Why are clamps so expensive now?

[Eric The Viking]

Almost all types of clamp seem crazily expensive nowadays.

It seems to me that the price has shot up quite disproportionately over the last decade or so. The big brands are, frankly, ridiculous for what they are - I mean the components that go into them.

It's all low tech, with very little machining and finishing to do, and traditional G-clamps and sash cramps are very simple indeed.

I see "offers" on the premium brands (you know who you are), but they don't bring the price down to the level where I'll shell out, merely going from "extortionate" to "ouch".

If we have a competitive market, why are the prices so high?

Is it because they're very expensive to ship and store? It can't be because they're expensive to make, surely?

Puzzled and a bit annoyed these days.

E.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Have a 12" Record that I bought second hand in a sale about 30 years ago for £10. The list price at that time was several times that.
But yes, I agree with you, especially sash cramps - I've never understood why they are so expensive, they're quite primitive after all.

 

[DiscoStu]

I've always thought that Bessy and similar are very expensive. I have got a few bessy clamps but for big clamps I buy the Clarke ones. I'm sure they're not the best but they hold two surfaces together while glue sets so that's all they really need to do!

 

[Wuffles]

Like a lot of things, they're an investment I suppose. I suspect a set of Besseys will be worth more in a few years time than the others, but not everyone's into that kind of investment.

 

[DiscoStu]

You don't buy clamps as an investment though. Sure if you decide to give up wood working it's nice to know you can sell them but if you want to invest then gold or property is probably a better option!

I don't know why clamps are so expensive they really shouldn't be.


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[Wuffles]

You don't buy clamps as an investment though. Sure if you decide to give up wood working it's nice to know you can sell them but if you want to invest then gold or property is probably a better option!

I don't know why clamps are so expensive they really shouldn't be.


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You misunderstand what I mean, obviously I'm not suggesting you invest in clamps.

Some things keep their value better than others, you don't buy cheap tools and expect them to maintain a value should you wish to sell, I just bracket clamps into that.

If I found I no longer needed a load of Besseys, I know I could sell them, easily. They maintain a value.

 

[No skills]

I dunno, people are investing in Lego these days so why not Bessey clamps?

As to the op, it costs more to apply pressure these days

 

[Bale]

I bought some cheap sash cramps 15 years ago and have regretted it ever since. They're horrible to use. You get what you pay for; if the market price is too much for you, make your own. As you say, they're not hi-tech. If you think cramps are expensive, look at the price of a decent chisel these days. Or pretty much any hand tools really.

Pete

 

[Rorschach]

I think it's partly because they use a good bit of material (think how much steel is in a good size 48" sahs cramp) and also partly because it's not a consumable. Saw blades for example are cheap because aside from the really good ones they are throwaway items, you will always buy more. Buy a good clamp though and you will never need to buy another, it will last a lifetime.

 

[DiscoStu]

You don't buy clamps as an investment though. Sure if you decide to give up wood working it's nice to know you can sell them but if you want to invest then gold or property is probably a better option!

I don't know why clamps are so expensive they really shouldn't be.


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You misunderstand what I mean, obviously I'm not suggesting you invest in clamps.

Some things keep their value better than others, you don't buy cheap tools and expect them to maintain a value should you wish to sell, I just bracket clamps into that.

If I found I no longer needed a load of Besseys, I know I could sell them, easily. They maintain a value.

Sorry I did know what you meant - I wasn't really suggesting that I thought you were investing in them.


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[Wuffles]

I put all my money in candy floss long ago, I'm not an idiot.


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[DiscoStu]

Probably safer than Northern Rock! I do know people who are investing in Wine. Their view is that if goes down in value then at least you can drink it!


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[shed9]

The thing with clamps is that, yes they are expensive for what they are but in my experience you certainly get what you pay for with them.

I've recently started to bin my old cheap and ineffective clamps with Bessey's. The pushing of the confirm payment button was initially hard but as I start to use them over my old clamps that process is getting easier. The quality of them is obvious over the cheaper copies and alternatives so there must be something to the higher price to some degree.

