Clamp choices

[Wizard9999]

I may be lighting the blue touch paper, if so I apologise, but what about these?

http://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+woodworkin ... ta+m_dk135

I know the feedback on Rutlands' commercial practices is pretty poor, but some people have said they have had some reasonable items from them. Based on the description they don't look bad for £10 if you buy the 6 pack.

Terry.

 

[RobinBHM]

A bargain for 6, if they work ok.

They look like chinese copies of record clamps.

 

[YorkshireMartin]

Guys, thank you for all the input. I've had a really good look around, spending the best part of the day today trying to decide based on all the advice offered here.

On balance, I decided that the price premium was worth it for Bessey. I found a decent price so I've ordered 4x k body 100's and 2 x k body 60's to start with. Combined with a KBX connector, this gives me 5 clamps for my table top glue up.

Whilst I'm a beginner and will never get the same use out of them that a professional would, I also think that the ease of use and having confidence in my tools is important. Glue ups are pretty harrowing at the best of times. I'd rather know that I'm not having to contend with potentially sub-standard engineering.

I've spent only £50 above what the equivalent Irwin/Record sash clamps would have cost. I reckon it's worth it for piece of mind?

Frankly, spending these sums on clamps at all, even a couple of hundred quid, makes me nervous.....

PS. Thanks JMac, I had a feeling that might be the case but you confirming it was the final nail in the coffin for that choice. That and the fact I'm not sure how you'd back off the pressure slightly if needed.

 

[Wizard9999]

I wondered if they were made up of parts that didn't make the grade for better brand clamps, given the mention of rough castings for their clamp head and the last line of the Rutlands' description which says "Manufactured at the same factory as the most well know brand of sash clamps." Of course, given other Rutlands' practices that statement could be a complete lie (or they consider a very obscure brand unheard of in these shores to be most well known).

Has anyone actually bought any of these? Bargain or waste of money?

Terry.

 

[YorkshireMartin]

I wondered if they were made up of parts that didn't make the grade for better brand clamps, given the mention of rough castings for their clamp head and the last line of the Rutlands' description which says "Manufactured at the same factory as the most well know brand of sash clamps." Of course, given other Rutlands' practices that statement could be a complete lie (or they consider a very obscure brand unheard of in these shores to be most well known).

Has anyone actually bought any of these? Bargain or waste of money?

Terry.

Rutlands are getting a bashing around here lately. Whats been going on?

 

[Wizard9999]

I wondered if they were made up of parts that didn't make the grade for better brand clamps, given the mention of rough castings for their clamp head and the last line of the Rutlands' description which says "Manufactured at the same factory as the most well know brand of sash clamps." Of course, given other Rutlands' practices that statement could be a complete lie (or they consider a very obscure brand unheard of in these shores to be most well known).

Has anyone actually bought any of these? Bargain or waste of money?

Terry.

Rutlands are getting a bashing around here lately. Whats been going on?

I don't read every post on here, but I think it is their commercial practices that frustrate, annoy, wind-up, etc, etc. Some things they get up to are frankly verging on fraudulent IMHO (e.g. seemingly only publishing 4 star plus reviews and filtering out others), but I guess legally that isn't the case. However, in terms of the actual product there seems a very broad range from utter rubbish to very good value at the price. I recall a recent post where somebody said they like two of their products but that they don't really want to buy from them because of their dodgy commercial practices.

After I last posted I did find an old thread from 2012 about these clamps, summary was that while they may need a bit of fettling but at the price they represent good value. Theory at that time was aligned to mine above, that they are made from parts that don't pass quality control of Record, the bar for example is quoted as the same size as that on the records.

Of course, some people may decide they do not want to do business with a company that deploys such questionable marketing.

Terry.

 

[Bm101]

Just posting this more for the sake of anyone looking into clamps at some point who might be interested really. Clamp heads on 50x25x3mm mild steel box. Ones I 'made' today.

 

[Jmac80]

On balance, I decided that the price premium was worth it for Bessey. I found a decent price so I've ordered 4x k body 100's and 2 x k body 60's to start with. Combined with a KBX connector, this gives me 5 clamps for my table top glue up.

PS. Thanks JMac, I had a feeling that might be the case but you confirming it was the final nail in the coffin for that choice. That and the fact I'm not sure how you'd back off the pressure slightly if needed.

oh :deer

Just ordered a few more myself tonight
4 x Bessey KRV150 Vario K Body Revo KRV Clamp 1500mm
4 x Bessey KR60 KR-BODY CLAMP 600MM

:ho2

 

[Wizard9999]

A bargain for 6, if they work ok.

They look like chinese copies of record clamps.

Well, Santa brought me six of the Rutland clamps yesterday. Took them to the workshop this afternoon and had a good look versus the Records I already had. The steel bar the heads are mounted on is a little thinner and a bit more flexible than on the Records, the Dakota castings are a little rougher and I am not sure they are flat enough to stand flat and finally the metal cord is clearly not as robust as the chain from head to pin on the Records. While I presure that the more flexible bar will result in lower clamping pressure, they certainly can't be described as flimsy. The castings can be smoothed if they do not stand flat and chains could be added with little effort or cost.

Initial conclusion is that at £70 for 6, vs c. £108 for 4 Records at D&M Tools they represent excellent value.

Terry.

 

[Andy RV]

Just posting this more for the sake of anyone looking into clamps at some point who might be interested really. Clamp heads on 500x250x3mm mild steel box. Ones I 'made' today.

I like the looks of those. (hammer)

 

[mindthatwhatouch]

Just posting this more for the sake of anyone looking into clamps at some point who might be interested really. Clamp heads on 500x250x3mm mild steel box. Ones I 'made' today.

I like the looks of those. (hammer)

Me too, hope it's meant to be 50 x 25 mm though, or are they some seriously large clamps :wink:

 

[Bm101]

Oops!
If you do make some, I reckon it's worth buying plastic plugs for the ends for a few pennies each on ebay. Adds a little protection for the clamp but also fingers, floor, bench etc.

 

[DennisCA]

There are some nicely priced 1/2" pipe clamp heads at Fine Tools:
http://www.fine-tools.com/pipeclamp.html

Planning to buy a few and once I've had a good look at the clutch mechanism I think a homemade version won't be that hard to make.

 

[custard]

Just posting this more for the sake of anyone looking into clamps at some point who might be interested really. Clamp heads on 500x250x3mm mild steel box. Ones I 'made' today.

Those bolt on cramp heads are a useful solution in many cases. One thing to look out for though is that they tilt back slightly when pressure is applied, which on things like panel glue ups can bow the workpiece upwards and distort it.

Two possible solutions. A small wedge under the rear of the cramp head to keep it vertical, or a half round/D-shaped spacer between the cramp head and the workpiece (with the curved section touching the workpiece) which will give "point contact" with no tendency to bow or distort even if the cramp head is tilted back.