Rutlands sash cramps

[Steve Maskery]

I need to start to replace my sash cramps. I had a decent selection of Record 135sbut sadly no more.

Ideally I'd like a full set of Besseys, of course, but...

Rutlands have these:

http://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+sash-clamp ... DK135PACK6

and with their 15% off offer at the mo would make them less than a tenner each.

However I've had cheap clamps in the past, as well as the Records, and I do know the difference. I currently have 3 Nu-tools ones borrowed from the Community Workshop and they are rubbish, I don't want ones like that, no matter how cheap they are.

The reviews on the Rutlands site are all positive, but it's difficult to know how much filtering goes on, and I'm a skeptical old so-and-so.

So, who has them already and do you rate them?

 

[pcb1962]

I have their slightly more expensive T Bar clamps and they're good, except for a tendency for the workpiece to lift slightly away from the bar as the jaw tightens. For this reason I prefer to use their Parallel Jaw clamps that are about the same price http://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+woodwo...el-clamps-parallel-jaw-clamps-dakota+m_dkbc31

 

[Fitzroy]

I too have the T Bar clamps, things that annoy me are that the holes on all the clamp bars are not in an identical position and the faces are not entirely perpendicular to the bar (something I plan to correct when I have time), otherwise I think they are good. Oh, and they were filthy when they arrived!

 

[Doingupthehouse]

Hi,

I have 6 of the Rutlands cramps, I also have a few original Record 135s. To be honest I can't really tell much difference between them. Always found Rutlands good for clamps – their G clamps are very good too.

Cheers
Simon

 

[porker]

I've got some of the ones you link to Steve and for me I am happy with them BUT they dont pull up exactly parallel so recently when I wanted to glue some solid edging on a worktop I made a small angled wooden packer to pull the top of the edging tight. They are strong enough which is why I didn't choose the aluminium ones but they are no where near the quality of a couple of old Records I've got. I'm afraid you pay you money and take the choice. My guess seeing the quality of work you do, means I think they would frustrate you. Because I have metal working gear I may true the faces parallel but it's another tuit.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[Steve Maskery]

Thank you all.
I've ordered a set of 6, plus 4 of the shorter parallel jaw clamps. And a cheap HVLP station. I still have a very good Proline gun, but nothing to power it, so we'll see if this does the job.

I can't really justify all this, but, well, you know, you are a long time dead, eh?

 

[MikeJhn]

From Sash clamps to HVLP some shift in topic, but in that theme, have you seen this: hvlp-investigation-and-review-t97520.html

Mike

 

[MikeJhn]

From Sash clamps to HVLP some shift in topic, but in that theme, have you seen this: hvlp-investigation-and-review-t97520.html

Mike

 

[custard]

I need to start to replace my sash cramps. I had a decent selection of Record 135sbut sadly no more.

Ideally I'd like a full set of Besseys, of course, but...

Rutlands have these:

http://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+sash-clamp ... DK135PACK6

and with their 15% off offer at the mo would make them less than a tenner each.

However I've had cheap clamps in the past, as well as the Records, and I do know the difference. I currently have 3 Nu-tools ones borrowed from the Community Workshop and they are rubbish, I don't want ones like that, no matter how cheap they are.

The reviews on the Rutlands site are all positive, but it's difficult to know how much filtering goes on, and I'm a skeptical old so-and-so.

So, who has them already and do you rate them?

They're an excellent product, I use them alongside original Record sash cramps and...apart from the price...I can't tell them apart!

 

[Steve Maskery]

From Sash clamps to HVLP some shift in topic, but in that theme, have you seen this: hvlp-investigation-and-review-t97520.html

Mike

I had, but I'd forgotten about it TBH.

I had an Apollo 800 (I think) and it was excellent, although I rarely had cause to use it and I don't have anything else with which to compare it (except a smaller Apollo with a very basic plastic gun). But the unit and hose got nicked, although I do still have the rather excellent Proline gun.

Custard, thank you, that is reassuring.

 

[n0legs]

With the exception of colour they're same as my Silverline clamps, that are excellent.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Well they have arrived.

