Clamps

[jfc]

Just been down to D and M tools to have a look at some of the clamps and i'm undecided . What do the forum think of the Bessey Uniklamp , seemed a bit flimsey to me but bought two for doing small MDF doors .
Faithful seem to have a robust quick release clamp , looked quite good but not to sure on the spring lasting too long .
I'm trying to stay away from the traditional pinned clamp as they are a pain to use i think .

[paulchapman]

jfc said:

I'm trying to stay away from the traditional pinned clamp as they are a pain to use i think .

If you mean the traditional Record type, why not just replace the pin with a bolt and nut - it doesn't fall out

Cheers

Paul

PS There's usually plenty of discussion over on the other side about cheapo, bargain cramps where various bits fail or fall off at crucial moments - might be worth a look if you can get your head around the search feature

[davyowen]

Perhaps it's just me, but I can't begin to contemplate spending the sort of money needed for Bessey clamps when cheapo sash clamps do the job for a fraction of the price.

I have a fair collection of those and I honestly can't find a fault with them. I did lose a spring on one after I pulled it off the shelf and forgot to catch it but the clamp still works without it and I'm sure if I looked under my drill press I'd find it

Unless the wood hasn't been machined properly, I can't see why you'd need anything more.

[Roger]

I'll second that on the 'cheapo sash clamps. I have a couple of really long pipe clamps - but purely for the length when necessary. Otherwise, I've never seen the need to have to clamp wood with a pressure that makes it squeal

[engineerone]

i have both the normal bessey, and a couple of uni clamps.

am very happy with the normal ones, not least because it is for me, much easier to do them up by hand, you do not need the right angle pressure in my estimation.

as for the uni clamps, frankly i find them difficult to work properly.
don't like the whole business of the clamping action.

for smaller stuff, i use clamps bought from lidl and aldi. and also some jcb ones bought in bulk from makro. each has its value, but the lidl clamps are great value for money, and easy to use.

for the me the biggest problem with most sash clamps i used in the past was they are less easy to manipulate than the bessey, and also more difficult to ensure that the pulling up is square and straight.

thing about bessey is you do not use that much hand pressure, and yet in my usage they have done the job easily andquickly


paul

[jfc]

If you mean the traditional Record type, why not just replace the pin with a bolt and nut - it doesn't fall out

It's not the pin that is the problem its the fact that the clamps fall over unless you have the two heads on the bench . If i'm glueing up 12 doors i dont want to be faffing about with little blocks and pins i just want to clamp them up . I suppose you still get that with Besseys and i have used the cheapy ones for the last few years but i am on my last ones now as they have broken or the quick release notches are worn out and slipping . I dont really want to spend another £100plus on clamps that will break on me .
The last job i did was some oak doors and the cheapy clamps bent the stiles out because the box section bent a little . It was a pain to put right so i'm steering clear of those ones now .

[wizer]

I have a couple of the new Irwin XS Quick Grips. They are solidly built and have fantastic clamping pressure. Other than that then i'd agree with sash cramps.

[dom]

I told you, use the Tilgear Aluminium ones, they're light and very strong, the section is much thicker than other brands
I've got some of the one's Davy is talking about and they've fallen apart.
Tilgear's are dearer but they're really good and work in a commercial situation.
Uniklamps are crap unless you're doing light restoration work and you ain't.

[pj]

Record clamp head sets. Will sit on the bench as the heads don't come to the bottom of the rail and they clamp reasonably square. I use 2x1 steel box which is hard to deflect under clamping and with the top side covered in packing tape gives a good reference surface to clamp against. You make them as long as you want so it's worth having a couple of long rails just sitting for those once in a blue moon big jobs.
The aluminum sash clamp jobbies are fine for light clamping.
I bought a couple of Uni Clamps but rarely use them as they always seem to be stiff to adjust. I've got a couple of c**p T section cheap sash clamps which deflect more the the ali ones
As Davy says Bessy's are a terrible outlay for holding pieces together until the glue dries.

