To deliver quality workmanship you probably know by now that you need the right gear. Simply having the skill to weld effectively won’t be enough once you start working on pipes. The round components are tricky to keep in place while you work.
Luckily today’s market offers you solutions in the form of chain clamps. We inspected the Mathey Dearman range to determine whether it’s a valuable investment for today’s professionals and handymen.
Why You Should Consider a Chain Clamp
A chain clamp is masterfully designed to keep cylindrical components in place and ensure that they don’t move at all. This can be used when stacking various cylinders on top of each other or keeping two pipes still that have to be welded together end to end. The same setup is also used to allow for grinding a pipe in two without the different parts moving and perhaps hurting someone.
Chain clamps are simple enough to use, so they’re handy whether you’re a pro or simply doing DIY work at home. But how does the Mathey Dearman range measure up?
The Mathey Dearman Range Reviewed
The first thing we noticed about the Mathey Dearman range is the extensive product list. You can purchase sets that will allow you to safely work on pipes as small as 1” in diameter up to 100” pipes or even more. Thickness is also not a problem when you pick this brand as you’ll be able to work on pipes with a wall as wide as 7/8”.
The brand also caters to various applications and preferences thanks to their various ranges:
- Lightweight chain clamps
- Tack-type clamps where very little training is required
- Stainless steel sets as well as steel sets
- Single and double jackscrew chain clamps
As mentioned above, quality workmanship is an important consideration and when you purchase a Mathey Dearman at Weldingoutfitter.com you’ll appreciate that it can help align your pipes within 1/64 of an inch.
The design is impressive as it empowers the user to work on elbows and ensure excellent alignment. In this aspect, it’s definitely a better option than other equipment such as cage clamps. Some of the Mathey Dearman chain clamp sets can do the work of eight cage clamps, which obviously translates into faster and more cost-effective work.
The sets are sold with storage boxes so they are easy to transport. You get an operating manual so even newbies will quickly learn to love this brand’s products.
Pros
- Wide range
- Durable
- Better option than cage clamps
- Manual included
Cons
- Some optional extras such as add-on jackbars come in handy but require additional expense
Rating
8.5/10
Final Thoughts
Adding a set of Mathey Dearman chain clamps to your toolkit can make for much safer welding or cutting of pipes. A bonus is that your workmanship can be better than ever before and you may even finish in record time as this brand is so easy to work with.