Clamp alternatives needed

[adidat]

hi guys

A job has come in that I require some form of clamps and quite a few 12 or so at 1m+. For the past few years I have been lucky enough to use Bessey k revos, but currently can't stretch to these at the moment. For larger jobs we have some of the rutlands green Dakotas clamps which are pretty good for there price.

But basically now I need to buy my own, considering rutlands send me two emails a day for the last 6 years I was a bit peeved to find out the one thing I wanted was not in stock until April :shock: :shock: . I'm looking for an alternative needs to be good quality and at a similar price point £25 per unit. Are the Dakotas rebranded? Really I would like to buy these or similar. Axminster are selling an inferior product at Bessey prices so that's a non starter.

I'm not really interested in those aluminium box section ones either.

Has any one got any of the above for sale, happy to pay new prices.

Cheers

Adidat

 

[Racers]

Toolnet have clamp head sets for £9.84.

Pete

 

[Brentingby]

Would you consider making your own?

 

[Myfordman]

I gave 7 x 6' tbar sash clamps away last week........

Sorry

 

[MattRoberts]

Not sure you're going to find that length at that price point without considering the aluminium ones. They're actually pretty good if you strengthen them as per Paul Sellers' blog post

 

[marcros]

what about pipe clamps? almost seem unused over here, but I don't know whether that is just lack of widespread availability, or whether there are features of them that are undesirable.

 

[ED65]

Something like this should do everything you need, and the price is right:

There are many user variations of this basic idea but the wide fixed head and the moving head being pivoting are both great wrinkles, spreading the clamping force across a wider area and meaning you don't have to fuss with folding wedges.

If you prefer you can use metal pins instead of dowel. Strong nails would do it, masonry mails may be ideal, but even a mid-size wire nail will do the job for a while. That's what I used on my first pair of these clamps and they're still going strong 2-3 years on.

 

[adidat]

Thanks for the good ideas guys, making them was a thought that crossed my mind but not really financially viable as my time is worth more than making them if you get my drift!

Having previously written off traditional sash clamps due to the price, I cam across the rutlands version. these ones. The reviews seem pretty good I'm aware of rutlands habit or removing less favourable ones. But seriously how can these be produced For just under 12 quid!!!

I should have 18 arriving tomorrow so I will report back with my findings! I probably will cut down the other 12 too a few different sizes. Or maybe just get some more as you can never have too many clamps!!!

Adidat

 

[ED65]

I'd assume that a fully set up shop could knock out a dozen wooden clamps in about an hour, which I would have thought would make them a viable proposition, but no denying sash clamps are so much more clamp. And those are stonking value :shock: