Bespoke drawer clamp for Timbertone from Lamont

TIMBERTONE Design Ltd has 25 years’ experience in the kitchen and bedroom industry. The factory, which is modern and purpose built, is based on a two acre site, near Moneymore in Northern Ireland. It is equipped with the latest production machinery and is constantly investing in new technology. As part of this program, Timbertone Design Ltd recently purchased a drawer clamp from Lamont, which has helped enhance the quality of the company’s dovetail drawers.

Director, David Anderson, explained that the company had previously used a wooden mallet to tap the drawers together: when working manually, there is the risk of the drawer not being square, which would mean that it would not run properly in the runner. With the drawer clamp from Lamont, this simply doesn’t happen: “This clamping system squeezes the drawer without putting pressure on the joints: the pressure is evenly spread across the drawer. The drawer is never off square now. This gives enormous peace of mind. I don’t know how I have done  without it for so long, actually!”

One reason why David turned to Alan Lamont of Lamont is that 10 years ago he purchased a matrix table from Alan for use with solid timber doors, a table which continues to give excellent service and is used on a daily basis. David speaks highly of the personal service he received from Alan. “I phoned Alan and described to him the machine I wanted, I told him what I needed, supplied him with three samples of different  sizes of drawers, including curved drawers, and when the machine arrived it did exactly what I wanted. It was made to my requirements, to suit what I am doing, not something off the shelf,” says David.

“Alan is a gentleman and took time to go through the order with me. Any information I requested he forwarded to me. I got all the time and attention needed to ensure that the product was made to suit my requirements.

“The machine was delivered sooner than I thought it would be: that was a bonus. Alan gave me the option of picking the machine up myself or having it delivered, and we chose to have it delivered. When the machine arrived we took the wrapping off and set it in place: everything was self-explanatory. We have had no hassles with it whatsoever, and everything is as it should be.”

When asked if he would recommend it, David replied, “Certainly, yes. I would recommend the company and the product, we received excellent service.”

This article first appeared in the April/May 2016 issue of Panel, Wood & Solid Surface.

Bespoke Lamont matrix clamp for Andoras Ltd

The bespoke matrix clamp purchased by Andoras Ltd.

ANDORAS LTD, in Southern Ireland, is a leading bespoke furniture manufacturer, whose recently launched Aisling Furniture range exemplifies the company’s high standards: the website, aislingfurniture.com, says that the company’s quest “is to satisfy each and every customer’s individual needs and desires, resulting in furniture that is unparalleled in terms of design, construction and finish.”

To meet these high standards, the company recently purchased a bespoke matrix clamp from Lamont.

“All our kitchens are high end, solid timber at the highest quality, the majority is hand built in-frame construction,” technical manager Anthony Douglas told PW&SS. “Usually the solid frame is 37 mm in size and implants directly onto the edge of the carcass. Our production is increasing: we are expanding and there is definitely an upward trend on how many pieces we are creating per week.  The clamps we had previously were not efficient enough to be able to clamp the 600 frames we needed clamped per week.

“I had always had in my head that a peg board system is the way to go: a matrix of holes where clamps can be fitted would be very versatile in all the sizes we do. We do not manufacture stock or set sizes: a customer can have any height, any width of frame or door that they wish. We needed as versatile a clamp as possible for these sizes.

“As I went through looking for peg boards, I found Alan Lamont. Where other manufacturers produced boards of set sizes, Alan was able to cater for everything I wanted on size. Although the table is reconditioned, there is no sign of this: it is practically brand new.

“I also needed an oversized machine: Alan had one that fitted the bill for me. Originally, it had only operated as a left hand side machine: I needed to have both sides operational. By talking with Alan and him understanding what I needed, he was able to manufacture for me exactly the shape and size of clamp we required. He was very helpful and the service was very good, he really stepped up for the mark.

“We have only had the table a few weeks and it is definitely paying dividends and increasing production. It has brought speed and efficiency. I used to have a clamp that only one operator at a time could use. Now you can have two operators working at the same time, an advantage of the left and right hand operation. Anyone can use it without much training: it is also a safe machine. It came very easy to install: it has four wheels on the bottom to manoeuvre into position, as well as a facility to easily take it off the lorry with the forklift very safely. Alan has thought of everything!

“We are using the matrix table to assemble frames and doors: it also has the versatility to glue up solid laminate boards. In its simplistic design (in the best sense) there is very, very little that can go wrong with it: it is very maintenance free! It only uses seven bar air pressure, which is not difficult for any workshop to achieve.”

