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
![4592377947_92debefca2.jpg](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/2e3/2e316883e79c3b5f16f52e4a705f63e5.jpg)
little pressed in divots for the tail mechanism to engage
![4592980436_7e3c24cf27.jpg](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/595/5952c8ed4994c7d4c6b3a78cb73cbfcd.jpg)
like this - The little flickything feels a bit insubstantial but makes a nice ratchetty clicking sound as you slide it up the bar
![4592358947_6d4c76ee80.jpg](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/0ea/0ea74591fd9ae1c8465e1b9f5bf1a493.jpg)
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
![4592994088_b22a44d678.jpg](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/8d0/8d0ba1f065d4b53d3d25d488ad64b3dd.jpg)
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.
![4592372755_1cc3bc04ec.jpg](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/7ac/7ac8758bb76b7754617cd4710da6cf3f.jpg)
underneath view showing how the end piece fits inside the U ali bar
![4592982790_8275d3a8b5.jpg](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/5d9/5d970de66fdf657a26e33cd9cd89779a.jpg)
and comparison to record M130 clamp heads - which don't appear much more 'chunky' but so very definately are.
![4592975532_743c43156a.jpg](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/3b6/3b6ba0c2623db5825600aaffb583974e.jpg)
clamping capacity 42.5"
![4592380137_7b43e94a2b.jpg](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/973/973b14056eb35bc711e332ff2483d137.jpg)
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