Bessey Tools HS-12 12" Wood Hand Screw Clamp, Large Diameter Spindles

This is most useful for holding items in a vertical position. The clamp provides a stable base which can itself be clamped down to a workbench.It's less useful for glue ups, for which I would recommend an F-clamp or a squeeze-clamp

These are a nicely put-together piece of kit. The description of the jaw length and throat depth is 100% accurate, the jaws are 12 inches long—give or take a 64th. There's some clot below who seems to think that they should have a 12" throat depth (despite the throat depth being accurately reported in the description as 6"). As per all similarly designed handscrew clamps, you get a reach of approximately half the jaw length. The one's I received (I bought two) each have a measured throat depth of 6"—give or take 1/32 due to the combined play in the threads and nut housings.The hardwood jaws are nicely milled. They are unfinished, which is adequate for their purpose. The screws and swivel nuts are well machined and nicely finished. The swivel nuts are slightly recessed in their bore holes so there’s no possibility of them protruding outside the surface of the jaw. The handles have a finish on them but are still easy to get friction. I find the handles a little on the small side (in diameter) and I have average to slightly small hands. They’re adequate though.Here are a few more measurements in case they're useful to anyone…Jaw width: 1-7/8”Individual jaw depth: 2-1/8”Max opening between the inner surface of the jaws with the jaws parallel: 8-5/16. Note that this differs from the description, which currently says 9-1/4”. That’s a significant enough error that I believe it is likely a typo rather than just variance.Handle length: 3-3/4”Handle diameter: 1-1/8 to 1-9/32 (extreme spread between four handles. Average = ~1-3/16)Threads: 7/16 x 14 (not “17/16” as currently noted in “From the manufacturer”—really folks, get a proof reader!).If I ever need more than two I would not hesitate to purchase the same models again. In case this is of any interest… Pinnacle also make a very similar product for around the same price (so similar, in fact, that I wonder if they’re from the same factory?).

Great clamp, I have these in the 8 inch version also but the 12" seems to be better finished and quality. very handy if you do not have vice. it has a flat top so it can me securely clamped to a surface. If you have two you can use them to edge plane items. The screw is double threaded so it's easier to use then the traditional wood thread English pattern types. Impressed. You can even use it on a drill table and it's far less cumbersome then a metal drill clamp.

Great clamp. You definitely get quality with the amount you pay. Smoother when clamping to parallel. Glad I purchased for my project.

This is a well made clamp. It uses excellent materials and the workmanship is very good. There are other good handscrews around, those at Harbor Freight are pretty good, but I couldn’t find them in this size at my local store, plus the quality of these Bessey clamps is superior to the HF handscrew clamps. I own several of the HF clamps,and they are more than adequate, but I think the Bessey handscrews are better in a head to head analysis.