DeWalt 24 in. (600 mm) Heavy-Duty F-Bar Clamp

A familiar workhorse with a few thoughtful upgrades

I’ve reached for the DeWalt 24‑in F‑clamp enough times now that I know exactly where it shines—and where it doesn’t. It’s a straightforward, heavy‑duty bar clamp with a few modern touches that make everyday clamping faster, surer, and a bit easier on the hands than the old-school steel-and-wood specials many of us grew up with.

Build and design

This clamp is built around a steel bar with a sliding clutch plate mechanism and a screw-driven fixed jaw—classic F‑clamp architecture. The bar feels stout for a 24‑inch: it resists flex in normal cabinet and panel work, and I had to put a lot of torque into the handle before seeing any appreciable bow. The jaws are forged steel and feel appropriately overbuilt; the moving jaw tracks straight without racking as you snug the screw.

It weighs about 4 lb (1.8 kg), which you notice if you’re hanging multiple clamps off a delicate glue-up, but the mass also helps with stability when you’re clamping vertically or one‑handed around a carcass.

The jaw pads are modest in footprint (roughly 40 x 30 mm), with a swivel that conforms decently to irregular surfaces. They’re fine for most woodworking tasks but small enough that I still reach for auxiliary cauls or scrap to spread load on softer stock and to avoid denting.

A small but appreciated touch: a safety stop keeps the sliding jaw from accidentally coming off the end of the bar. If you’ve ever watched a jaw drop to the floor mid‑glue‑up, you’ll appreciate this.

Clutch lock and holding power

The 3‑piece clutch setup is the right call here. It’s a reliable, low‑maintenance way to set rough position quickly, and it holds its place even if you bump the jaw around while getting parts aligned. Once the clutch is set, the screw does the fine work.

DeWalt rates the clamp at 1,000 lb of clamping force. In the real world, your effective force depends on how much torque you can comfortably apply and whether your workpiece compresses. With the tri‑lobe handle, I can confidently apply more force than I’d typically need for woodworking glue lines or light metalwork without the bar twisting or the clutch slipping. Equally important, once set, it doesn’t creep—the sustained force holds steady through cure time.

Ergonomics

The quad‑lobe bi‑material handle is one of the better modern handles I’ve used on an F‑clamp. The lobes give you index points to push against, and the soft overmold keeps your grip from slipping when you’re wearing gloves or have a touch of glue on your fingers. It strikes a good balance: enough girth to generate torque without being so large that it bangs into benchtops or the work when space is tight.

Clearance is still a factor—this is a screw clamp, not a trigger clamp—so you’ll occasionally find yourself repositioning to get a full swing in close quarters. That’s par for the course with the category.

Capacity and reach

With a 24‑inch capacity and roughly a 3‑1/4‑inch throat, this clamp is sized for casework, panel glue‑ups, workholding on the bench, and general assembly. The throat depth is on the shallow side compared to deep‑reach bar clamps or parallel clamps, so if you frequently need to clamp well inside a panel (beyond 3 inches from the edge), you’ll want other clamps in the mix. For edge glue‑ups, face frames, box assemblies, jigs, and everyday tasks, the reach is adequate and keeps the weight reasonable.

In use: woodworking and light metalwork

• Cabinet and carcass assembly: The clamp spans typical box widths easily. I used pairs front and back to square and pull joints tight without drama. The jaws stayed parallel enough that I didn’t see twist introduced as I tightened.
• Panel glue‑ups: With cauls, these hold edges together well. The bar’s stiffness minimizes the tendency to bow a panel when you alternate clamps top and bottom.
• Jigs and fixtures: The sliding jaw lets you rough‑set quickly, which is handy when you’re moving between stations or clamping odd shapes on a drill press table.
• Light metal fabrication: It’s not a substitute for dedicated welding clamps, but for holding flat stock or angle during layout and tack welding, it stands up to heat and stays put.

Durability and maintenance

Clutch plates are a point of wear on any F‑clamp. On this one, they’ve stayed sharp and consistent so far; they still bite the bar positively after glue and sawdust exposure. As with all clutch clamps, keeping the bar lightly wiped down pays dividends. Dried glue on the bar can reduce bite and make sliding rough. I avoid solvent on the handle’s overmold and use a plastic scraper and a light oil to clean the bar periodically.

The pads are press‑fit and removable; they’ve held up, but if you work with epoxy or hot work, consider protecting them or swapping to sacrificial faces. Threads on the screw arrive smooth and haven’t picked up noticeable backlash.

What I’d change

• Pad footprint: The pads are small for the clamp’s force. For delicate woods, you’ll want additional blocking to prevent dimples.
• Throat depth: Around 3‑1/4 inches gets a lot done, but a deeper‑throat variant would broaden its utility for furniture work.
• Glue tolerance: The clutch works best on a clean bar; heavy squeeze‑out can foul it. That’s not unique to this clamp, but it’s worth noting if you live in the land of messy glue‑ups.
• Warranty clarity: Documentation lists a 1‑year limited warranty. It’s adequate, but less generous than some folks might expect from a “shop staple” hand tool.

Where it fits in a kit

If you’re building out a clamp collection, this sits between heavy pipe clamps and quick‑grip style clamps. It delivers more force and stiffness than a trigger clamp, with a slimmer profile and lighter weight than a pipe clamp. For many hobbyists and pros, a handful of these at 24 inches, supplemented by a couple deeper‑reach or parallel clamps, covers a large portion of everyday tasks.

If you primarily do fine furniture with wide panels and require guaranteed jaw parallelism, a parallel‑jaw clamp might still be your primary. If you’re on a jobsite or in a mixed wood/metal environment, these F‑clamps are more versatile and less finicky.

Value

Price will vary, but in its bracket this clamp is competitively positioned. You’re paying for a stiffer bar than no‑name imports, solid forged jaws, a reliable clutch that doesn’t slip under load, and a genuinely comfortable handle. Multiply those benefits by the number of clamps you use in a typical glue‑up, and the incremental cost feels justified.

Tips for best results

• Use cauls or scrap to broaden pad contact and prevent dents on softwoods.
• Keep the bar clean—scrape off glue and apply a light film of paste wax or oil to improve sliding without attracting dust.
• Alternate clamps top and bottom on panel glue‑ups to minimize bow.
• Pre‑position with the clutch, then set final pressure with the screw in small increments to avoid racking your work.
• Don’t chase the last quarter‑turn of torque unless you need it; let good joinery and adhesive do their job.

Bottom line and recommendation

The DeWalt 24‑in F‑clamp is a solid, no‑nonsense tool that does what you want an F‑clamp to do: set quickly, hold hard, and stay put. The bar is stiff for its size, the clutch is dependable, and the tri‑lobe handle makes applying meaningful force comfortable. The trade‑offs—modest throat depth, small pads, and a warranty that’s just okay—are characteristic of the category, not deal‑breakers unique to this model.

I recommend it. If you’re assembling cabinets, gluing up panels, building jigs, or just need a durable general‑purpose clamp with real holding power, this model earns its spot on the rack. It’s especially compelling if you value a strong clutch that resists creep and an ergonomic handle that makes high‑force clamping less of a chore.