Dodgy axminster/ bessey k body clamps

[Woody Alan]

Hi All

Just ordered some 600mm & 1000mm k body style, but axminster brand, parallel cramps. The finish on the shorter ones is variable but they are OK I suppose. The 4 long ones though are dreadful, not only is the bar on them not straight, but not neccessarily bent in the same direction, they are also twisted. Obviously the bar stock they are using is rubbish. I have two choices stick the bar in a vice and heave and tweak them straight or send them back and start again.
If I were to swap them for Bessey's genuine (extra £5 a piece)can anyone assure me that 1000mm besseys are usually true i.e. not bent and twisted.
[rant mode]
This whole buying stuff is really starting to jar me off, it seems to be everything I want to buy these days, it's almost getting to the stage of paranoia where I daren't buy something because I know it'll be wrong and just give me grief. I avoided cheapo ally clamps and paid good money for these.
I said to a mate at work once, that if I were to buy a camera I would ask the assistant to put the first one he gives me back on the shelf and get me another one just so as to save me bringing it back later, when it goes wrong.
[rant over]

Alan

 

[David C]

I have no experience of the clamps.

However there are a lot of very disapointing tools around, one of the main reasons I put a basic list of tools that work, in my third book.

David Charlesworth

who recently bought a pink grinding wheel from APTC that was useless and generated huge amounts of heat. It was sent back.

 

[Chris Knight]

Alan,
I have never bought a bad (genuine) K body - they have all been excellent.

I suggest you send the clamps back to Axminster - they are normally very good about returns. (Call first and get a return authorisation etc.)

 

[Mdotflorida]

Hi Woody

Bad luck.

I wouldn't even try to make them right. You were sold goods not fit for purpose. Send them straight back. Who knows, it may help in the long run towards better quality control.

I can only speak for the Besseys I own (24 of them) to say they are all perfectly straight and true.

Jeff

 

[Freetochat]

I can only speak for the Besseys I own (24 of them) to say they are all perfectly straight and true.

Jeff

Me too. I have about 20, all good quality. I also have some uniklamps, which are ok, but if I was to buy again, I would stick with the k body.

 

[manso]

I got burned with Axminster's clone of Pony clamps. Axminster replaced, (with genuine Pony's), without a murmur. Result - when I want K-bodies I buy Bessey's. The buy, complain, replace cycle is, however, a bore.

 

[Woody Alan]

Hi

Thanks chaps, one and all, I have calmed down a bit now. I appreciate the support for the quality of the genuine Besseys, I will be on the phone tommorrow to Axminster and get it sorted. I just wish they would put in the write up for these clamps "If you think you are going to get a bargain clone of a Bessy forget it and pay the extra you cheapskate" I could live with that Will I never learn? SWMBO said "I thought you were going to order the expensive ones, I wouldn't have known" I was kind of speechless. But then she followed it up with "Don't think that's an excuse to order what you like." I am confused, is it me? or is she just playing with my mind? I seem to have lost the ability to tell anymore.

Alan

 

[Colin C]

Hi

I am confused, is it me? or is she just playing with my mind? I seem to have lost the ability to tell anymore.

Alan

That is just how they want it :twisted: :roll:

 

[Waka]

Alan

I swear by Bessey, the longest I have is the 1.5m K body and have no problem with them at all, I also have a varietynof all the other clamps they do and would rcommend them to anyone.

Yes they are expensive, but you only buy once. My advice would be to send the Axminster ones back and either have a refund or add the extra for the bessy K bodies.

 

[engineer one]

whilst i can't guarantee bessey will ALWAYS be perfect, so far i have never known one which is not straight and true.

i have had mine for about 4 years now, and although abused, they stay straight and working well. :twisted:
although they are not abused everyday, each day they stand around doing little, they make my heart lurch at all the expense not being used properly.
:roll:

paul :wink:

 

[Losos]

Alan - You said:-

"is she just playing with my mind?"

OMG how well I know what you mean. :lol: :lol: better not say anymore :roll:

Returning swiftly to the 'faulty, complain, return, replace' saga. Yes, it is a bore, but it's more than that, it's also time consuming, and as everyone knows 'time is money'

 

[Alf]

SWMBO said "I thought you were going to order the expensive ones, I wouldn't have known" I was kind of speechless. But then she followed it up with "Don't think that's an excuse to order what you like." I am confused, is it me? or is she just playing with my mind?

It's perfectly logical - I'll translate: Ignorance is no defence, even if it's not your ignorance but rather her ignorance of the differences between cheap clamps and Besseys. While she admits she wouldn't have known if you'd bought the cheap ones or the expensive, equally you shouldn't see this as open season on buying whatever you damn well like because in some way or other she will find out and you will suffer in consequence... :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Jasper Homminga]

who recently bought a pink grinding wheel from APTC that was useless and generated huge amounts of heat

I was thinking about buying one of those, but I'll leave them well alone now. Thanks.

Jasper

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Alan

Are you sure you are not being too hard on the clamps?

Does the bar stop the clamp working? Does a variable finish stop them clamping? Is it really that bad?

Surely, the only important consideration is if they clamp correctly- I have never even considered whether the bars on my clamps are straight or not as I cannot see that it make the slightest bit of difference to their clamping ability unless they are proverbial bananas

 

[Paul Chapman]

because in some way or other she will find out

One of life's mysteries, at least for us blokes.... :? :? :lol:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Woody Alan]

Tony

Are you sure you are not being too hard on the clamps?

Fair point Tony, which is why I asked the collective if they considered any of their Besseys to be duff, if the reply was yes then I would be happy I had the same quality for less money.

Does the bar stop the clamp working?

I guess if the bar is bent they cannot be described as parallel therefore it is not possible to get even pressure across the face of the jaws.

Does a variable finish stop them clamping?

No on it's own it would be bearable but it's like the final slap in the face on top of the general quality.

Surely, the only important consideration is if they clamp correctly

Well indeed that is so and if I could bend the bars straight again and remove the twist, I am sure they would perform that function, but that isn't what the others seem to have to do with the Besseys, so back they go.

Alan

 

[MarcW]

I have the slight impression, here not only tools come out of the last centuries... :-s

Marc, confused

 

[Anonymous]

Alan

I tend to use 'F' Clamps that cost less than a tenner each and they have always worked fine. If you consider Bessey's too expensive, then these are the clamps I find to be very effective and good value for money. I have loads of both types and have no complaints at all about their performance

Sash - bend these if you can!!!
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/p...amp-set/path/clamps-cramps-vices/brand/clarke

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/p...amp-set/path/clamps-cramps-vices/brand/clarke

F clamps

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/r...crew-workshop-clamps/path/clamps-cramps-vices


Every time I buy half a dozen of these F clmaps for the price of a Bessey, I smile contentedly :wink: They really are very good clamps

 

[Woody Alan]

Thanks for the links Tony I can certainly see where you're coming from.

Here's a couple of pics to try and show part of the problem. these hopefully show the twist but to show the bow is harder unless I line up with a straight edge.

 

[SeanG]

who recently bought a pink grinding wheel from APTC that was useless and generated huge amounts of heat. It was sent back.

ARRRRGGGGGG - is that why the pink wheel I bought from them keeps bluing my blades, I thought I was being heavy handed (probably also the case)