# Alternative miter corner clamp jig



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Just noticed a new item from Woodpecker for clamping mitered corners. This was mildly interesting since I make frames for my wife, the artist. Today, she and her daughter decided to start selling her work, and so my interest increased. The picture below shows their aluminum jigs. The drawing is of the shop made version. Eight are required. The 45 degree V cut allows you to put clamping pressure on the opposing sides of the miter cut. Clamping miters is a pain.

Since she's also going to need canvas stretchers, I decided to make a simple version of the clamping jig. Commercial frame stretchers are fairly complex, but the same thing can be done by making a simple 5/8ths frame, then cutting a spline in the corner to reinforce it. Then I can make larger canvases for her rather than buying them already made up.

So the drawing is a design I'll be making out of some nice birch I have laying around. I'll use small Bessy clamps to hold it together, they're very inexpensive at HD.

Thought some of y'all might find it handy to make a set of these for your shop. I'll be applying a little sandpaper to the side up against the frame


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

DesertRatTom said:


> Just noticed a new item from Woodpecker for clamping mitered corners. This was mildly interesting since I make frames for my wife, the artist. Today, she and her daughter decided to start selling her work, and so my interest increased. The picture below shows their aluminum jigs. The drawing is of the shop made version. Eight are required. The 45 degree V cut allows you to put clamping pressure on the opposing sides of the miter cut. Clamping miters is a pain.
> 
> Since she's also going to need canvas stretchers, I decided to make a simple version of the clamping jig. Commercial frame stretchers are fairly complex, but the same thing can be done by making a simple 5/8ths frame, then cutting a spline in the corner to reinforce it. Then I can make larger canvases for her rather than buying them already made up.
> 
> ...


Tom, I saw that and thought of you. I think if I made some I would make them out of 3/4" Russian plywood. There might be a problem with the wood splitting and that is the reason I thought plywood might be a good way to go.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

hawkeye10 said:


> Tom, I saw that and thought of you. I think if I made some I would make them out of 3/4" Russian plywood. There might be a problem with the wood splitting and that is the reason I thought plywood might be a good way to go.


Good point!


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

hawkeye10 said:


> Tom, I saw that and thought of you. I think if I made some I would make them out of 3/4" Russian plywood. There might be a problem with the wood splitting and that is the reason I thought plywood might be a good way to go.


there are many different styles to be had in the construction hardware section of any BB...
I use speed squares...

you can pick up your drill guide while you are there...


...


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Thanks Stick, I'll poke around and see what they have at HD. If I do it in BB, I'll wax the heck out of it, don't want any glue sticking to it. Just can't wax the edge where the sandpaper goes.


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## mjadams61 (Dec 24, 2015)

DesertRatTom said:


> Just noticed a new item from Woodpecker for clamping mitered corners. This was mildly interesting since I make frames for my wife, the artist. Today, she and her daughter decided to start selling her work, and so my interest increased. The picture below shows their aluminum jigs. The drawing is of the shop made version. Eight are required. The 45 degree V cut allows you to put clamping pressure on the opposing sides of the miter cut. Clamping miters is a pain.
> 
> Since she's also going to need canvas stretchers, I decided to make a simple version of the clamping jig. Commercial frame stretchers are fairly complex, but the same thing can be done by making a simple 5/8ths frame, then cutting a spline in the corner to reinforce it. Then I can make larger canvases for her rather than buying them already made up.
> 
> ...


 yea I got a email ad on that too and I was thinking of making me some to out of some 1 inch poplar scraps I have laying around except I dont see the point in cutting 2 Vs in it


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## hal (Sep 14, 2004)

Tom, I just finished making two sets of single Vchamps yesterday. One set for me and one for my son. Then I check the RF an here is the set of doubles from Woodpecker. The pic they show is using three clamps, that is pretty expensive. I made mine from some strips of pine that I had left over form making some frames for my wife. I tried them out on some scrap pieces of frame and they worked great. If your miters are good it does't take a lot if pressure. Of course you have a guillotine so no problem. I'm sure Woodpecker hope you will buy their quick clamps also, but any ones quick clamps will work.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Digging around for alternatives, I found this much simpler design. Don, Marlin and Hal, glad someone else around here is making frames or stuff with miter joints. Nothing like the miter trimmer though. The quality of the cut is terrific, the angle is exact and it doesn't take much glue to hold it together for the spline. Only problem I still have occasionally is with a warp or twist in the stock. So I always buy extra stock. Getting into using multiple pieces, cuts, fancy trim, to make stock that fits the picture. For example, rope trim for nautical paintings. I use some hardwood sometimes, but often make frames from 1x4 pine I carefully pick at HD.

Anyway, here's the alternative. I'd still put a little sandpaper on it to make shure it doesn't slip. It's a pain when the corner slips and the glue has set.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I got this idea from a magazine some years ago and made two of each size. Easy to make and work well.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

harrysin said:


> I got this idea from a magazine some years ago and made two of each size. Easy to make and work well.


Hi Harry, I kind of like this, however I think you still need 4 to support each corner. I would also suggest cutting the triangle tip in the corners to keep glue from sticking.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

harrysin said:


> I got this idea from a magazine some years ago and made two of each size. Easy to make and work well.


Hi Harry, I kind of like this, however I think you still need 4 to support each corner. I would also suggest cutting the triangle tip in the corners to keep glue from sticking.


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## Stokestack (Jan 28, 2009)

DesertRatTom said:


> Anyway, here's the alternative. I'd still put a little sandpaper on it to make shure it doesn't slip. It's a pain when the corner slips and the glue has set.


After concluding that regular corner clamps just don't work, I made some exactly like this, but even crappier wood. They work very well.


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