Are cheap sash cramps worth it?

[LFS19]

Found these on eBay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-x-1200mm-A ... Sw2XFUi1C5

Of course, I’d rather Record ones, but all the ones I’ve seen are the above price for just one.
Can’t really afford them considering I’d need at least four.

There are plenty of aluminium ones like the ones I linked on eBay around £50 for four.
Reckon they’re worth going for?

Thanks!

 

[ScaredyCat]

Paul Sellers says to shove a bit of wood inside the case to make them more rigid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyKiGmRq3wY

 

[LFS19]

Interesting, thanks for the Post! Guess they can’t be too shabby with the modifications if Paul sellers uses them.

 

[bourbon]

I got some sliverline 600mm F clamps only yesterday. They are steel. cost £10.17 each.

 

[LFS19]

I got some sliverline 600mm F clamps only yesterday. They are steel. cost £10.17 each.

I’ve come across those I think. Would they be better than the sash cramps above?

Thanks

 

[bourbon]

My thought is that being steel, they shouldn't warp so easily. the locking seems a bit week but when they start slipping, I'll just drill holes through them and use a pin, Like the old record ones

 

[LFS19]

Makes sense. Thanks for the info!

 

[Bodgers]

Found these on eBay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-x-1200mm-A ... Sw2XFUi1C5

Of course, I’d rather Record ones, but all the ones I’ve seen are the above price for just one.
Can’t really afford them considering I’d need at least four.

There are plenty of aluminium ones like the ones I linked on eBay around £50 for four.
Reckon they’re worth going for?

Thanks!

A like for like quality alternative are the US made Dubuque clamps. I made a couple of videos on them comparing them to the cheap ones:

https://youtu.be/sLPAzcjqqAU

https://youtu.be/Ap-KPqsmI8g

If you aren't prepared to do the mods to the handles, they are almost unusable as the plastic ends fall off and the handles slide out. The other mods can help.

The Dubuque clamps are a lot better but a lot more expensive.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I've got some that look just like that, came from Screwfix. I've used them quite a bit. I also have a set of much heavier steel 'mock Record' ones from Axminster. On the downsides, I wouldn't want to put as much pressure on with the ali ones (but with good joints, who needs to :wink: ). The threads are far from smooth. But on the plus side, for light work they are pretty convenient. Light to manoeuvre, the heads don't fall off the ends of the bar, no pins to fall out, and they don't topple over so easily. And the ali doesn't leave black marks if it touches oak with glue on it.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Don't forget that if you have a selection you can use a heavy cramp to pull something up then a lightweight one to hold it, moving the heavy one on to another place.

 

[Tasky]

Interesting, thanks for the Post! Guess they can’t be too shabby with the modifications if Paul sellers uses them.

Once fully modded, they work well for the sorts of things he does.

I got a 12-piece set of these for Christmas, Rolson brand I think but likely all made by the same company anyway. Mine have the acorn nut ends on the tommy bars.
Only problem is that they're the big 1500mm ones - Great for my current uses, but will prove a bit too long in my future endeavours... I might have to cut them down, although I'm loath to lose the length 'just in case'.

But certainly they're good enough for gluing up workbench tops.
18mm ply battens fit very nicely up the shaft, especially if you cut it slightly shorter to avoid catching on the notches. This really helps make them solid and stops the clamp from twisting.
Gently file the paint off the screw thread. Add some wood faces to the jaws and you're all good.

 

[transatlantic]

I find them useful after being adapted. My one gripe though is that there is very little height to the clamping heads.

vs something like below. But it all depends on what you're clamping

 

[thetyreman]

yes they're worth it, but make sure you retrofit them with wood inside (I used PAR redwood planed to fit), wax them, also file down and take off the cramp heads to make sure they are not jarring, the problem I have had with them is wood falling off the metal heads, it's an annoying ongoing problem with them, other than that they're ok, and you have to wax them quite regularly.

 

[thetyreman]

I also have steel record style sash cramps, they're far better made and definitely heavier duty, but about 10 times the weight, so not really suitable for anything other than large doors, sash windows e.t.c, not very practical for smaller scale work, or even medium size work imo

 

[memzey]

I think cramps fall into that unsexy category of tool that serious woodworking requires you to just suck up and get the best you can afford. Much like trying to make do with gone-off or inappropriate glue, you run the risk of ruining many hours of careful work with a misstep at the critical moment.

I’m not saying that the cramps identified here won’t be suitable by the way (I just don’t have enough experience with them to say I’m afraid), just be careful not to kid yourself that they are, if they clearly are not. No one gets that warm fuzzy feeling from buying cramps that one might get from a whizz bang mitre saw or something but they are at least as important IMHO.

 

[banjerbill]

I bought two sets of these https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cht136- ... clamp-set/ and have had no problems with them.
Bill

 

[Fergal]

If you have a Proper Job near you (Bristol area mostly) they do clamps which seem to be the same as all the other cheap clamps, but at a lower price. Unfortunately, they don't do mail order on these, you have to collect.

600mm F clamp for £4.50
http://www.properjob.biz/F_Clamp_600_x_80mm-M3226

5ft sash clamp for £9.99
http://www.properjob.biz/5_Aluminium_Sash_Clamp-M3243

I have a few of the F clamps and they're fine for my purposes.

Fergal

 

[Bodgers]

I bought two sets of these https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cht136- ... clamp-set/ and have had no problems with them.
Bill

Do you not find these heavy? I think one of the attractions of the Aluminum clamps the OP asked about is the weight. Makes a surprising difference...

 

[Bodgers]

If you have a Proper Job near you (Bristol area mostly) they do clamps which seem to be the same as all the other cheap clamps, but at a lower price. Unfortunately, they don't do mail order on these, you have to collect.

600mm F clamp for £4.50
http://www.properjob.biz/F_Clamp_600_x_80mm-M3226

5ft sash clamp for £9.99
http://www.properjob.biz/5_Aluminium_Sash_Clamp-M3243

I have a few of the F clamps and they're fine for my purposes.

Fergal

The sash clamp looks to be the same price as the Screwfix version...

 

[LFS19]

Found these on eBay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-x-1200mm-A ... Sw2XFUi1C5

Of course, I’d rather Record ones, but all the ones I’ve seen are the above price for just one.
Can’t really afford them considering I’d need at least four.

There are plenty of aluminium ones like the ones I linked on eBay around £50 for four.
Reckon they’re worth going for?

Thanks!

A like for like quality alternative are the US made Dubuque clamps. I made a couple of videos on them comparing them to the cheap ones:

https://youtu.be/sLPAzcjqqAU

https://youtu.be/Ap-KPqsmI8g

If you aren't prepared to do the mods to the handles, they are almost unusable as the plastic ends fall off and the handles slide out. The other mods can help.

The Dubuque clamps are a lot better but a lot more expensive.

Good vids, thank you!
Puts the quality into perspective. I’ll definitly need the mods, then. There seem to be many sellers of these cheaper aluminium clamps we’re talking about.
Do you reckon some are going to be better than others? Or are they all going to be about the same.
There are at least four different ones on ebay that all look identical, so it’s difficult to know which ones to go with.