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good use for broken harbor freight bar clamps

Blog entry by AaronK posted 26 days ago 609 reads 0 times favorited 16 comments Add to Favorites Watch

I have two of these that worked fine until the fixed end snapped off. being a cheapskate i kept them around figuring they might be good for something. cleaning up yesterday i looked at them and an idea struck me: why not use them as holdfasts? here it is:

what remains should be plenty strong since it’s better reinforced and doesnt have as much torque applied to it. the dud end stays in place and is held beneath the bench through 3/4” dog holes. the only other modification (other than breaking the original product) is to remove the rivet at the other end (vise grips to the rescue!). to use it you just remove the moving clamp, pass it up through the dog holes, and reaffix the clamp. to make it easier you could probably rig a swinging pin on the bottom (fixed end) so you could make it pass through the top.


16 comments so far

View Dan Hux's profile

Dan Hux

153 posts in 265 days


posted 26 days ago

I have those,,I can’t get that lucky,,, the ratchet end breaks on me..

-- Dan Hux,,,,Raleigh, North Carolina

View RexMcKinnon's profile

RexMcKinnon

643 posts in 87 days


posted 26 days ago

I have 2 with a broken retchet ends also. LOL

-- If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail!

View a1Jim's profile

a1Jim

16543 posts in 468 days


posted 25 days ago

HF rides again. although I have purchased some good tools from them.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

View teenagewoodworker's profile

teenagewoodworker

2479 posts in 659 days


posted 25 days ago

very nice… my ratchet ends are the ones that break too but ive used that technique on my bench plenty of times…. works great

View Kent Shepherd's profile

Kent Shepherd

805 posts in 178 days


posted 25 days ago

I have found that Harbor Freight makes great boat anchors.

-- Kent Shepherd * The goal is-----More Tools!

View Napaman's profile

Napaman

3482 posts in 968 days


posted 25 days ago

good idea…I just bought a bunch last month when they were on sale at 1.99….now I will know what to do if they break…

-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...

View Cantputjamontoast's profile

Cantputjamontoast

172 posts in 324 days


posted 25 days ago

IRWIN will replace theirs for FREE if they break. I know first hand

-- "Not skilled enough to wipe jam on toast!"

View AaronK's profile

AaronK

409 posts in 356 days


posted 25 days ago

so strange for the other part to break. oh well, it’s HF after all. they’re like radio shack is with electronics – even if you dont think anything like that could possibly break, they will prove you wrong!

anyway, for 1.99 they are hard to pass up – as matt can attest – and when they fail at least some of them can have a second life.

View eastside's profile

eastside

48 posts in 153 days


posted 25 days ago

I belive that harbor freight will replace them also. No sale slip needed, just walk into the store with the broken one and leave with new one’s.

-- Mike, Westport MA.

View ROY53's profile

ROY53

38 posts in 69 days


posted 25 days ago

I made new ends for mine out of scrap oak.

-- Roy L, Arizona

View Pete_Jud's profile

Pete_Jud

115 posts in 644 days


posted 25 days ago

every one that had the red handles has broke, I took them back and the manager said that I was out of luck. Left them at the counter.

-- Life is to short to own an ugly boat.

View scrappy's profile

scrappy

1576 posts in 322 days


posted 25 days ago

Thanks for the idea. I have 1 broken and 1 godd (so far) Could use a hold down so this is great for me.

Thanks for the inovative idea.

Scrappy

-- Scrap Wood's the best...the projects are smaller, and so is the mess!

View Mike Gager's profile

Mike Gager

214 posts in 158 days


posted 25 days ago

i have several of those broken clamps. but at like $1 per clamp what can you expect?

i will say they work good as long as you dont put too much pressure on them. for light clamping deeds they work great

View Greg Wurst's profile

Greg Wurst

716 posts in 724 days


posted 25 days ago

Like most, the ratchets break on mine. They are dirt cheap on sale so if I break a few no big deal.

-- You're a unique and special person, just like everyone else.

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

3031 posts in 913 days


posted 25 days ago

I hate em,No grip, they slip, and at worst, they break.

They could do a lot better with very little effort and a few pennies more for materials.

But, it you are buying them why bother?

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View nmkidd's profile

nmkidd

381 posts in 64 days


posted 24 days ago

Very ingenious idea…...when (notice I said when and not if) mine break…..I’ll already have a plan.

Thanks for the tip.

-- Doug, New Mexico.......the only stupid question is one that is never asked!........don't fix it, if it ain't broke!

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