A bar clamp with adjustable jaw pads for clamping and for spreading work pieces includes a main housing having a bar opening for extending a bar therethrough, and a bar advancing mechanism with a bar gripping member in proximity to the bar opening. There is an elongated slide bar extending through the bar opening, and a handle and trigger connected to the main housing wherein the trigger is connected to the bar advancing mechanism such that activation of the trigger causes advancement of the bar through the main housing. It also includes a first jaw base connected to the main housing and extending upwardly therefrom. A first jaw pad is rotatably connected to the first jaw base, so as to be rotatable in at least two planes, to adjust angles between the elongated slide bar and the first jaw pad. A separate, second jaw base is connected to the elongated slide bar. There is a second jaw pad rotatably connected to the second jaw base, so as to adjust an angle between the elongated slide bar and the second jaw pad. The second jaw pad is rotatable in at least one plane, preferably two and in some embodiments, three planes.