When asked if he would recommend it, Anthony replied, “Definitely! It was a very pleasant buying experience. It was a bespoke machine Alan made for me, anything I asked for he did without any issue at all. I would definitely go back to him!”

This article first appeared in the Oct/Nov issue of Panel, Wood & Solid Surface.

Matrix tables and woodwelders from Lamont

LAMONT can offer a wide range of matrix tables in all shapes and sizes, as well as a broad selection of refurbished woodwelders, as shown in this picture.

With Lamont, all equipment is manufactured in the UK, with the equipment designed to suit customers’ exact requirements. Fully refurbished machines can be supplied, and Lamont offers a complete service from spares to repairs.

Although most well known for the range of matrix table assembly clamps and radio frequency glue curing equipment, as illustrated here, Lamont has in recent years changed the face of coffin production in the UK with a number of machines designed to increase the quality and speed of manufacturing, enabling the coffin industry to offer a better quality and more competitively priced coffin.

Lamont supplies clamping machines, gluesetters, previously owned equipment and spares and repairs.

Comments from customers that Panel, Wood & Solid Surface has spoken to over the years include praise for the high standard of service, before, during and after installation. Many people have spoken of Alan Lamont’s willingness to work with a potential customer to ensure that the machine that is chosen is the one that is exactly right for their needs, as well as the care and attention to detail during the delivery and commissioning process, ensuring that everything happens on schedule. The peace of mind of the spares and repairs service has also been highly praised. To find out more, contact Alan Lamont.

This article first appeared in the June/July 2015 issue of Panel, Wood & Solid Surface.

Massive Lamont matrix table for Laminates Ltd

LAMINATES Ltd is one of the UK’s leading specialists in the manufacture and distribution of bespoke kitchen worktops and ancillary products. Operating from three premises within the UK, Laminates supplies a wide range of laminate worktops, splashbacks, gables and
windowsills, supplying to customers throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

Recently, the company invested in a massive 5.3 m x 2.2 m matrix table, purchased from Lamont.

“We have been in business for 30 years,” Laminates’ Andrew Ruddiforth told PW&SS, “and for the past 20 years we have gone down the CNC route of getting machinery to do a lot of the work. However, there are still a lot of things the machines don’t do, especially on the bespoke side of things, and for the handmade product, the matrix table from Lamont allows us to apply pressure to edging before the glue sets, for example: we had been using hand held clamps which is quite time consuming so, by using this system, we are able to maintain the highest quality standards with our handmade products but in a more efficient way.”

Andrew had spoken to Alan Lamont of Lamont, as well as consulting the Lamont website, and was impressed with what he saw and heard.

“Alan understood what we wanted. We did not really feel the need to look elsewhere: alternative quotes were obtained, but were not as relevant to our needs as that from Lamont. What Alan provided was exactly what we were looking for.”

The new super-size matrix table has allowed Laminates to maintain the hand made aspect of its product, alongside the CNC automation.

“The main advantage of the matrix table is the speed in which we can manufacture our product without any loss of quality,” said Andrew.

The matrix table is used for a wide range of bespoke products: exhibition stands, worktables, framing panels and more.

When asked if he would recommend it, Andrew responded enthusiastically: “Yes, absolutely!”

He continued, “The service has been excellent. Alan has always kept us up to date and answered any questions we had; he made recommendations that would best suit our needs and visited us to understand our requirements. We were very pleased with the service we received.”

This article first appeared in the April/May issue of Panel, Wood & Solid Surface.

Pleasing response at W14 for Lamont

LAMONT had a very successful W14, where the company exhibited a small matrix table and a refurbished woodwelder RF gluesetter on the JMJ Woodworking Machinery stand.

Many enquiries were received and there were several sales off the stand, including the matrix table on display, which was sold to Yorkshire Timber, a customer introduced to Lamont by JMJ. Many more orders are expected in the coming weeks and months.

A woodwelder will significantly speed up glue drying times, as many of Lamont's customers will testify. Benefits include freeing up workshop space, as product is ready for the next stage of processing within minutes rather than spending hours in clamps, as well as reducing lead times, particularly with urgent jobs. Lamont has a wide range of refurbished woodwelders available.

Also highly regarded are the matrix pegboard clamps, which can be produced in sizes ranging from small, through medium to large. The vertical orientation saves space in crowded workshops, and the ability to position the pneumatic clamps to meet any requirement is also much appreciated.

