Trend 36-Inch Varijig Clamp Guide for Routers & Saws, Aluminium Extrusion, VJS/CG/36

OK, now I see the benefit of buying the proper tool. This is much easier, faster, more stable, less cumbersome and just better than all the makeshift methods I've used in the past. I used it with my circular saw today and, together with a decent blade, got a first class straight cut through 12mm plywood. It might take a little experimentation before you fully understand how to operate it, but just spend 5 minutes practicing on a piece of board, pushing and pulling all the sliding parts and you'll get the hang of it. (In essence, when you want to clamp it across the board there are 2 parts you can slide: one snugs it up to the wood, the other locks the slider in place. Then the lever tightens it all down.) But, if your the kind of operator to wield a circular saw or router then you'll work it out. Also, you'll look a lot slicker and more professional adeptly using this, and you will be smiling inside; a source of frustration has been nearly engineered away. I may have got carried away with this review.

This is a lovely piece of equipment. It has a nice weight to it and looks sturdy secure and as if it will do the job. In truth when I get behind my router, I can destroy some lovely lengths of oak and cherry in no time. Often I am there as the router wanders off creating a lovely deep groove - in precisely the wrong place! Of course, I use the parallel guide but this as with most tools is a bit floppy and flappy and when one is using every ounce of grip to keep things straight and level - this is precisely where the parallel guide tends to bend and sway a bit. I bought the 3' clamp as this will encompass the wood that I use the most (making plinths for models). It's easy to use and easy to apply - straight and fuss-free. Once it's in place it stays there and this being a given the router will happily - even when pushed by me - follow a nice straight course. Care is required, however, when attempting to clamp it to a piece of wood where the edges have been routed - just simply don't as the clamp will not retain its grip. A better strategy is to do the edge routing last and I usually use one of those router bits with the little bearing which, even for me, does not need a guide as long as the wood is square and true. The other area where the clamp is of use is when one is using a big routing bit - one that tends to foul the aperture in the router so that you have to set the depth rather than doing multiple passes ever deeper so that the router does not tug on the wood too much and spoil it. By using the clamp to fend off the router , do the first pass then move the clamp a bit more, ever closer, then a bit more until finally you can remove the clamp and let the bearing run against the wood. The clamp is also robust and when dealing with a routed edge I tend to clamp the clamp with edge clamps to make sure its not going to move. It seems happy with this and has not marked. The ruled measure is a bit of a mystery to me especially as it moves about and I am not sure if and how this would be useful - but it looks the part. Other than this puzzle it's a wonderful clamp and I may well buy other sizes as the need arises.

Works brilliantly and great for a straight edge. Only gripe is i wish I had purchased a longer one

Makes cutting straight lines with you skill saw easy

A pro carpenter introduced me to Trend stuff and this piece of kit is a must for every DIYer's toolkit. great for trimming doors etc, much better than messing about with a straight edge and clamps. great quality for a decent price.

it does what it says, its straight and you can clamp it in position so that it does not move

I have almost finished fitting my second kitchen (last one was 10 years ago). I wish I had this device when I started, it makes things so easy. I use a router a lot for cutting end panels etc and normally this involves clamping the end panel to the bench, then clamping the straight edge to the end panel ensuring that there is sufficient room for the router to run past the ends of the end panel. This can often mean turning the panel over and screwing the straight edge to the back of it before routing. Not now! I secure the end panel to the bench using Irwin clamps (just got these as well - brilliant) then place this Trend Clamp Guide on the panel and press the button and these we are. Nothing sticks up in the way of the router and it is really firm. The 36" length is sufficient for nearly all the kitchen work needed as about 87cm is the maximum length encountered apart from long worktops. These 2 tools would have made life so much easier, but there we are, just a little bit to finish off with the right tools.

A marvellous piece of kit! Our kitchen fitters left me some large offcuts so I could make my own computer desk and worktop. I dithered for weeks, afraid to make that first vital cut, in case I ruined everything (I was more than a little wary of using a circular saw!). Well, I bought this clamp guide and it made it oh, so easy - a really solid clamp on the workpiece which guided the saw smoothly across. I tried moving the guide before cutting, but it was a solid as if it had been glued there. Job complete and ego boosted. I couldn't have done it without this clamp. I need at least one more!

Finition parfaite de cette règle. La fixation se fait en abaissant la poignée ,il a deux positions possibles : la première serre moyennement sur la pièce et la deuxième serre de manière plus intense et dans ce cas, elle tient parfaitement sur la pièce. Cette regle dispense l'utilisation de serres joints.

Very happy with this clamp guide. I paid a bit more getting this vs. the ProGrip based on reviews and really like it. (I have no personal experience with the Progrip and it may be just as good). This has almost no flex and is perfectly straight. I will probably end up getting the 24in as well.