Bar Clamps are all based on a long metal bar with two moving jaws one which moves by preset increments along the bar and locks in place, the second is fixed to one end of the bar by a threaded rod which is used to tighten the jaws on the material being worked on. They are often used in the making of doors, table-tops, windows, glue-lam boards and laminated beams as well as assembly tasks. They often have predrilled holes for them to be bolted to a work surface for stability.

Sash Clamps are the most common type of bar clamp with a thin bar.

T-bar clamps are similar but the bar has a cross section shaped like a ‘T’ giving grater support and a more rigid structure useful for larger items

Pipe clamps have a circular cross section like a pipe and are generally shorter as they are normally used for smaller jobs, they aren’t designed to clamp pipes despite the name