Review: Rockler’s Deluxe Panel Clamps

Panel clamps are designed to pull pieces flat and flush while applying pressure to edge-glued joints. I’ve tried a few in the past—from individual clamps to wall-mounted systems—and found that they were either too weak or unwieldy or that they consumed too much cash and wall space. So I was excited to try out Rockler’s new Deluxe Panel Clamps, heavy-duty models that can be set up quickly and stored easily.

Made of thick steel plate, with U-channel construction, movable jaws, and sliding feet, they promised to sit solidly on my benchtop, adjust quickly, apply plenty of pressure, and stay flat and rigid in any situation. And that’s exactly what they did. In fact, I now consider them to be the foundation of my clamp collection.

I put the new Rockler panel clamps through a variety of tough tests, on glue-ups both narrow and wide, with boards both bowed and straight. They worked beautifully in each case, pulling straight boards perfectly flush and bowed boards very close to it.

These clamps can handle glue-ups between 10 in. and 36 in. wide, and boards up to 3 in. thick. Sliding feet attach to the lower bars with magnets, letting you position them quickly for stability on any surface. The spring-loaded jaws adjust easily, dropping into notches along the bars. And the powerful clamp handles clear the benchtop.

You set the bottom bars on your bench, adjust the feet for stability, and apply glue to and assemble the workpieces on top. Then you slide the top bars into place and tighten the handles. That pulls the joints flush and tight, at least near the clamp bars, and draws the panel dead-flat.

Rockler Deluxe Panel Clamp

These clamps can handle glue-ups between 10 in. and 36 in. wide, and boards up to 3 in. thick. Sliding feet attach to the lower bars with magnets, letting you position them quickly for stability on any surface. The spring-loaded jaws adjust easily, dropping into notches along the bars. And the powerful clamp handles clear the benchtop.

Price: $119.99 at the time of writing

On small glue-ups and frame-and-panel assemblies, a pair of panel clamps will do the trick. On everything else, you can add as many of your normal bar clamps as you like to apply pressure along the full length of the joints. I usually also pinch the ends with F-style clamps to ensure they end up flush, too.

With the panel clamps as a flat foundation, glue-ups come together very quickly. There’s no chance of the panel curving under clamp pressure, so all additional clamps can go on the top side. And if bowed boards are still misaligned a little, there is plenty of room to add curved cauls to bring them flush.

If you are tired of wrestling to keep bar clamps stable and piles of boards flat and flush as the clock ticks and the glue stiffens, you’ll love Rockler’s Deluxe Panel Clamps. I’ll be using mine on almost every flat glue-up I do, from doors and door panels to cutting boards, cabinet sides, and tabletops. They aren’t cheap, but they will pay for themselves many times over in time saved and frustration avoided.

—Asa Christiana is a frequent contributor to Fine Woodworking.

Photos: Asa Christiana

From Fine Woodworking #302