# miter joint glue-up jig



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Finally got the pictures of the small miter clamping jig mentioned recently in another post. Using simple pine, I just glued some 45 degree pieces to a 5 inch long, half inch wide strips. Simple and quick project, but really makes clamping corners of art frames easier.

I have full sized clamps on it in the picture, but will replace them with small Bessy clamps. The heavier weight clamps are pretty clunky and get in the way of other clamps on the same frame. The small ones will be les likely to distort light frames like this one.

The angled pieces are glued on, the second pix shows the pieces and how they got clamped together at glueup. Really effective. Note that to get the pressure perpendicular to the joint, you have to set them back from the corner so the pressure goes directly through the center of the joint.


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## Arcola60 (Jul 4, 2009)

Very nice set up! Thanks for sharing.


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

Way cheaper than the Woodpeckers one time version too.

Charley


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## jj777746 (Jan 17, 2015)

So simple yet so effective. Thanks Tom


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Tom,

These look very effective and I'm guessing you have something on the back (such as sandpaper) to give traction.

Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

yup, about 220 grit (what I had on hand), and a little double sided tape. Had to laugh at myself, I made the first four for the pictures, then forgot to make the other four. Did that yesterday, so now I have the full set. I also added four more of the small, 4 inch Bessy bar clamps to make a set of 8. These are smaller than the ones shown, so they stay out of the way. I use the larger Bessy clamp to pull the corners together. My wife has a backlog of paintings that need frames, so the pressure is on to get busy. Bought some pine stock yesterday so I can mill it. Not as fine looking as hardwoods, but it's about 1 inch thick and mills nicely for most of her usual paintings. These little jigs work best on thicker frames.


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## ksidwy (Jul 13, 2013)

The simplest are always the best!! great job! congrats.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Finishing the frame shown today, getting another prepped for a seascape. This narrow frame has an edge of purpleheart that separates the frame from the picture. Not perfectly happy with the purplewood (trouble cutting it), but the wife loves it so it's time. I'll try this again. Just couldn't get it cut to the same width and thickness. Needed to use a block against the fence because the thin wood slipped under the dust relief on the bottom of the fence. It all looked the same, but really wasn't. 

In the seascape I'm using a fairly modern look, but adding a strip of trim that looks like rope. I like mahogany (redish) for frames, with the rope finished much lighter, so I'll stain each separately, then glue on the rope trim, and then apply a few coats of wipe on poly for a glossy look.. Should look great. Going to use scrapers, not sandpaper since the surfaces are all flat.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Those are a much better idea than the standard right angle corner clamp, especially the ones with only one clamp screw.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> Those are a much better idea than the standard right angle corner clamp, especially the ones with only one clamp screw.


I have a variety of corner clamps, band clamps. an X shaped frame, Bessy right angle clamps, steel wires that grab the corners with spring action, and these. These really work well I'm thinking of making some sort of corner pieces to set in the frame to set everything square before clamps and glueup. 

Just remembered, have to go out and apply another coat of cherry stain to that skinny frame.


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