clamping a four-sided frame - what's the best way to do it?

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nicksmith

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Location
South Yorkshire
Hello,

There are so many different ways to clamp a four-sided (i.e. picture-type) frame - what do you do?

I think I'll have to get some kind of cramp etc.

I'd be very grateful for your thoughts.

Nick
 
Nick

A low-cost and time trested solution is corner block and a Spanish
windless. Make-up four hardwood or better still plywood blocks in this shape:

-------------------
I . . . . . . . . . . I
I . . . o----------I
I . . . I
I . . . I
I . . . I
I . . . I
--------

The "o" represents a corner clearance hole drilled into the inside corner. A v-groouve is routed in both the outside edges (or sawn, chiselsd, doesn't matter what - it going to locate your string).

The frame is sawn/planed to size, the mitre faces coated with glue and it is placed on a flat surface. A corner block is put at each corner, outside the frame. Move the frame together and locate the corner pieces butting up against the outside of the frame. Run a string - polypropylene parcel wrapping string works well - round the outside several times then tie the ends togther. Take a length of dowel/whittling stick/dog's play stick an push through the middle of the string strands and use it to twist the sytring tighter, making sure that the string at the corners locates in the v-grooves. When tight enough gently rest the dowel against the frame and allow the glue to set. This technique is hundreds of years old and many hobby/arts/crafts shops sell low-cost plastic versions of it for a few pounds, but it's much more fun to make your own as it can be any size you want.

Alternatively use the 2nd fix trick - glue the long piece to the short piece using MitreMate 2-pack and a square piece of plywood as a squaring jig, repeat for other pair of pieces, then do same on two outside ends. Jobs done in 2 minutes :lol: Seen a 2nd fix chippie do 10 frames in an hour AND screw them to a wall on one job using this technique.....
 
Nick
THere is a very good looking jig in the December Popular Woodworking. It's American, so you may have to hunt around for it. I've not made it up, but it looks good to me.
Cheers
Steve
 
Hi Nick

I've made a number of frames and clamped veneer edging using the first technique that Scrit describes. It works a treat every time.

Gill
 
You could make your own X style clamp
as described here:

I bought a pre-made one from axminster a while back, was only £5ish
can't seem to find it now, maybe it was on clearance.

It looks very similar to this one

HTH
 

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