At first sight the parallel jaw ones look excellent. The trad sash cramps look... OK. I can bend them sideways easily and the tommy bars are tiny, they certainly are not in the same league as the old records I used to have. But I guess if you want them for gluing up joints that are already a good fit, that shouldn't be a problem. Only time will tell.

 

[lurker]

Well they have arrived. .

You are now over the main hurdle in dealing with this outfit.
Me, I'll never risk them again!

 

[custard]

The trad sash cramps look... OK. I can bend them sideways easily and the tommy bars are tiny, they certainly are not in the same league as the old records I used to have. But I guess if you want them for gluing up joints that are already a good fit, that shouldn't be a problem. Only time will tell.

I'm sorry to hear that Steve. Here's a photo of one of the Rutlands sash cramps that I got, and above it is an original Record sash cramp from the pre-Irwin era.

The drilled metal bar has the same dimensions and each feels as stiff as the other, the Rutlands ones drop straight into the various glue-up jigs that I made for use with the Record products. You're right that the tommy bar is smaller, but the thread also seems a bit finer so I don't notice any difference in terms of actual cramping pressure, when I've got them interspersed on a glue-up I seem to get the same amount of squeeze out from both, and the bar deflection looks pretty similar too. The switch from a chain to a wire for the retaining pin I'd say is an improvement, the chain sometimes gets tanged and reduces its reach, only takes a few seconds to untangle it but in the middle of a fraught glue-up any hassle seems magnified!

I'm not trying to defend Rutlands, I think most of their stuff is just plain rubbish, but this was one product that does the job and is a lot cheaper. Incidentally, does anyone have the current Record Irwin sash cramps, and if so can they say how they compare visually with the Rutlands version?

 

[Steve Maskery]

I'm not saying they are rubbish, Custard, as I said they are OK. Good value, even. But I don't think they are top quality. The ones I had before were a mixture of ones that were my dad's and granddad's, at least one was made by Woden rather than Record and 4 were 6ft T-bar ones, a different model entirely (new, expensive and used only once - Grrrr!)
I think I do quite like the wire keep, it is at least long enough to be able to insert the pin from either side, which not all chained ones are. I think they will do the job.

I've made a rack for them this afternoon, I'll post a picture.

 

[Eric The Viking]

I got a bunch from Gumtree a while ago (local seller), mainly Woden, with a couple of Records too. I roughly fettled them a bit when I needed quite a few for planting bits onto the bottom of skirtings last year.
I used an M5 or M6 bolt (partially threaded), as quite a few were pinless. The trick is a Nyloc nut to go with it: when in use, you just put the nut on finger tight so the bolt can't drop out in a panic, when put away, go 1/4 turn into the nylon, so they can't work loose and get lost.

I have a couple of Silverline ones, too. They weren't expensive and they grip as well as my Records, but the hole positioning on the bar is apparently random. It looks like they made long lengths of bar with evenly spaced holes, then chopped it up irrespective of where the holes were. The only safe way to use them is to make sure you note where each individual one goes in a glue-up, and test them. It's really annoying that the ends with the tommy bars all end up in different places - it's no good trying to get them to just poke out over the edge of the bench.

The Silverline ones were originally chrome plated too, when I bought them - a really dumb idea. It's now flaking off, leaving sharp edges all down the bars. I'll need to have at them with a wire brush again, but it's hard to completely stop it once it starts to flake.

 

[Steve Maskery]

 

[Woody2Shoes]

Hi - I have a set (I bought in a sale last year, I think). I have found them perfectly good (the only annoying thing is they seem more susceptible to rust than my other clamps/cramps). I glue little bits of laminate floor underlay on the pads to protect workpieces. You mention Besseys and I'd had my eye on these http://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+woodworkin ... a+m_dkbc31 Have you discounted these (they are more expensive of course)? I wonder if anyone has experience of those ones too. Cheers, W2S

 

[Steve Maskery]

Those are the green ones you can see in the picture I've just posted. They appear to be quite good.
Of course, I've not used any of them in anger yet.

 

[Brian18741]

I have a set of these and can't fault them. In saying that though, I've never used any others to compare them to.