Lamont also offers a range of specialist machines, including coffin clamping and assembly machines, which prove highly popular within their market areas.

Alan Lamont was very pleased with the response at W14 and looks forward to following up on the enquiries in the weeks and months to follow.

For more information, please get in touch with Alan Lamont.

This article was first published in the Dec 2014/Jan 2015 issue of Panel, Wood & Solid Surface.

Silvan Floors invests for the future with Lamont

Silvan Floors produces high quality hardwood floors at its mill in rural Leicestershire, personally selecting the raw materials from the forests of Northern France and supplying the finished products to prestigious projects around the world.

Always on the look out for the latest in machinery & equipment, Silvan Floors recently acquired a “monster” press to laminate flooring from Alan Lamont of Lamont.

“It was a case of expanding our business,” partner, James Iliffe, told PW&SS. “We needed more pressing capabilities for several large orders we had picked up, as well as needing to produce more metres per month.

“Through our research, we found Alan's company. He came and sat with us, went through the options we had. We explained what we did and what he required, and he informed us of a press he had provided for one of our competitors: we wanted something similar but on a larger scale. He came to see us two or three times before an order was placed to make sure we were happy with everything he was proposing and to ensure that we got a machine that was exactly what we needed.

“What we do is quite unique: we are one of the few companies in the world that can produce flooring up to 15 m long, and we needed a second press that could cope with at least 7.5 m lengths.

“We do always try to purchase UK goods, as in this way we can do our bit to help the economy: and if we encourage our customers to buy British, well, we feel we should do the same. Alan's pricing was not too far away from what we wanted to spend; and the fact that he had produced not one, but four or five, presses for our competitor was also an advantage. The other company must have been happy with what they were purchasing as they kept ordering more!

“We use it to press 6 mm oak veneers onto a 15 mm birchwood plywood: this is the main component of an engineered timber floor. The new press can handle components up to 7.5 m long and 350 mm wide: and we still have the other press if required for longer components.

“As a side loading press, the new machine is quick to load and unload: certainly quicker than the longer press, which is daylight loading. The time and labour saving is a huge advantage to us.

“Another advantage is the ability to move the rams around, so if we are pressing components at different lengths we can almost build a pyramid on the press and move the rams to suit each level.”

James added that another advantage is that the press runs off compressed air. “We have a power limit within the building, which we are very close to. With this press, the electricity runs the compressor but that it is all: which also means the cost of running the machine is lower than it would otherwise be.”

When asked if he would recommend it, James replied, “I most certainly would, yes!”

This article first appeared in the August/September 2014 issue of Panel, Wood & Solid Surface.

Significant savings in time for Tucker Joinery with a refurbished clamp from Lamont

TUCKER Joinery is a long established, family run business offering a complete range of timber products including joinery, furniture, staircases, conservatories and shopfitting, as well as providing a spraying & finishing service. Recently, company owner, Lee Tucker, invested in a refurbished “supersized” clamp from Lamont. Lee’s wife, Emma, also part of the company, took the time to speak to PW&SS about this purchase.

Emma explained that the refurbished clamp was required as its predecessor, which Tucker Joinery had owned for a number of years, had failed and needed to be replaced. Emma said that the company had turned to  Lamont “because it is a name we know and trust.” Lee had spoken to Alan Lamont in the past: and it was on the basis of these conversations that the order was placed now.

The clamp is used across the full range of Tucker Joinery’s products, including windows, doors, cupboards and units. Even having had a clamp before, Emma said that the main advantage of the new refurbished clamp had brought was time saving. “Work that would take somebody by hand three or four days we can now do in half a day. We can do quite a lot more on this one, so it is a lot better for us.”

She continues: “If anybody is looking for anything similar in a similar sort of business, we couldn’t praise the clamp enough. The time it has saved us is incredible and the whole process of buying it was easy. You were always kept up to date.” And concerning Alan, she says, “He was really helpful, kept us informed all the time, didn’t mind us phoning up to ask questions about delivery, etc. He was really approachable and really helpful.” Asked if she would recommend Lamont, Emma replied, “Yes, definitely.”

This article first appeared in the June/July 2014 issue of Panel, Wood & Solid Surface.

Cutting lead time in half with Lamont

Gerwyn credits the clamp and woodwelder
with cutting his lead time in half!