 

[Alexam]

I remember seeing Steve Maskery' video on Luthier clamps. If you don't need a lot of pressure, make em yourself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjKglYx2XTE
Malcolm

and this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyKiY-OK7WM

I use some of these - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkIDgLb9UNw

 

[Beau]

As said there is a fair bit of metal in good clamps and if you go for F clamps made of poor quality metal they simply end up slipping. Inherited a whole pile of Bessy clamps which are good but when I have to put my hand into my own pocket I have been impressed with the Urko ones. A bit heavy and clumsy but great power and have no failures to date http://www.tilgear.info/workholding/cla ... o-f-clamps

 

[paulm]

I tend to believe that you do get what you pay for, as in many things of course !

On the Axi' "The Knowledge" blog thing that Woodbloke does he has at least three features I think that deal with issues and shortcomings on using basic record style sash cramps, including gadgets to let them sit on a workbench without falling over, magnetic wooden pads to avoid marking work, and use of shaped wood spreaders to make up for the very small clamping areas of the jaw faces.

All those things are largely unnecessary if you bought decent, well thought out clamps in the first place, like the Bessey K clamps or similar !

Of course Axi' don't stock those, otherwise Rob wouldn't have much to blog about on clamping gadgets :lol: and they are expensive there's no getting away from it, I used to pick a few up at special show prices each year which lessened and spread the cost impact a bit. Once you have them it's just so fuss free and easy, no gadgets and fiddling required :roll: :lol:

Cheers, Paul

 

[Eric The Viking]

I agree - I have four of the 12" (300mm-ish) "small" Urko ones and they're very well made. That said, I note they now have tommy bars, which is a shame, as I find they get in the way and they're slower. You rarely need enormous force.

On the amount of metal thing, spot steel prices are extremely low at the moment. I can understand shipping being costly (they're heavy), but they're cast and forged to really low tolerances compared to, say the motor industry. Usually, accuracy = cost. The ones with glass filled plastics heads should be even cheaper - once made the mould should produce hundreds of thousands at a time.

 

[Wuffles]

I tend to believe that you do get what you pay for, as in many things of course !

On the Axi' "The Knowledge" blog thing that Woodbloke does he has at least three features I think that deal with issues and shortcomings on using basic record style sash cramps, including gadgets to let them sit on a workbench without falling over, magnetic wooden pads to avoid marking work, and use of shaped wood spreaders to make up for the very small clamping areas of the jaw faces.

All those things are largely unnecessary if you bought decent, well thought out clamps in the first place, like the Bessey K clamps or similar !

Of course Axi' don't stock those, otherwise Rob wouldn't have much to blog about on clamping gadgets :lol: and they are expensive there's no getting away from it, I used to pick a few up at special show prices each year which lessened and spread the cost impact a bit. Once you have them it's just so fuss free and easy, no gadgets and fiddling required :roll: :lol:

Cheers, Paul

Axminster used to stock Bessey, stopped once their own brand were brought in. Bessey clamps appear to be made in Germany too, rather than somewhere more Eastern, that'd explain a little towards their cost.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Axminster used to stock Bessey, stopped once their own brand were brought in. Bessey clamps appear to be made in Germany too, rather than somewhere more Eastern, that'd explain a little towards their cost.

Sssh!

I mentioned the EU once, but I think I got away with it... #-o

 

[ED65]

I agree - I have four of the 12" (300mm-ish) "small" Urko ones and they're very well made. That said, I note they now have tommy bars, which is a shame, as I find they get in the way and they're slower. You rarely need enormous force.

I agree, tommy bars aren't great for this for a couple of reasons. Although they do allow people with weaker grip to apply the necessary torque; given how much of the woodworking community is older gents you could speculate this is the reason they made the switch. But I imagine the explanation is more prosaic than that and it's simply that this is cheaper to produce.

I don't think this should be a dealbreaker for anyone who likes the product otherwise though, for the handy person (and which woodworker isn't? ) it's quite an easy mod to cut off the tommy bar and securely attach some type of handle.