up on melamine and veneer
    • One reference and one EAN across all six markets
    • 2.6 mm (0.10 in) kerf removes noticeably more material than a thin-kerf blade

    Best for: Crosscutting hardwood and cutting veneered or melamine-faced panel

    ≈ $95
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    The one bit that turns a router into a copying machine. Make the template once, cut the part as often as you like.

    Cutting diameter
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    Working length
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    Overall length
    60 mm (2.36 in)
    Guide
    Bearing
    Part number
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    Amazon reference
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    EAN
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    Bosch Expert for Multi Material 305 × 30, 96T

    Ninety-six teeth on a 305 mm (12 in) blade, aimed at aluminum and plastic profiles — and larger than any machine reviewed here can take.

    Diameter
    305 mm (12 in)
    Bore
    30 mm (1.18 in)
    Kerf
    2.4 mm (0.09 in)
    Teeth
    96
    Materials
    Non-ferrous metals, aluminum, plastics and wood
    Flange
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    Part number
    2608642529
    Amazon reference
    B008HRGQXI (identical on 5 markets)
    EAN
    3165140650113
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    • One reference and one EAN across five European markets
    • No machine reviewed here takes a 305 mm (12 in) blade

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