Testing Quick Cramps

[Nick Gibbs]

We have a pile of quick, one-handed quick cramps in the workshop, ready for testing. It just crossed my mind that to make the test all the more relevant, perhaps some woodworkers could suggest some tests we could do on the cramps. Any ideas anyone?

Thanks

Nick

 

[9fingers]

The test that sorts my clamps into good and bad are when a single clamp is being used to hold two parts with a film of glue between. A decent clamp will exert no lateral forces whereas nasty ones make the two pieces slide with respect to one another.

I look forward to the results as I could do with some Quick Cramps

HTH

Bob

 

[Chris By The River]

In restricted applications I sometimes have to grip with the tips of the clamping feet using maybe a third of the foot area.

My good clamps can cope with this but I did have some "lesser" ones which, when doing this I noticed that the frames were stretching open. If repeated this stress would snap the clamps.

 

[Nick Gibbs]

Chris, do you use them for glue-ups, or just holding things, or both?

 

[Chris By The River]

Nick, it's usually for firm holding whilst drilling/screwing - I make a lot of outdoor furniture and rarely use glue.

Another thought - occasionally I have to put one foot onto a flat surfage and the other onto a radius - not all clamps can do this.

Regards,
Chris

 

[cambournepete]

The Bessey one-handed clamps have a lip at the end of the feet (?) so that they can be inserted into a slot.
This means you can clamp together 2 slotted things or one slotted thing and something else...

I can't find this on their website, but is definitely on the product packaging.

 

[SammyQ]

Wot Chris said about curved surfaces.

I also find with my Solo clamps, unless the two surfaces upon which the pads bear are parallel, the clamps slip. This is because the pads/feet are plastic annuli, held onto the end of the metal rod by a cup on the reverse side of each annulus and (presumably) a ball on the rod? This enables the foot or pad to swivel and thus lose grip.

I have also found the cheaper version (where the rod is toothed or knurled on one chord only of the rod) to slip unexpectedly if you acccidentally rotate the rod away from the 'friction strip' created by the teeth/knurling.

Sam

 

[kirkpoore1]

Nick, I'd like to see a test on whether a clamp comes loose under vibration or side load. I find that if I've clamped a flat board to my workbench that some clamps will gradually come loose after using my router for a while. Also, if I'm carving the board, and am using a mallet, most clamps will gradually loosen and the board will start moving around the bench. I consider these situations different, but heck, you never know.

Please cover hold-downs like these, too:

I've got a couple, but again, under vibration or repeated side load like hand planing, they just don't stay tight very long.

Kirk

 

[brianhabby]

I would second what Kirk says, that some of the quick clamps don't always hold work as securely as I would like. If I am clamping a piece to be routed now I will always use standard 'G' clamps. They are obviously slower to set up but could make the difference between a spoilt piece of work or worse still an accident.

regards

Brian

 

[Aled Dafis]

Nick

Please try out the Bessey Kli Klamps as well, they're not exactly one handed clamps, but are just about the easiest clamps to use, and their performance is very impressive indeed. I have two of these and use them more than any other clamp I own.

http://www.besseytools.co.uk/bessey...mm-250-throat-depth-mm-80-rail-mm-20-x-5.html

Cheers

Aled

 

[Nick Gibbs]

Thanks, everyone. Some good ideas that will help the test.

Cheers

Nick

 

[matt]

Wielding the clamp one-handed. Some are just a pain when it comes to getting them on the work.
Also... drop them on the floor a few times to see what falls off or stops working.
Are the "non-marking" pads really non-marking?
Are all the points that contact with the wood corrosion resistant to avoid staining?

 

[stoatyboy]

Yes all the above
do the clamps stay 'clamped'
how much pressure can they apply
are they repairable/spares available/modifiable (such as lengthening them)
and please test some of the ultra cheapy pound shop jobs

 

[Hitch]

Look out for the cheapy solo clamp things, we had a load at work, the curved top of the rod always seems to find its way above the release lever, trying to clamp 2 thin parts together, the rod pushes down the release lever every time you squeeze the trigger! #-o

 

[The Bear]

Anyone know what came out top in this test? And why?

Or anyone got particular recommendations/avoids of their own?

Mark

 

[doctor Bob]

Do you remember the advert for wallpaper glue where the chap was glued to a board and hung from a helicopter?
Surely you could do the same thing with one handed clamps?

 

[Doug B]

These are the best i`ve used.

http://www.besseytools.co.uk/bessey-cla ... _pi-1.html

Incredibly light weight, great clamping pressure & have easily outlasted the cheaper brands i`ve had over the years, they also dont slip under pressure which i have had happen before when clamping a straight edge & routing against it.


Cheers.