Roger Bisby takes a firm grip with the Hultafors Clamps.
How many times have I asked an assistant to hold something, while I fix it, only to find they have lost interest, or started checking their text messages? How could you possibly know the answer to a question like that?
Well, it is enough for me to abandon my faith in the human race and turn to mechanical aids. If the choice is between a human being and a clamp then give me the clamp any day.
There is, of course, any number of clamps on the market, and I think I have them all. You can even pick them up from the pound shop, but before you rush down there let me tell you they are only worth half that.
The Swedish tool company, Hultafors has a lot of experience in carpentry tools, and if you want a reliable clamp you will find them there. To the UK carpenter or builder some of these clamps might look a bit retro but the traditional designs have proved to be very durable and reliable out on site.
It is easy to understand why. A clamp that is designed in the laboratory is not necessarily going to perform well out 
on site. They have their place, but clamps with mechanisms that are hidden inside plastic casings can sometimes be prone to jamming with grit or even freezing solid if a little moisture gets inside.
The open threaded screw clamps have been a constant best-seller for over a hundred years. What you see is what you get – they can be operated with one hand and are capable of exerting huge clamping pressure.
Where trigger clamps have a finite clamping pressure of around 120kg the screw clamp is limited only by the strength of the person winding it up. If you could hazard a guess as to what that clamping pressure of a screw clamp is many people would probably say double that of a trigger clamp, but it is nearly six times that.
FEATURES AT A GLANCE
Hultafors QCX/QC Quick Clamps
- Compact design and a thin, die-cast front/back to make working in confined spaces easier.
- Ergonomic grip with quick 2-stage feed and reset.
- Durable glass reinforced nylon and die-cast steel rail for extra durability.
- The prism-tracked rubber coating minimises pressure damage and increases the clamping force.
- 8 models: span: 150–600 mm, 75-95 mm.
- Clamping force up to 100-120 kg (QCX) 60-70 kg (QC).
Hultafors CF/CFP/CM Screw Clamps.
- Durable die-cast steel rail, profiled and gloss-galvanised. (CF/CFP)
- Robust rail of chrome-plated steel, grooved to prevent the leg from slipping when the clamp is being attached. (CM)
- Two-component pivoting handle for greater force when tightening and loosening. (CFP)
- The rail has thin ends, ensuring ease of use in confined spaces. (CF/CFP)
- 22 models: span: 100–500 mm, depth 50-175 mm.
- Clamping force up to 700 kg (CFP) 670 kg (CF) 500 kg (CM)