Munkul
Jack of some trades, Master of none
- Messages
- 7,382
- Location
- Cumbria
I've been using Piher maxipress clamps for a while, they're great. Loads of clamping force, great design, and well priced. But the last batch of trestle legs i did, I damaged one of the screw threads - repeated tightening to max hand-tight - I think the internal thread just isn't up to the duty i was putting it under.
So, I scoured the market... I needed 10+ kN holding force (1 ton) and a large screw thread.
It came down to these:
Bessey SG30M - £75 delivered
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/clam...6zugIaGKqUPWM_K1kWgaAi-HEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Kennedy HD 120x300
https://www.zoro.co.uk/shop/hand-tools/speed-clamps/heavy-duty-t-handle-multi-hold-clamps/f/5440
I went with the cheaper option After discount, came to £42 delivered.
Initial impressions are very good. It's a pretty hefty bit of kit. The included V and textured pads are nice. Best of all, it has a 14mm hex on top of the T-handle.
I'm using this to clamp down 50x3 box section to put a 3mm pre-set bend in it before welding. It's over a short distance, so the clamping force is literally as tight as you can take it.
The internal thread resistance is higher than that of the Piher clamps, so it's really quite hard work to tighten each time. So I use a ratchet on it
You can see the bend in the backbone. It's toight, like a toiger!
I've only used it for one saturday's work so far, but I have a hundred more trestle legs to finish this batch, and there's two sides to each trestle, so another 200 stress cycles. If it's gonna fail at all, I guess it would be on this sort of use.
Is it as good as the Bessey SG30M? Probably not. We have Bessey at work, and they are very similar build, but maybe slightly heavier built.
The only upgrade I could maybe make over this, would be a HD Carver clamp, but they cost around £300!
Is it worth the £42? Definitely.
If it breaks, I'll buy a Bessey, though
So, I scoured the market... I needed 10+ kN holding force (1 ton) and a large screw thread.
It came down to these:
Bessey SG30M - £75 delivered
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/clam...6zugIaGKqUPWM_K1kWgaAi-HEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Kennedy HD 120x300
https://www.zoro.co.uk/shop/hand-tools/speed-clamps/heavy-duty-t-handle-multi-hold-clamps/f/5440
I went with the cheaper option After discount, came to £42 delivered.
Initial impressions are very good. It's a pretty hefty bit of kit. The included V and textured pads are nice. Best of all, it has a 14mm hex on top of the T-handle.
I'm using this to clamp down 50x3 box section to put a 3mm pre-set bend in it before welding. It's over a short distance, so the clamping force is literally as tight as you can take it.
The internal thread resistance is higher than that of the Piher clamps, so it's really quite hard work to tighten each time. So I use a ratchet on it
You can see the bend in the backbone. It's toight, like a toiger!
I've only used it for one saturday's work so far, but I have a hundred more trestle legs to finish this batch, and there's two sides to each trestle, so another 200 stress cycles. If it's gonna fail at all, I guess it would be on this sort of use.
Is it as good as the Bessey SG30M? Probably not. We have Bessey at work, and they are very similar build, but maybe slightly heavier built.
The only upgrade I could maybe make over this, would be a HD Carver clamp, but they cost around £300!
Is it worth the £42? Definitely.
If it breaks, I'll buy a Bessey, though