WITH 24 years of experience in joinery and carpentry, Timberworks Wales specialises in hand crafted, bespoke kitchens, windows, doors, frame and stairs, as well as offering a fast, responsive, subcontract CNC routing and cutting service from customers’ own stock or from bought-in materials on an Anderson PTP 3013 CNC router, believed to be unique.

“Owner and creator”, Gerwyn Lloyd, has recently invested in a range of equipment to improve the efficiency of the workshop and the service he can offer, including a matrix table and woodwelder from Alan Lamont. Gerwyn credits the clamp and woodwelder with cutting his lead time from 14-21 days to 7-11 days: in other words in half!

A keen reader of PW&SS, Gerwyn had been keeping his eye open over the past year for a vertical clamping system. He says, “We are very limited for space, so we needed something on wheels that could easily move about the workshop.” Alan’s system was the one that he read about most, so Gerwyn gave him a call to find out more.

He says, “Alan was brilliant. He brought some machines down, we had a demo and we were sold! We told him what we wanted by phone and email, and he answered all our emails really fast. He tells you what the machines can and cannot do, and then lets you make your own decision: he’s not pushy at all. We have had one or two issues, but those were our fault, not the product’s, and Alan helped out with those really quickly. He is an amazing guy!”

Indeed, Gerwyn has since ordered two additional rams, bringing the total up to six, so that more products can be clamped at once.

When asked to describe the advantages, Gerwyn had a long list: “Ease of use, and it speeds up the whole clamping process: also, we don’t have a workshop full of clamps spread around, everything is in one place. It also means a safer workshop, as we don’t have to worry about people tripping over pieces of timber. We use the RF gun [woodwelder] to prepare work for the CNC because it is so efficient and fast, and means that we can keep up with the CNC! And the time-saving is amazing: it will pay for itself in months.”

And the clamp and gun is used on a wide range of products: “Stair assembly, treads and strings; furniture assembly and parts; general laminating of timber to make decorative moulds; and a lot of kitchen tops. It makes everything twice as fast as previously. It works really well!”

Asked if he would recommend it, Gerwyn replied, “Oh yes, totally! If there were room I’d have another one.”

Stop Press: since this article was written, an additional woodwelder has been indeed purchased by Timberworks Wales!

McKye's speeds up gluing with Lamont

McKYE’S BESPOKE FURNITURE, based on the Wirral, has been producing beautifully crafted free standing and fitted furniture for the past decade. Tim McKye combines traditional cabinet making skills with modern technology, such as computer aided design, and is always on the lookout to invest in equipment that will further enhance the quality of his products. During 2013, Tim invested in a Woodwelder RF gluesetter, purchased from Alan Lamont of Lamont.

“We manufacture fitted furniture: we buy in timber and it goes through the machining processes. Doors, panels, mouldings: everything is made on site, nothing is brought in,” Tim told PW&SS.

“Gluing is an important part of our work,” he continues. “Without an RF gluesetter, what you do is join two pieces of wood together, put the glue in, then clamp it and wait for the glue to cure: which is fine if you can wait hours. In the winter, we do have heating in here, but when the doors are open you lose a lot of heat, so gluing times can become ridiculous. And if you rush the drying process, you don’t get a proper join.”

Tim has found the Woodwelder to be a valuable time-saver. “What used to take two or three hours to set is now ready in a minute … no, less than a minute,” he told PW&SS.

“It also saves time in other ways. A classic example: last night as five o’clock approached we had a short run of a dozen doors to glue up. In the old days, I would have worked late so that they could be clamped and set overnight: with the Woodwelder, we could leave it until the morning, when we were able to glue them up in half an hour. It’s a cracking little device!”

Tim had spoken to Alan Lamont previously and, from there, it was a simple process to find Alan’s phone number on the internet when the time came to purchase. Tim is also impressed with the back-up service Alan provides: “That peace of mind is important. Alan is just on the end of a phone if you want to speak to him.”

He continues, “We were using certain glues and we have changed that since Alan brought the woodwelder. He recommends different brands that work better with his machine: we have swopped over to these brands for general use as they are better quality glues.”

Asked if he would recommend it, Tim replied, “Absolutely! We would not have bought it otherwise. If you want to save time and are into production, I think it is a very, very useful tool.

“It is a luxury as you can still glue up pieces of wood and wait, if you don’t mind waiting, but there is always another way of doing things.”

He concludes: “We are very happy with it: there are only three of us in the workshop, but everyone says that we just take it for granted. We call it ‘the zapper’ …"

This article first appeared in the February/March 2014 issue of Panel, Wood & Solid Surface.

