Mini F-Clamps

[Mike]

Mini F-Clamps

ScaleXtra via ModelsRgo

 

 

There are lots of clamps out there that promise the earth and deliver in varying degrees, and everyone has a different idea of what works for them.  This set of clamps from John @ ModelsRgo have been rather interesting, and have improved on another similar design that is well-known and has a habit of pinging off if you don't line the jaws up just right.

 

These pocket-friendly clamps arrive in a vacform pack with a card backing that I have subsequently lost in the morass that is my workshop floor.  You'll just throw the packaging in the bin anyway, so we'll push on to the more important parts.  Inside the plastic are a pair of twin-bar F-clamps with a metal core and tough ABS jaws in a fetching turquoise colour, with the contact surfaces coated with soft but durable foam.  One jaw is fixed at the end of the metal bars, with the other free to move 4" or 10cm apart, ignoring the squishy foam, which will deform to give you full "bite".  The opposite end of the bars are covered with removable turquoise caps, the reason for which we'll get to later.  Also in the pack are two brackets/stands that have two holes and a slot, plus four mounting holes in the corners.  The clamps can be mounted either horizontally or vertically by removing the caps and pushing the bar-ends into the holes, or pushing the longer base of the outer jaw into the raised slot.  This gives you stability which can be further enhanced by fixing the clamps to your bench, or to another substrate such as a length of wood if keeping the clamps aligned is important.  If you insert the bar-ends into the holes, just be careful to pull them loose along their axis, as I managed to crack my base plate by being cack-handed.

 

 

The soft foam prevents damage to even the most susceptible of surfaces, and ensures that the parts you are holding have little chance of slipping out of the jaws, even if they are poorly aligned.  Having used some more famous yellow clamps that utilise carbon rods, these metal rods give more rigidity that will save you a lot of cursing and hunting for missing clamps around your workspace.

 

At a little over a tenner for a pair, they're good value as they will last you years, and even if you wear out the foam, you can always glue some more onto the jaws and cut it to shape.  A very useful tool to any modeller, and a perfect way of holding setting fuselages, wings and other items in place while the glue cures.

 

Very highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

[bootneck]

Those clamps look interesting and an improvement on the original style.  I've just ordered a set; thanks for the review Mike.

 

Mike

[Panzer Vor!!!]

Do they come in Green or Grey though ???  

 

 

[Orangesherbert]

Clever little clamps

[CedB]

Thanks Mike - as a fan of 'the yellow ones' I need to try these if they're better! On the wish list  

[corsaircorp]

Hello,

Thank Mike, seem interesting, also on my wish list.

Corsaircorp

[docipaul]

I just bought a set  

[docipaul]

very fast turn around, ordered it tuesday night, got it friday!

only thing is, they are massive for 1/72 models but will work.

[Mike]

That was quick!!!

[bootneck]

Mine arrived last week and I've been using them already.  My builds are mainly 1:144 scale and they hold a model quite well.  They are also useful as a cradle to hold 1:350 scale ship models.

 

Mike

[fewr9fkr9595]

Excuse my stupidity if I'm missing something blatantly obvious - but how do they stay shut and actually clamp stuff together? Is It just the friction along the rods? I thought they would be threaded or similar? 

[Mike]

Friction along the rods is the way it works.  The clamps are put into twist by closing them around your chosen victim, which causes them to brace against the rods due to the slight flexibility of the plastic and metals.

[Andy Robbins]

A bit like toolmaker's clamps, only without the screw threads.

[Stalker6Recon]

On 3/1/2017 at 12:19 AM, AnonymousDYB said:

Do they come in Green or Grey though ???  

 

 

We are modellers, they come in any color we want! Shot of some burnt iron..... Maybe some hotrod red, or gun metal would look nice as well.

 

Thanks for the review, clever little clamps, especially liked the method of choice between vert and horizontal, nice features. The fact that you broke the plate puts a bit of scare into me. My guess though, when mounted, the chanced of that happening goes down quite a bit. Even if it breaks, a little CA and your right back in business.

 

Thanks again for the review,

Anthony