# NEW STYLE RAIL CLAMPS



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Any one suing the new 2 screw style rial clamps?

How do they hold up?

Do you like them ? 


What I got now is not working

Spent 30 minutes trying to get one Clamp on one rail. 



JJ 

PS sorry was a typpo I meant 2 screw.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Who is manufacturing "new" 4 screw clamps? The only ones I know of are the old ones from San Val, from years ago... 

Thanks, Greg


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Aristo has 2 screws??? go see their site. Is that what your talking about? they work fine for me.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By NTCGRR on 05 Dec 2010 03:15 PM 
Aristo has 2 screws??? go see their site. Is that what your talking about? they work fine for me. 

Yea that is what I am talking about

Was a typo when I first posted. 

So they work for you.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

I just bought a 100 of Axles Rail clamps from Train Li to use for our show displays,


Much beefier than Aristos and cheaper when ordered in bulk

Also SS screws, I like them. They come in brass and plated nickel


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## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

You get what you pay for. Split Jaws for me.


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## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

Who is JJ suing 2 screw?


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

He says he just got his Social Scrutiny check, so now I guess he's going on a spending spree!! Did you get the downed press fixed yesterday???? Hah LOL Regal


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

JJ isn't suing, He's screwing!


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## BodsRailRoad (Jul 26, 2008)

Posted By Del Tapparo on 05 Dec 2010 04:41 PM 
You get what you pay for. 

Agreed, thats why I think Axel's pro clamps are much better than the split jaws.

The screws that splitjaw uses are really week. They bend like a wet noodle compared to the pro-clamps stainless steel screws.

I was able to bend all my curves with the proclamps installed with no problems, while the splitjaws hex screws kept bending causing the rail to separate durning the process.

Then you and in the much lower cost and the ease of top down installation vs the awkward sideways allen key install of the splitjaws and it's a no brainer.

I have installed at least 250 pairs of these and have yet to strip or break a screw.

Trust me you will be happy with the proclamps, and so will your wallet.

Ron

LINK to Brass version, which has STAINLESS STEEL brass plated screws

Link to Nickel Plated version, Stainless steel screws


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By blueregal on 05 Dec 2010 05:38 PM 
He says he just got his Social Scrutiny check, so now I guess he's going on a spending spree!! Did you get the downed press fixed yesterday???? Hah LOL Regal 

Yes I got the press fixed Saturday morning. I finally got them to do my Scratch Test Friday after noon. While the press was running at top speed we saw the scratches as we took test sheets from the delivery

I hit emergincy stop. The high pitched screech of the brake is like fingers on a chalk board. I started to pull sheets from each unit transfer. There were only scratches on the ones in the delivery. 

That meant that the Infared lamp housings had to come out becasue what ever was scratched was under them.

Saturday morning.....Sure enought there was Ink build up on the Belly pan of the delivery. 

JJ


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## Ron Hill (Sep 25, 2008)

I have been using Hillman's rail clamps for 10 years and have never had a problem with them. I like to use the Triad clamps so I can remove one section of track without taking the whole thing apart if necessary. I also use their expansion track to help control thermal expansion. 
Ron


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## Ron Hill (Sep 25, 2008)

I have been using Hillman rail clamps for 10 years and have never had a problem with them. I like to use the Triad clamps so I can remove one section of track without taking the whole thing apart if necessary. I also use their expansion track to help control thermal expansion. 
Ron


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## Ron Hill (Sep 25, 2008)

I have been using Hillman rail clamps for 10 years and have never had a problem with them. I like to use the Triad clamps so I can remove one section of track without taking the whole thing apart if necessary. I also use their expansion track to help control thermal expansion. 
Ron


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I have a bunch of Splitjaw rial clamps on my layout ( about 20 %) 

Today I ran trains but had UV rotted ties that disolved as my SD-45 was high balling it on the straitaway.

I took the section of rails out. I put on some Flex ties. And put the section back in 

My split jaw clamps decided to be diffacult. It took me 45 minutes to put on 4 clamps. When I went to tighten them on or the other split piece was turned the wrong way.

When I got them turned around and was starting to tighten them The solid pice failed to catch the foot of the rail and went under it Or It was angled worng and the foot of the rail would not slip into the notch.

If they were built backward where the solid piece was the part with the treads It would work much better.l

So Now I am going to try something else. 

Even if I have to go back to orginal Aristo jointers. 


JJ 


PS f I do not want to turn this into a vendetta against split jaw products. I have severy other products of thiers Right now I am anoied at thier clamps.

PPS My thought right now is to drill out the split part and put bolts all the way throuh with the solid piece on the back and use Bolts and nuts on them


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

There's some build up on my belly pan too, but I don't think it's ink.....


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## BodsRailRoad (Jul 26, 2008)

I feel your pain on the split jaws John. 
I had to remove one of my R7 switches for maintenance a couple of weeks ago. I just undid the screws from the switch side,
leaving the clamp in place and still secured to the other tracks by the remaining screw, and just lifted the switch out.
I didn't even have to disturb the rest of the track, ten minutes later the switch was back in and operations continued.

Ron,

PS HEY Ron J you must REALLLLLLLLLLLLY like those hilman clamps


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Hillman's are excellent railclamps! Split-Jaws are excellent railclamps! It's a bit like Coke and Pepsi with each having it's strong and weak points.


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

The only problem with a mix of clamps is not everyone could get together and agree on a hex screw size. Also using some of the Aristo "screw" type. Using four brands of track already, so why standardize anything else?


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## acmartina (Jan 6, 2008)

I have Hillman, Split-Jaw and new Aristo top-screw clamps (similar design to Train-li). All work well. I prefer Split Jaw for the ease of removing a piece of track leaving the adjacent piece and clamp securely in place. You just can't do that with Hillman's. You can do it with the Aristo top-screws by removing a screw entirely but you have to keep track of the loose screw.

The hex screws on SJ and Hillman are tricky with traditional Allen wrench, but using a ball-end screwdriver (7/64" for SJ, 3/32" for Hillman - why can't they use the same??), even the tightest switches are manageable. They are available from places like microfasteners.com, or directly from SJ and Hillman.

Steve


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## BodsRailRoad (Jul 26, 2008)

One thing to keep in mind, the Aristo clamps only look like the Train Li ones, but they don't compare.
The Train Li Proclamp uses high strength Stainless Steel screws, and the holes for them are machined to a very tight tolerance (no screw slop leading to stripped threads), and they are beefier so the screw holes are not to close to the end.


The Aristo clamps use Brass screws which are much much softer than stainless steel, and tend to strip and break, plus the screw hole is a bit sloppy and to close to the end of the clamp.


I wish that SJ would use better quality screws, the ones they use are to soft and tend to strip/bend/break.


I think the OP was looking for a different choice to SJ/Hillman style clamps and Train Li Proclamps are the way to go.


Ron


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