Lamont at Causeway Joinery

BASED in Kent, Causeway Joinery has been manufacturing bespoke joinery products for the trade and public for over 25 years.

Over the years, the company has built up an enviable reputation for quality and reliability, and is a member of the Guild of Master Craftsmen. Work undertaken includes doors, windows, staircases, cabinet work and period work, as well as other, more unusual projects.

The company recently invested in a new gluesetter from Lamont.

Causeway Joinery received a commission from a monastery for cabinet work, which involved turning around 1.5 km of shelving. With these kinds of quantities, the gluing process needed to be speeded up, so that the workshop would not be filled up with components in clamps.

A fellow joiner provided the solution: he had previously purchased a gluesetter from Alan Lamont, and he recommended both the product and the company to Paul Chapman of Causeway Joinery. Paul approached Alan and made the purchase in June.

Although the gluesetter was purchased with a particular project in mind, Paul finds that it is so fast and efficient that it is now used across the full range of Causeway Joinery’s work: for example, gluing up treads for staircases. It offers a much faster turnaround than alternative methods, in Paul’s experience, and it means that components can be worked on almost immediately after being glued: his workshop is not being filled up by components in cramps.

And having been recommended the product and the company by a friend, he would be happy in turn to recommend the Lamont gluesetter, and Alan Lamont's service, to others.

This article first appeared in the December 2011/January 2012 issue of Panel, Wood & Solid Surface.

Versatile Lamont

SINCE 1990, London-based Installations (Southern) Ltd has been manufacturing quality furniture for clients in the UK and abroad. Recent projects have included everything from skirtings to bespoke furniture.

Installations (Southern) Ltd recently purchased a matrix table from Lamont.

Company owner, Neville Sykes, told PW&SS that it was required because the previous pneumatic press, from a different supplier, had developed a serious fault. Investigating the market, Neville found that Alan Lamont was “the most helpful and pro-active, offering a good price and good service: he really is a nice person to deal with.”

Neville had been aware of Alan for some time, having seen him at shows such as W12 and read about him in PW&SS. Long-term relationships are important to Neville, so he is careful when making purchasing decisions and is loyal to his suppliers. He says, “It is a matter of finding the individuals who will look after you and help you. If you go to someone like Alan you do get the back-up. He kept talking to me during the purchasing process, keeping me updated on when the machine would arrive. It is also important to me to know that there is somebody there when something goes wrong.”

Neville says the Lamont matrix table is much more versatile than its predecessor. It is easy to set up so is quicker to use; has a bigger frame, but requires less space, and can easily be moved around the workshop as required. “You can angle it, do end clamping, do anything you like. As we do very varied items, it is good to have this versatility.”

Asked if he would recommend the product, Neville replied, “Yes, I would recommend dealing with Alan and dealing with the machine. It is spot on, and Alan has a nice product range. We looked at a variety of tables and chose the one that was right for us: he had a very wide range to offer, up to and including bespoke manufacture if required.”

This article was first published in Panel, Wood & Solid Surface, December 2013/January 2014.

Lamont equipment at Hereford Furniture

Hereford Furniture is an independently owned British manufacturer, with an established reputation for providing quality furniture collections supported by competitive prices and excellent service.

Delivering to retailers all over the country on a very regular basis, Hereford Furniture Ltd is a multi million pound operation that maintains a personal relationship with its customers.

During September, the company made the switch from importing doors to making everything in house, providing more control over production costs and availability of stock. An integral part of the door making equipment is a refurbished RF unit and a new clamp, both purchased from Alan
Lamont of Lamont.

The equipment provides quick, efficient drying, speeding up production and helping maintain the customer satisfaction that is so important to Hereford Furniture.

The company spokesman said that Hereford Furniture had turned to Lamont following recommendations from others in the trade and because the system “ticked all the right boxes. It was the right price, and I liked Alan: he gave me a lot of confidence when he spoke. And, the product does exactly what he said it was going to do!”

Advantages to Hereford Furniture include increased flexibility: “When we were buying in doors, all our products became built around the size of the door. Now we can make doors to suit the size of the unit we want. This has given us more control and an opportunity to offer more
models.”

This includes the new Grande wardrobes in the Farmhouse range, which are “much bigger than we could previously offer.”

Having received a personal recommendation of the equipment and the company, Hereford Furniture would be very happy to recommend Lamont to others.

This article was first published in the February/March 2012 issue of Panel, Wood & Solid Surface.