Clamp sizes and brands - optimum length

[EdK]

I own four F clamps (Axminster 500mm ones with grey heads and yellow rubber pads) and now would like to buy some more.

What is the most useful size ?

Upcoming projects include (tentatively...) making a kitchen / making a kitchen table / making a bench (kitchen and woodwork).

I've seen them ranging from 600 - 800 - 1000 - 1250 - 1500 etc

From looking in a book by Maloof there is a shot of his clamp collection and it seems like he has waaay more smaller (500mm ?) clamps than longer ones. But I guess this is more suited to furniture making?

Any lengths that hardly ever get used ? (ie 100mm or 2000mm ?)

What size and brand do you most often reach for ?

As for brand... hmmm... have been reading here about Bessey KR ones and have been dithering (price).

I think that a combination would be good but am unsure whether it makes better sense to buy better quality longer clamps or shorter ones. i.e Bessey 800 x4 and Bessey 1250 x4 and supplement that with Axmninster own brand 300's and 600's ? Or 'tother way round.

Anyway, any advice most welcome.
(Am offshore so can sort of justify the Bessey's by the saving on VAT... kind of )
Thanks
Ed

 

[woodbloke]

You'll find that most folk hereabouts fall into the Bessey on non-Bessey camp. I don't use them 'cos I think they're expensive and 'clumpy' for what they are...that said, they do seem to work well.

I use standard Record sash cramps with a steel bar, most of which I bought years ago and are still fine. I've got mine in various sizes from about 600mm or so up to over a metre long, plus I've got a couple of extension bars so that I could cramp about 3m if I needed to (which I've had to recently) - Rob

 

[Boz62]

Consider the weight of them as well length. I have Urko cast 300mm F clamps - heavy duty, excellent, great for clamping things to the bench. But the 600mm, longer reach, ones I have are just too unwieldy for general use, and only come out to play when I need the length. However my Bessey UniKlamps (the lightweight ones), also 600mm, get used for larger and smaller stuff as they are much lighter and so easier to handle. And they will stretch to 630mm so OK for "standard" units. But there are always jobs where the old G clamps come out as well and I threaten to add more clamps to my next Axy order...

I don't think there is a "best" answer, it's so personal - get a selection of pairs of different ones, then buy more of the ones you find you use more

Boz

 

[Anonymous]

If you're not sure what size you want (and don't want to buy loads) then pipe clamps are pretty good. I've got a couple of pony clamps with some of their pipe and connectors.

I've got a couple of 1 metre bessey clamps but find them a bit heavy for lots of things I do. I've also got a couple of cheap aluminium clamps. They're nice and light but not the best of quality. I find the head gets stuck when I apply more pressure on them (it's then awkward when I take the pressure off).

I've got a whole load of G clamps which I use quite a lot. The next on the list will be some F-clamps.

As many others have said you can never have enough clamps. There is always one particular type which is better than the others for a particular job.

Dave

 

[xy mosian]

If you are woodworking for fun. I would recommend at least one pair of clamp heads, the sort that use a timber bar. That way you will have the ability to reach the jobs your other clamps cannot reach. Go for ones with long threads and position holes in the bars at about half to three-quarters the throw of the threads.

HTH

xy

 

[dannykaye]

I wanted quantity so I went for the Axminster ones with ally bar and they are ok, I also have lots of paramo g clamps but for choice I would have record as thats what I learned on, all that stops me is the price

 

[Benchwayze]

My Record cramps came with a threaded hole at the end of the bar, and a set-screw that could bolt the two bars together, to get a double ended cramp, of adjustable size.

I saw an article in a Magazine some years ago. The author had drilled the heads free of his sash-cramps. Using suitable mild-steel bar, he made extra bars of differing lengths, thus getting better use from his clamps, using them like 'cramp-heads'. It also meant he didn't have to buy complete clamps for different lengths.

I always meant to do this, but it was just another 'tuit' job! Might be a good idea though. The most difficult part would be ensuring the holes were in exactly the right line along the bars.

John :ho2

 

[matthewwh]

D&M Tools have the best prices on Bessey stuff at the moment, their singles are about the same price per unit as our sets.

 

[gidon]

For versatility and value I'd second the Pony clamps recommendation. Any size you need and more clamping pressure than you'll need. BUT they are heavy and don't have the parallel jaws .
I have some Bessey Ks and UniKlamps and generally grab the UniKlamps before the heavier duty ones. Very handy but only go up to 600mm.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Mike.C]

I was lucky enough to be around when Axminster made a big mistake in their Bessey K-Body pricing https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... er&start=0 and so I grabbed a load of them :lol: I also have some of their Uni's.

Axminster pipe clamp kits http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp? ... =1&jump=48 are also pretty good and with different lengths of 3/4" pipes, you will always have the length you need.

For very light weight work, and I mean light weight, these are not too bad for the price. http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp? ... =1&jump=48

I know that they are expensive but in the long term you cannot beat the K-Body.

Cheers

Mike

 

[EdK]

Thanks for the advice - went for some Bessey KR ones from Tooled up who actually worked out cheaper as they don't charge postage to Guernsey (£18 pp from Dm and £25 pp from Fixy's )

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=167466

Got a bit carried away and got some uni clamp 600mm's; some KR 800mm's and some KR 1250mm's.... Should cover alot of my needs for the next wee while (I hope).

Thanks,
Ed

 

[EdK]

All arrived but the 800mm ones were damaged so the kind folk at Tooledup sent me one for free.

Quite random packaging.. some parcels really well wrapped and the ones that got damaged were wrapped really badly.

Bit of toing an froing on the email but got a replacement eventually - all got a bit cloudy as to how I was going to ship the other one back but they didn#t collect in the end - so have a slightly damaged one (cosmetic chip...)
Been put to work already
Ed