Ouì ...here i followed "normal" workflow:
-make a filleted grip
-do copies with ARRAY
-melt together with BOOL-UNION
-fillet contact surface between grips and cylinder

my target is always to obtain a clean solid,your suggestion is OK Pilou
other shortcut could be to trim cylinder and rectangular grip and do a BLEND,than array all etc. etc...
i just pointed attention on "distorsion" that FLOW sometime do.You know..FILLET need good conditions for working,first of all avoid areas with seams ;)