Bar Clamps

Bar clamps are long, versatile clamping tools used to hold large objects together, usually while gluing wood pieces edge-to-edge to make a wider panel.
Here is the simple breakdown of what they do:
• Long Reach: They have a long bar or pipe, allowing them to clamp items much wider than a C-clamp can handle (e.g., a 4-foot wide tabletop).
• Two Jaws, One Sliding: One jaw is fixed at the end of the bar, and the other jaw slides freely along the bar to get close to the object. A screw handle on the sliding jaw is then tightened to apply pressure.
• Spreads the Force: They apply even pressure across a large area, which is perfect for woodworking projects where you want a smooth, strong glue joint without gaps.
• Lightweight for Size: They are relatively light compared to their clamping capacity, making them easy to use in a wood shop.
In short, a bar clamp is a long, adjustable clamp that applies wide, even pressure, essentially acting as an extra set of long, strong arms for assembling large projects.