# Clarke pinless blade adapter help



## Kingbeastie (30 Nov 2019)

Hi newbie here ive hunted through the previous posts but to no avail i recently bought the clarke css400d scroll saw my first scroll saw and while im happy with it there is no adapter for pinless blades ive scoured the net for some but it seems there are none out there how can this be did clarke really not make any? Well my question is does anyone have experience with these and is there an alternative for a different machine that i could use.
Thanks in advance people speak simple im a complete newb


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## AES (2 Dec 2019)

I don't know your particular machine, but they're all pretty similar (NOTE: "similar", NOT the same)!

Axminster have at least one set of adaptors in their range, and as they're pretty helpful I suggest you call them and ask if their adaptor set/s will fit your machine .

You say you've searched this section but I do remember seeing several posts & threads over the years where people have made or modified adaptors to fit their own particular machines, so widening your search criteria MAY turn something up.

Can't help more than that, sorry. Good luck


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## whatknot (2 Dec 2019)

As said the machine you have is one of many sold under different badges 

These should do the trick 

<https://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-blade-clamp-for-awvfs-scroll-saw-400124>

You need a pair of course, they allow pinned or pinless blades to be used

They come with an allen key bolt, you might want to either get some spares of that bolt, before it gets chewed up, or see out wing bolts of the same thread 

Whilst not as good as the blade clamps on upper end machines, they are a reasonable solution 

NB they also sell them on ebay


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## Kingbeastie (18 Jan 2020)

Yeah i tried those axminster ones ive been through 3 sets as they keep breaking they are just cheap nasty cast rubbish im getting an engineer mate of mine to make me some thanks for the help guys


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## whatknot (18 Jan 2020)

You are probably best having some made 

However, are you fitting a plate on the top of the Axminster clamps? it seems most fit them with no plate, the plate allows the clamp to flex a little when clamping


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## donwatson (18 Jan 2020)

Please can you explain about the plate ?? I have never heard of that fix before.
Don W


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## whatknot (18 Jan 2020)

The best way I can describe it is in the attached images 

You will see from the picture of the bare clamp that it has a channel on the top of it

I believe this is for the aforementioned plate 

When you clamp the replacement onto the arm with just the bolt in the rear hole, it puts stress on the clamp, adding a plate shares that stress, allowing the clamp to open and close easier 

I suspect the original clamp would probably do, inverted without the spacer 

Forgive the picture it gives the idea but is with a bolt fitted, a winged bolt would be better


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## donwatson (19 Jan 2020)

Thanks for that whatknot, an excellent idea. I suspect the plate is the original from the machine ??
I never thought to use that. We have 3 machines we use at the 'Shed' and we have around 5 or 6 of these clamps (broken). I will look into fitting plates on Monday.
Thanks again for the advice.
Don W


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