Bar clamp spreader
Updated: 23 October 2026
You need to push a frame apart. A bar clamp spreader is that same bar with the jaw reversed, and only some listings in this amazon.co.uk set say they can do it. The [one-handed clamp comparison](/hub/hand-tools/one-handed-clamp) has the spreader column. Seating a clamp for a normal pull is on the [how to use a one-handed clamp](/hub/hand-tools/one-handed-clamp/sub/one-handed-clamp-how-to-use) page. If the timber still has to be drawn together, the [one-handed clamp vs screw clamp](/hub/hand-tools/one-handed-clamp/sub/one-handed-clamp-vs-screw-clamp) page is the better tool choice.
You need to push a frame apart. A bar clamp spreader is that same bar with the jaw reversed, and only some listings in this amazon.co.uk set say they can do it.
You need to push a frame apart. A bar clamp spreader is that same bar with the jaw reversed, and only some listings in this amazon.co.uk set say they can do it. The one-handed clamp comparison has the spreader column. Seating a clamp for a normal pull is on the how to use a one-handed clamp page. If the timber still has to be drawn together, the one-handed clamp vs screw clamp page is the better tool choice.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Spreader | Jaw capacity | Jaw reverse | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Jorgensen Jorgensen 150 mm bar clamp, 4-pack | 290 mm | 150 mm | Quick-release button | 9.7 | about £29.99 | View offer |
| Best value |  WORKPRO WORKPRO 150 mm bar clamp, 2-pack | 285 mm | 150 mm | Red button | 9.6 | about £12.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  WORKPRO WORKPRO 305 mm bar clamp, 2-pack | 440 mm | 305 mm | Wingnut | 9.4 | about £16.99 | View offer |
On this page
Which of these clamps spread
Spread only when the listing says the jaw reverses, and stay inside the distance it prints. WORKPRO’s 150 mm pairs state 285 mm. The 305 mm pair states 440 mm. Jorgensen states 290 mm, and a separate join to a claimed 400 mm, which is a longer pull, not a spread. SIIIXS states up to 13.4 inch. DEKO prints inch fractions on both lengths. DBAILY states 130–435 mm and has no reviews.
IRWIN’s T54122EL7, the Roughneck, Hultafors and ZOFUN do not state a spreader. Presch names a function for door frames and prints no millimetres. A missing range is not one you invent. Eclipse spread figures belong to Eclipse, not to WORKPRO’s 285 mm.
Reverse the jaw the way that listing describes
There is no single click sequence for every ASIN. The £12.99 WORKPRO listing says a red button switches mode. The pink listing says a button takes the jaw off so it can be reversed. The 305 mm listing says you loosen a wingnut and move the fixed jaw to the opposite end. Do not use the wingnut method on the 150 mm packs. Jorgensen uses a quick-release button for the 290 mm spreader.
SIIIXS, DEKO, DBAILY and Presch name a conversion without a full step, and Presch prints no range. If the jaw will not release as described, do not hammer it along the bar. A 285 mm spreader is not a 440 mm spreader, and 290 mm is not the 400 mm join.
When to stop pushing
Stop if the bar bends, if a pad slips, or if the jaw bites a groove. A failure throws the ends outward, so do not stand in line with the bar. If the jaw creeps back, that is the slip SIIIXS reviews already describe, which is a worse idea in reverse.
A loose lining, pads on timber, inside a stated range, is as far as these listings go. A structural opening is a joiner’s job. A £12.99 bar is not a building prop. The 400 mm join is a clamp, not a reason to spread past 290 mm.
Updated 22 October 2026 from the spreader lines on these amazon.co.uk listings. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Common questions
Which clamps in this comparison say they spread?
WORKPRO’s three listings, Jorgensen, SIIIXS, DEKO, DBAILY and Presch state a spreading function. Presch does not state millimetres. IRWIN’s T54122EL7, the Roughneck Turboclamp, Hultafors and ZOFUN do not state a spreader. If the column on the main table is empty, do not reverse that jaw.
What ranges are actually printed?
WORKPRO’s 150 mm packs state 285 mm. The 305 mm WORKPRO states 440 mm. Jorgensen states 290 mm. DBAILY states 130–435 mm. SIIIXS states up to 13.4 inch. DEKO states inch fractions on both lengths. Presch states the function and no distance. Do not copy a neighbour’s range onto a blank listing.
How do I reverse a jaw that has a button?
Follow the button that listing names. On the £12.99 WORKPRO a red button switches mode. On the pink pair a button takes the jaw off so you can turn it. On Jorgensen a quick-release button lets the fixed jaw move to the other end. Do not use that button sequence on the 305 mm WORKPRO, which describes a wingnut instead.
What if the listing says wingnut instead?
The WORKPRO 305 mm pair tells you to loosen a wingnut and move the fixed jaw to the opposite end, for a stated 440 mm spread. That is a different action from the button on the 150 mm packs. If the wingnut will not free the jaw, stop. The 440 mm figure is the limit on that listing, not a target to beat.
Can I spread with the IRWIN mini or the Roughneck?
Not from anything those amazon.co.uk listings say. IRWIN states a 300 mm jaw and 63 kg, and no spreader. Roughneck states a 150 mm gripping capacity and no spreader. Reversing a jaw those pages never describe is a guess. Leave both of them for pulling.
Is joining two Jorgensen clamps the same as spreading?
No. The join is two 150 mm clamps linked to a claimed 400 mm clamp, which is still a pull. The spreader on one Jorgensen bar is stated at 290 mm. The listing does not turn that join into a longer spreader. Use 290 mm when you push, and the join only when you need a longer clamp.
What if I am pushing a door lining, or the bar is bending?
A loose lining, pads on timber, inside a stated range, is as far as these listings go, and you still stop if the bar bends or a pad slips. Stand out of the line of the bar. If the opening is structural, call a joiner. A bent bar is retired, not straightened and reused.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources from the research digest. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in those comparison sources, not a live re-price.
- HSE, PUWER overview (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- HSE L114, safe use of woodworking machinery (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 22 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, refunds for faulty or misdescribed goods (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- Spear & Jackson, Eclipse one-handed bar clamps (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- Bessey UK, EZS30-8 one-handed clamp (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- IRWIN workholding brochure (retrieved 22 October 2026)
- UK Workshop, one-handed clamps thread (retrieved 22 October 2026)