Do my clamps need to be cleaned?

[Irvin]

I have been letting my clamps go except for lubricating the posts for about 300-400 rackets now. I have a Gamma 6004 which are supposed to good clamps and I figured I would wait until they slipped to clean them. Well they never did and I got tired of waiting.

I took my clamps apart (I don't recommend this unless you're mechanically inclined or you have Gamma Tech's number) and this is what they look like inside.

Actually not bad and I could not see any real build up on the gripping portion of the clamps.

I cleaned the clamps with Break Free CLP being careful not to get any on the clamping surfaces. I used a soft bronze brush to gently clean the gripping surfaces with alcohol and here they are all cleaned up.

Not really much different. I put them back on the machine with one cleaned clamp and one still not cleaned for a long time.

Did they hold any better? No, they both clamped and held the string about the same. But the cleaned clamp was much smoother to operate.

 

[darklore009]

I thought it would hold better when cleaning the clamps. People told me that the clamps would get debris from the string. So, I clean my clamps once a month.

 

[Irvin]

^^Probably a very good idea.

 

[LiquidWhip]

Just a theory but perhaps after cleaning, they might hold the string better than when they were dirty when there's less clamping force being applied - which might be useful when clamping gut or soft multis?

 

[jim e]

Maybe it depends on the string used as some string may leave more residue. I string a lot of nat. gut and I have to constantly clean the clamps. Once I overlooked the starting clamp to clean and that caused the string to slip through the starter clamp, but once cleaned was good to go.

I guess I rather be on safe side and keep clean, as 1 bottle of alcohol goes a long way and it is relatively fast to clean.

It is no less interesting to see your clamps apart and not too dirty after all that stringing.

 

[darklore009]

i think natural gut, synthetic gut, and mutli will leave some residue. cuz of the coating that they have when they are manufactured. as jim e said, i always clean my clamps whenever i string natural gut. I clean my clamps with a pipe cleaner dipped in alcohol or a tooth brush.

 

[Irvin]

^^ I agree Jim and I forgot to mention I used 91% alcohol. Don't use a watered down alcohol. I used CLP to clean my turntable once too but it makes it collect dust faster now I alcohol to clean just about everything except the shaft, hosel, and bearing on the clamp. I just put a little CLP on a clean rag and dusted the clamps off. I think the manufacturers recommend alcohol on everything.

 

[fuzz nation]

Yowza - Irvin, thanks for posting those close-ups. I've got the same clamps in my rig, but haven't knocked out a bundle of jobs yet. I'll probably be thinking about cleaning them after things get busy for a while in the spring, but it looks as though disassembly requires some care.

Appreciate your taking the time.

 

[Irvin]

Disassembly isn't bad it is the assembly that you'll run into problems with. I would suggest just cleaning them assembled.

 

[eelhc]

Mine are due for a deep cleaning... They grip the strings just fine but the adjustment dials do not turn easily and do not click crisply when the dial is turned. Might take them apart and give them a good soak in an ultrasonic cleaner.

Does anything need to be lubricated at all?

 

[Irvin]

There is a bearing that I would think needs lubrication but I would check with the manufacturer.

 

[JetFlyr]

What do you guys think about putting the clamps and parts in an ultrasonic jewelry cleaning bath?

 

[Irvin]

What do you guys think about putting the clamps and parts in an ultrasonic jewelry cleaning bath?

I think that would be overkill. The only thing you need to clean is the clamping area. Unless there is a problem with the mechanics of the clamp I would leave them alone.