# HF 36" Aluminum Bar Clamps, moderately average



## grub32

I agree 100% with you…I have about 15 of them and they work great for what I paid for them. I have not had one break in three years. I use them to glue up panels and cutting boards. Not a lot of use but probably used em all at least 20 times. Got my money worth.

Grub


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor

If you screwed a little piece of hardwood or metal on the buggered up spot, they might just last forever)


----------



## skywalker01

I have quite a few of these probably 6-10. I've broken 2 of them already. The failure happens on the blue arm right by the screw. The piece that the actual thread goes through will break right underneath the threaded part if you give it too much pressure. I thought it might be a fluke on the first break but then the next one broke in the exact same spot. It looks like 80 grit sandpaper inside the metal and I'm sure it's super crap. They were soooo cheap though and like you I couldn't pass them up. If you have to put enough pressure on them to break them then your joint probably isn't fitting correctly and we should fix that first I suppose. Also the arm that does the pushing on the threaded side tends to push the board up away from the clamp so I usually end up having to clamp the board down to the table or something. I wouldn't complain if I hadn't gone out and bought some bessey K bodies a while ago and WOW what a difference. Perfect clamp ups every time and sooooo easy to use. I'd give these blue suckers 3 stars too , not bad but not great. They do the job.


----------



## a1Jim

Cheap but workable sounds good for a start. there 3/4 Pipe clamps are even less when there on sale and much stronger.


----------



## RvK

I was actually going to pick up the pipe clamps (they were like 3.99 on sale IIRC tho they were out of stock anyways) but when you factor in the cost of the pipe the bar clamps were actually cheaper (for the size I needed anyways), tho I I'll grab a few next time I go back if they have any in stock at that price.


----------



## richgreer

I bought 6 clamps like these a few years ago. 3 of the 6 have broken. The other 3 are my "last resort" clamps. I only use them when all the other clamps of a similar size are in use - which is rare. In addition to breaking, I find them awkward to use.


----------



## gizmodyne

I would rate these 1 star. Mine broke easily as described above. Pipe clamps would be a better investment.


----------



## bobkberg

Based on what I've read, I'm certainly not going to buy any of these. besides, I like my pipe clamps because I can add and subtract length as needed. One lesson I learned the hard way years ago - Buy the best tools you can afford.


----------



## interpim

I had the casting on one of these snap the day I bought it… don't put heavy pressure on it at all, or else you'll end up with a broken clamp as well.


----------



## RedShirt013

Alum Bar clamps and pipe clamps are two different products and I don't see why one should abandon one over the other. I use my pipe clamps a lot for glueups, but aluminum clamps are so light they are awesome for assembling cabinets, where you need the length but don't need the super clamping force and the weight. I got two and I use them just as much as my pony pipe clamps. Mine haven't break yet, but I haven't really over cranked them yet.


----------



## GaryBuck

Red shirt,, I couldn't put it better I posted a comment on these here a while back and boy did I get an ear full. I think everybody expects a dollar or 5 dollar bar clamp or squeeze clamp to produce the same as a $20 bar clamp or even more. Not everybody can afford to drop the big bucks on tools and for a chiepie I think they are great. I've had mine for years and never had one break yet, but then again I don't use them on "HEAVY" clamping or expect them to do the work of a big vise. Use them for what they are made for as with all your tools and they will give you your monies worth over and over. I have no complaints, I got quite a few of them.


----------



## BreakingBoardom

I have 4 of the 60" versions of these from HF but mine have plastic caps on the surface so as to not mar the wood you're clamping. They are ok but in softer woods like pine, the will leave indentions in the wood. I had to use wood blocks to spread the pressure out and keep them from leaving indentions. But yeah, for the cheap price, 3 stars is about right. When I can afford some Bessey or Jet clamps, then I'll be more critical.


----------



## momiji

Well! It seems I wasn't the only one having problems with these. None of mine broke but I can't clamp anything seriously since the aluminum bar bends under pressure and the clamps push the wood up and away from it. Not only do I have to clamp both sides of the pannel I'm gluing but I also have to use short F-clamps to hold these in place!!!. I end up using twice as many as my bar clamps so there really was no savings…


----------



## MattObjects

I bought 6 of these because at the time, they were the only clamps of this type anywhere close to my price range. A handful of projects later, I have 1 semi-working clamp left. The castings on the other 5 broke through just below where the vise screw passes to tighten the clamp. On the bright side, I salvaged the aluminum bars from four of the busted clamps and used them for quite a while as the sides and slide of a router sled planing jig . . .

The manager at Harbor Freight told me the clamps actually have a lifetime warranty but that it won't be honored unless you keep your receipt. So these wouldn't be that bad a deal if you bought a dozen or so, kept the receipt some place safe, and just planned to return a few every time you went to HF . . .


----------



## superdav721

Thanks for the review.


----------



## KTMM

I have 4 of these in the 48" flavor, the first use two of them lost retainer pins and one barely holds on every other indentation. I've been looking for some better quality versions of these, but I have two of the fully adjustable Bessey K-bodies, and I may just save up to get more of them.


----------

