Bessey 90-Degree Clamp Review

When I think of the company Bessey Tools, I instantly think of a company that builds some of the best parallel and bar clamps available to woodworkers. This is a true statement, but it doesn’t cover the whole scope of what Bessey does. Bessey is a manufacturer known for making specialized clamps for all kinds of woodworking and metalworking applications. I’ve recently found out that Bessey makes an angle clamp for woodworkers that not only yields impressive results but can speed up build time for many different types of 90-degree joints. Let’s take a look at the Bessey 90-Degree Clamp Review and see how these clamps perform.

Bessey 90-Degree Clamp Review Overview

I have an infatuation with clamps as most woodworkers do. I’m sure you have heard of the phrase, “You can never have enough clamps”. That is a rule I like to live by.

When I first used pipe clamps, it felt like someone opened up a door into a world of woodworking opportunities. I couldn’t believe it was possible to join two pieces of wood together without some kind of mechanical fastener. I guess I was just skeptical of wood glues. Luckily, I worked with some seasoned woodworkers that were able to guide me in my early years.

My obsession with clamps progressed even further when I learned of the parallel clamp. Of course, the first clamp of this type that I used was made by Bessey, the K-Body clamp. This is how I was first introduced to Bessey Tools and I’ve been impressed ever since.

With an arsenal of parallel clamps and some jigs, I felt I could create just about anything. Sometimes achieving a quality glue-up can be a challenge that takes up a good amount of time, especially when making cabinets.

About a year or two ago, I took a chance and bought 4 angle clamps from Rockler. I was happy with the results I got with these clamps, but they weren’t perfect. I was able to keep my cabinet carcasses squared up, and at the time, I was blissfully ignorant.

This summer I was introduced to the Bessey Angle Clamp WS3+2K. This clamp is a significant step up from the Rockler angle clamp I was using and I have now seen the light.

Bessey 90-Degree Clamp Review Features

Operating the angle clamp is a breeze to operate with its plastic coated ergonomic handle that is attached to an almost 5-inch Lead style screw. This large screw allows for materials up to 2 inches thick to be used in this clamp.

The die-cast aluminum body has a plastic covering that prevents marring delicate workpieces.

Pivoting screw and clamp head automatically adjusts to accurately two different sizes of wood together.

A set of TK-6 table clamps are included in this kit in case you want to clamp your WS-3 angle clamp to a work surface.

Bessey 90-Degree Clamp Review Performance

The single handle style used in this clamp is very similar to the handles found on Bessey’s parallel clamps. They allow the user to achieve a high amount of clamping force with minimal effort. The Rockler clamps use 2 round style knobs that I found to be less effective than the style Bessey is using

The die-cast aluminum body makes the clamp feel extra sturdy without being overly heavy.

The pivoting screw and head, in my opinion, is what makes this clamp so extraordinary.  Since this clamp adjusts to different thicknesses automatically, the operator can concentrate on keeping the joint squared up properly.

Bessey 90-Degree Clamp Review Value

Usually, I consider the price for clamps to be unnecessarily high, particularly parallel clamps. With that being said, I now own over 15 of these style clamps. I can admit I have an illness and it’s called……, well I don’t think it has a name, but let’s just say I like clamps.

The Bessey 90-degree angle clamp is one of the few clamps that are priced fairly in my opinion. It’s a rugged, well-built clamp that produces extremely good results that are priced right around the $20.00 on Amazon. I have four of these clamps which allows me to do all 4 corners of a cabinet at one time. Not having to fight my pieces from falling over during assembly is worth this price alone. If you’ve ever been there, you will know what I’m talking about.

Now there are other brands of 90-degree angle clamps that use the same design as the Bessey WS-3 clamp, but they all tend to be a little higher in price. To me, even if they were the same price, I would go with the company that is known for producing some of the highest quality clamps out there.

Bessey 90-Degree Clamp Review Final Thoughts

I really enjoy the way these clamps perform. Building the cabinets for my recent garage remodel project was one of the most enjoyable tasks of the project. These clamps exceeded all of my original expectations.

Because of my experience with the Bessey parallel clamps, I shouldn’t have been surprised at how well the WS-3+2K angle clamp set work. These will be my go-to-clamp for my future 90-degree clamping projects.