Picture Frame Jig

[Birdhunter]

I need to build a set of picture frames. The sides will be made of 2.5" by 1" wood with the 1" side facing out to the front. I think the client calls them Floater Frames.

I'd like to join the sides using Dominos, but I've never been successful getting perfect joints using the Domino's fence set at 45 degrees.

Has anyone build a jig for doing this work?

 

[Bohdan]

When I used to teach picture framing I would recommend to my students that they use a strap clamp.
https://www.timbecon.com.au/clamps-vices/mitre-framing-clamps/band-clamp-steel is an example of what I mean.

You need to add short lengths of aluminium angle in the corners of the clamp to align the frame pieces perfectly, otherwise the corners misalign in the grooves that have been left for the glue to squeeze into. We didn't use any other construction aids in the corners such as dowels or dominoes but these would be easy to add.

Don't forget to wax the ali to prevent extruded glue from sticking them to the frame.

We used a mitre guilotine to cut the material but even cuts that the students botched up the clamp had enough pressure to make them appear perfect.

 

[HarveyWildes]

When I used to teach picture framing I would recommend to my students that they use a strap clamp.
https://www.timbecon.com.au/clamps-vices/mitre-framing-clamps/band-clamp-steel is an example of what I mean.

...

Bessey also has a strap clamp that I've used for gluing frames.  The Bessy clamp has corners that adjust to different angles, and you can get additional corners, so that it can be used to glue up hexagons and octagons, for example.

 

[Stone Message]

Hi [member=15289]Birdhunter[/member]

Why use dominos for a simple frame? If you have good clean mitres the glue will be enough. If you then have a backing piece of ply or MDF then that will add to the strength.

I agree that the Bessey strap clamps are perfect for something like this.

Peter

 

[ear3]

http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=31162&cat=1,43293

Someone on the FOG also did their own version of these. If you search marquetry and tsc55 you will find it.

 

[Crox G]

I just finished a couple of dozen floater frames, smaller sizes, in 1" x 0.75" pine.  I joined them with Titebond and 18 ga. brads, one going in each direction at the corners.

No jig needed. Put glue on all the miter faces. Align a pair of adjacent pieces on your MFT using Parf Dogs or equivalent, and pop a brad in each way. Fasten the other pair of sticks the same way, so that you have two Ls.  Put the Ls together, fasten the two corners with brads, wipe off the glue, putty the nail heads, and set them aside. 

The brads hold the joints long enough for the glue to set. The MFT and dogs make the miters "dead nuts on" while you shoot the brads.

Good luck!
Crox

 

[Birdhunter]

I like the brad idea. I need an excuse to use it anyway.

 

[Joe Church]

I do also the frames with the Dominos - easy to stabilize and then just fix it with edges and just use a regular strap band to Hold it tight together.

No 60bucks  -  easy 5 and spare Wood.

 

[mwildt]

On the domino issue and 45 degrees. Check Marcel's domino videos. I recall him saying something about first adjusting the height with the fence up, after he adjusts the angle. Something about alignment wouldn't stay put if not done in a certain order.

 

[sancho57]

Colin's clamps and a pin nailer

 

[Nat X]

I use dominos when doing really heavy frames that will hold really heavy things. Never really needed any kind of special jig for it, but I do make lots of test cuts in scraps to find the ideal fence height for the molding in question to make sure they never blow out of any visible surface.

This one's got 8mm dominos in every corner and no nail holes. Referenced the outside edge rather than the face and that was about it. The thinner you go, the harder it gets to use even 4mm dominos, and you either need a special wedge mortiser--which is very expensive and does absolutely nothing else--or nails.

View attachment 2 View attachment 1

Having worked in a frame shop for a number of years and seen the kinds of repairs that people come in needing, I would never trust glue alone to hold a piece of glass much bigger than 8 x 10. You never know when the customer is going to hang the finished piece near a shower or a radiator or in an RV that bounces around constantly and they will never blame themselves when the frame they paid a hundred bucks for starts showing gaps or falls apart. Obviously not an issue with the example pieces above.

Strap clamps are only practical when you have a very boxy molding. They are not commonly found in frame shops as most people who want that style opt for metal, but they could probably work here if you were able to keep everything from slipping around. It's not usually easy to do, so most people use miter clamps and join two diagonally opposing corners at a time.