11 replies to this topic

[dklawson]

In the back of most British car magazines available over here there are advertisements for Machine Mart. Typically their color adds are full of pictures of tools from Clarke.

Clarke tools have started showing up on our store shelves over here. I'm trying to come up with Christmas suggestions for family members and saw that Clarke has an electric scissors/shear used to cut up to 14 gauge steel sheet. I cut steel all the time with snips and saws and was thinking this might be nicer.

So... are Clarke tools any good or are they junk? Have any of you by chance used their electric shears?

[Sleepy Stu]

Heh Doug

Ive got some Clarke tools knocking about and have never had any problems with them whatsoever. But you will probably want a few more opinions to confirm this!

Stu

[edi57]

I've also found that Clarke tools are always up to the job.

Sensible quality and sensible price. Generally good all round.

Ed.

[Ethel]

They are quite popular over here, more so with the building trade. I'd think most if not all of their stuff is produced under contract (such a wide range) so quality may vary. I have a Clarke welder that's still going strong after several years but I've also destroyed one of their gear pullers at the first attempt, without all that much effort.

[Guess-Works.com]

I started off with their sockets, and still have all of them...

[robze]

Clarke tools are good value for money and can last years and years. they do exactly what it says on the tin

Rob

[dklawson]

Thanks all. I guess I can feel comfortable adding the electric shear to my Christmas list.

[nomininolife]

Machine Mart is my second home, the mrs gets fed up of their catalogues, I have one for every room.

Cant fault the quality and the V.F.M




David

[Kerrin]

Got a Clarke air shear, it is brilliant, it has three piece blade and the centre pivots and cuts a 1/4" strip of metal out of the sheet

I chopped a boot floor repair panel down as I only needed the back section, it took me 20 seconds, compared to hours with snips.

Not seen the electric ones but Clarke tools are generally ok.

[rot remover 71]

Got a Clarke air shear, it is brilliant, it has three piece blade and the centre pivots and cuts a 1/4" strip of metal out of the sheet

I chopped a boot floor repair panel down as I only needed the back section, it took me 20 seconds, compared to hours with snips.

Not seen the electric ones but Clarke tools are generally ok.

Clarke tools are" badge engineered"and are the same as Draper and Sealey,but none the less very good as i have stacks of them in daily use.My next mini i will invest in a powered chopper

[apbellamy]

I would say that clarke stuff varies in quality.

I have a clarke mig welder which is great.
I have broken 2out of a set of 5 ratchet spanners ( I can be a bit heavy handed though)
I broke two out of the set of stud extractors

I bought a large and quiet expensive work bench. It's absolutley rubbish! The drawers are bolt together and are flimsy. The screws to fasten the top down are low grade, flat heads and they snap with the slightest bit of resistance - I ended up buying better ones and re-drilling the frame. I wish I had sent it back!

What the clarke stuff really lacks is instructions. The ones for the bench where in giberish and most tools don't come with any, which is fine as long as you have used them before.

That said, i keep going back to MM....

[JohnGordon]

the tools seem to be quite reasonable quality and the price is good too but saying that i'm not that happy with the engine stand i bought