Customer Reviews

Quick-Grip Quick Change 536QC 36-Inch Bar Clamp/Spreader

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This clamp uses the ingenius trigger grip design for unbelievable ease of use. This makes the clamp unbelievably easy to tighten using one hand. A few warnings about this particular product, however:

(1) Be sure the size is correct. I think the 36" size is too big for all but the biggest projects. I think the 18" size is the best all-around size.

(2) The plastic construction makes the clamps best for holding items "approximately" in place. If you need total clamping for cutting precision, look elsewhere.

All in all, a good product if it is the right size, and used for the right purpose.

These are your typical hand-ratchet clamps with an added feature -- the ends are reversible so it can work as a spreader if needed. They are solidly constructed, do not mark wood surfaces, and a great addition to my shop. I sometimes can't get the same force I would normally get out of a screw clamp, but for most jobs this is a great clamp.

The big benefit to these is that you get true mobility out of them. While holding a piece of work, lined up, in one hand, you use these quick grips in the other hand to secure the work. If it slips while clamping, it is still a one handed tool to release it, and reclamp it again. Enables you to maintain a professional flow to your work. I feel awkward when using regular clamps in comparison. They require two hands. You could use a spring clamp to hold it together, then get another clamp to give it a final hold, but the quick grip saves you from having to do that.
Having these clamps in a few different sizes is beneficial as well. Small ones are more frequently used, and don't get in the way. The 33 1/2" is great when you need to hold larger projects together, and you can't effectively use two smaller ones to substitute. Additionally the macro clamps give you deeper jaws for a farther reach, enabling you to use them for securing work, to your radial arm saw table for example. They are fast enough to be used for almost any application. Sometimes I use them to secure work when sanding with a power sander. A couple squeezes and they are on, and one squeeze and they pop off.
After getting the smaller ones, and using them, I immediately order two of the 33 1/2" for larger projects, and for tie downs on equipment, including the drill press, and occasionally the radial arm saw.
Their is a small rubber stopper, which you can readily remove, in order to reverse the end, and make it a spreader as well. Something not needed very often, but difficult to achieve without one of these.
One note is that these have built in rubber pads, that completely cover the metal internal end. That is an advantage when you do not want to mar the wood. That and the fact that you can squeeze these with one hand, creates a mechanism that is easy to use, but not something that you would want to use for strength clamping. As a safety measure, these clamp sufficiently for most operations, but a threaded bar clamp, is stronger. So for those operations where extreme strength is needed, these are not the clamps to use. You sacrifice mountain holding strength for the ease of use. For example if I was using a large bit on the drill press, and drilling into metal, I would clamp it with something more. Even the slightest movement in an operation like that, could cause a snag, sending the piece into movement. If you are using just one of them, at the end of a 24" board, and decide to rout the other end, it will move on you. Securing it with two of them, and it is super tied down. You get my drift.
The big advantage of quick grip clamps, is that they handle wood beautifully, even for glue up operations. Hold workpieces more than securely to do the job in most applications, and are so handy that they deserve more than 5 stars. I would feel lost without them. It is another tool in the must have category.

THIS NEW STYLE OF BAR CLAMP SPREADER IS A TRUE WORK OF ART. THEY ARE SO SIMPLE TO USE AND ADJUST, BOTH IN THE CLAMP OR SPREADER MODE.HOW MUCH EASIER CAN IT GET? ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT THE IDEAL CLAMP FOR ALL APLICATIONS, IT SUIT'S 9 OUT OF 10 PROJECTS.OTHER CLAMP MAKERS ARE NOW PRODUCING THEY'RE OWN VERSION OF CLAMP/SPREADER TOOLS AND THAT'S PROOF OF QUICK-GRIPS SUCCESSFUL DESIGN AND POPULARITY. BE SURE AND USE A DRY LUBE ON THE CLAMP BAR ITSELF TO AID IN MOVING THE CLAMP AND PREVENTING RUST.

nOW GET OUT THERE AND CLAMP IT DOWN

when you have these clamps. They're super. I thought they were a gimimick, but now that I've built a fence, an arbor, a cabinet and two tables, I'm sold. Get a bunch.

The molding on my car was falling off and I needed to glue it back on. I tried using duct tape, but that wasn't working.

I bought a Quick-Grip Bar Clamp to use for the job. It worked great. Very easy to use. Soft pad on the clamp did not scratch the paint.

I'd recommend this to anyone. Another great IRWIN product!

I have had a pair of 6" capacity clamps for over 20 years and use them all the time in my shop. Wouldn't be without them.
I would like to buy longer bars to increase the capacity to 12", 18" and 24". I don't see the need for additional clamps just the longer bars.
If any one knows where to buy longer bars please let me know.

I love this clamp, its realy great for when you just need something to be held togeather but not at an insane amout of force. It does not even compare in force to my pipe clamps, but the Quick-Grips are much quicker to put on than a pipe clamp, so I offten have clamped with the Quick-Grip first, then came back later and put on a pipe clamp.

I use this clamp for everything from holding down wood on sawhorses to installing cabinets and i don't have any problems

I have the 12" 18" and 36", I used the installing counter-tops in my kitchen and holding guides on my table saw. The handle never slipped and was very easy to adjust and release.