irwin quick grip XP clamp question

[jlawrence]

Hi,
I picked up a couple of these in my local shop. IIRC they were £29.99 and buy one get one free - seemed a good deal to me. Not sure of the capacity but I'd imagine 12" or 18".
The clamps seem to work pretty well, grip well and you seem to be able to apply plenty of pressure.
One problem though - the heads are no where near parallel. Both clamps are the same angle so I'm guessing that they are meant to be link this - can't say I like it though.
If they are meant to be like this then it'll be the last pair I buy.

 

[joinerb]

i have a pair of these. if i understand what your describing correctly then they are meant to be like this. they can be adjusted parral using the little yellow bit on the two heads. i belive they are like this to allow for clamping awkward shapes.

 

[jlawrence]

I'll have a look at that in the morning.
If I can adjust them then they'd be pretty good. I find them really easy to adjust single handedly - which is the point of them - just the heads weren't even near parallel.
Funnily enough I tend not to be clamping weird shapes - more like (supposedly) flat boards

 

[wizer]

I have these and, now you come to mention it, mine are not parallel. I've always assumed that it was supposed to be like that, not thought about it.

 

[jlawrence]

I only noticed today when joining two boards. Jointed them nicely with a plane, but since they were only 8mm thick they're simply butt jointed together. Put the clamps on and because of the angles next thing I knew one of the boards just jumped up in the air - I thought wtf. Looked and the clamps and ahhh, that's why it happend.

 

[jlawrence]

The clamp in question is one of these. It doesn't have the yellow bits on to adjust the angle of the heads.
Looks like I might have bought an older version .
Had a quick look in B&Q this morning. They've got the smaller ones with the yellow bit, but the bigger ones are just like mine.
Interestingly irwin.com show the xp with the yellow bits, but irwin.co.uk don't.
Argggh.

Hey hum. Fingers crossed for soem more besseys from santa

 

[Dibs-h]

Hi,
I picked up a couple of these in my local shop. IIRC they were £29.99 and buy one get one free - seemed a good deal to me. Not sure of the capacity but I'd imagine 12" or 18".
The clamps seem to work pretty well, grip well and you seem to be able to apply plenty of pressure.
One problem though - the heads are no where near parallel. Both clamps are the same angle so I'm guessing that they are meant to be link this - can't say I like it though.
If they are meant to be like this then it'll be the last pair I buy.

After going thru quite a few cheapy ones - I decided to get some proper ones this yr at Harrogate. Was going for the Irwin ones - until I saw the Besseys and the chap did sold be 4x18" ones for £50. Will have to check the heads tho!