Philip

[Alf]

pj said:

Record clamp head sets.

Yep, seconded. Well Paramos first for personal pref, but Record'll do too. I stick with wooden bars though, 'cos I know I can true them if needed - and making some more isn't a problem.

I'm afraid Besseys just strike me as F-clamps in fancy clothes, an attitude that's made me the target of endless Bessey conversion attempts in the past (and will probably do so again in the future). What can I say? I just can't get excited about clamps. I feel the shame of that, I assure you...

Cheers, Alf

[jake]

Not even a Plano clamp, Alf?

[jake]

The Uniklamps really are lightweight F clamps in drag (Jason might like that, though).

K-Bodies are in different league, and aren't just 'F'in drag' in my view. I have a very few (from the Axminster sale), and they really are very impressive but at such an absurd retail price they simply aren't good value.

For longer cramps, I have some old record sash cramps, but I don't like them very much.

[Alf]

jake said:

Not even a Plano clamp, Alf?

Ah well, yeah, okay, you got me. I can wax a bit lyrical about them. ;D

Cheers, Alf

[jfc]

Whats so good about the planos then

[engineerone]

don't ask you've got no room to put them ;D

they require some vertical storage space

paul

[jfc]

f**k me you sound like a wife ;D

[engineerone]

thanks for the offer but no thanks ;D

anyway a few thoughts about buying besseys.

i do not use them in a production way, so cannot tell if they survive in those circumstances. however i assume that if a german company is still selling these things after all this time,
they have a life long reputation for quality and service.

i have about 10, in different lengths, which i bought at very advantageous prices, when i was more flush

anyway if i were starting out again, i would buy a pair of
1500 or so besseys, use them for the initial cramping after glue up, and then get other cheaper clamps for the remainder of the job. that way you have the benefit of the bessey for the standing upright, and also making sure things are square, you do not need lots of hand pressure to tighten them, so tend not to put a wind in the job in this case, and it is easier to set them up on the table.

at that point i think there is some value in buuying the heads which fit on black pipe to go in the intermediate places. since they will be at less pressure than the neighbours, they can be lighter weight.

my 2p

paul

[jfc]

Hmmmm i'll see how the two uniclamps go on the MDF doors i make as this is where i need the most clamps at one time . Maybe 24 clamps needed for one job For doors and windows they aint gonna cut it so maybe one bessey K a week and struggle on with the record ones with the fiddly pins and falling over etc

[modernist]

I bought some Bessey copies recently at a tenner each in 600 and 900mm and they are OK except that the rubber leaves resin on the surfaces if used unpacked.

Other than that I have a few packs of the Aldi F clamps which are so ridiculously cheap you can ignore the crap quality. Draper F cramps are better if you can find them at a decent price.

Record cramp heads on 50 x 25mm steel hollow section for long runs and I try and acoid my record 1200mm sashes as they are a pain to use.

[modernist]

PS forgot to say the Bessey copies wsere fom Rutlands

[thatsnotafestool]

Jason, don't waste your money.

It's what Paul said.

The UniKlamps are horrible to use...you need about eight hands to fiddle with the f*****g things. As I type this I can feel my blood pressure start to rise, these bloody clamps are such a pain in the backside to use. Horrible....horrible...horrible.

Don't go there.

[jfc]

Hmmmmm they seemed the same as the K bodies in design . Must admit i didnt like the k bodies at first but am warming to them .

[andy king]

I always thought clamps were what Chinese people got if they didn't have enough salt in their bodies! ;D

[jfc]

Are you sure we are talking about the same clamps here



i found them easy to use , actually nicer than the kbodies because they are so light . They seemed to have alot of clamping power , not that i needed alot on this finely crafted window i tested them on ;D

[engineerone]

so what do d&m call them, they look like the ones i have

but definately easy to use

paul