Despite loads of opinions around I found it really difficult to decide which clamps I should buy - I ended up buying the six pack of Dakotas without actually knowing what I was going to get.
so this is what you get:
Aluminium bar 1.7mm thick ali folded to a U with another fold at the open top of the U
little pressed in divots for the tail mechanism to engage
like this - The little flickything feels a bit insubstantial but makes a nice ratchetty clicking sound as you slide it up the bar
clamp heads and tails are cast alloy (not iron as per web site) and are hollow - covered over with a nasty plastic red thing stuck on with evo stick-a-like
the actual windy part is iron and is held onto bar with little pin - I reckon you'd have to screw quite hard to deform that but wouldn't be surprised if people do. the moveable bit is held onto the thread with a little screw that engages in the recess just back from the end of the thread - not very strong but doesn't take any pressure - just stops it falling off.
underneath view showing how the end piece fits inside the U ali bar
and comparison to record M130 clamp heads - which don't appear much more 'chunky' but so very definately are.
clamping capacity 42.5"
No piccy of this but the heads do not sit at 90degrees when clamped - not far off but not 90 - my records also don't sit at 90 when I tighten them
And they do have a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects
so - do I like them? no
do I dislike them? no
would I recommend them? no
would I buy more of them? no
am I going to complain? no
do I feel I got a good deal? no
Put simply they are as cheaply made as it's possible to make something as a result of which you get six clamps for £50 delivered the next day - which was what I needed.
Hope that's of some use to someone - cheers - Pete
so this is what you get:
Aluminium bar 1.7mm thick ali folded to a U with another fold at the open top of the U
little pressed in divots for the tail mechanism to engage
like this - The little flickything feels a bit insubstantial but makes a nice ratchetty clicking sound as you slide it up the bar
clamp heads and tails are cast alloy (not iron as per web site) and are hollow - covered over with a nasty plastic red thing stuck on with evo stick-a-like
the actual windy part is iron and is held onto bar with little pin - I reckon you'd have to screw quite hard to deform that but wouldn't be surprised if people do. the moveable bit is held onto the thread with a little screw that engages in the recess just back from the end of the thread - not very strong but doesn't take any pressure - just stops it falling off.
underneath view showing how the end piece fits inside the U ali bar
and comparison to record M130 clamp heads - which don't appear much more 'chunky' but so very definately are.
clamping capacity 42.5"
No piccy of this but the heads do not sit at 90degrees when clamped - not far off but not 90 - my records also don't sit at 90 when I tighten them
And they do have a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects
so - do I like them? no
do I dislike them? no
would I recommend them? no
would I buy more of them? no
am I going to complain? no
do I feel I got a good deal? no
Put simply they are as cheaply made as it's possible to make something as a result of which you get six clamps for £50 delivered the next day - which was what I needed.
Hope that's of some use to someone - cheers - Pete
