The Framers Forum

Hi all,

I am working on some pretty large frames. 2x1.5m is the biggest. I'm pretty old school with my joins and usually band clamp until the glue is dry and then put a couple pins in the side of the mitres with filler on top. I don't have an underpinner or dovetail router. How do I go about this with something that big? is the solution getting a long band clamp??? Or is there another trick im not thinking of. Please help, my deadline is very soon!!

What size are the mouldings you are using?

22x47mm

I've daisy-chained two band clamps before but it's a bit fiddly.

For something like that I would have an assistant hold each mitre closed tight whilst the other person pre-drilled for two long pins to set the mitres together.
Then pre-drill with a larger bit and drive a long brass screw into the mitre.
Counter sink and tighten it up.
Then repeat for all four corners.

Use a two part filler like Ronseal to pack up the holes and sand smooth.
I hope that helps.

A band clamp is a good idea. The ones you can buy nowadays are a bit poor. But if you get some 1" wide webbing you
can throw it round the frame and tension it by twisting it. A bit primitive but the modern band clamps aren't really man
enough. Trailer tie-downs work well but they are a PITA to use.

I am fortunate to have a number of the old Stanley ones that are simple and very strong. But, like a lot of really good
tools they are no longer available.

Another thing that works in conjunction with the clamps is a wooden biscuit. With one in each corner you can glue it all
up and put the strap clamp around - twitch it up, wipe off the excess glue and it's all secure. At this point I take it to my
underpinner and put a couple of vnails in (missing the biscuit slots). But you could just as just cross-nail it around the strap.

* For mouldings <2.5" you can saw a bit off the biscuits (I use No.20 size) so they don't intrude into the rebate.
On bigger frames I also add a 3" steel L mending plate, slightly bent to pull the front face together.

Then wait 24hrs before removing the clamp.
All this might seem a tad OTT but I've never had a frame come apart at the corner, apart from one that went skittering across
a grass paddock during a freak gust of wind. And that was only a hairline crack which I fixed quite easily.
I've done literally 100s for a local artist, most fairly big and they get hauled around exhibitions so I like to over-engineer them.

Just for interest, these are the original Stanley strap clamps....
You can get a spanner on them and really apply some welly.

A alternative is the old-school spring clamps....
They do leave a little 'divot' but if you have to fill nail hole then you can make these good at same time.
All framers used these before the advent of underpinners.

I'm not a framer, and have in general had struggles clamping the corners with a strap.
I make sure the front looks good and flat, but when the strap comes off, there is usually something that has drifted behind the corner block.

So I adopted the spring clips, which are great. I can disguise the pin hole pretty well afterwards, but at a certain point, the springs do lose their true shape. I should replace them, but it is my preferred clamp.

However, I've just bought another device which works extremely well. The Mattestlea frame clamp.
Mine goes up to 50cms. But was so easy, that I've bought 1meter threaded steel rods from Screwfix, as the corner blocks are a standard thread = M6. I see there is a 48" one online - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/404225222875 ... XjEALw_wcB

It definitely works, there is no twisting or movement if your bench is perfectly level, since the rods are solid.
If you can find 2m x 1.5m M6 rods, it should work. (You'd need a little bit more 210cms x 2, and 160cms x 2) if you can source them. Worth it if this a regular job. And at Mattestlea, you can buy the corners without the rods for £29 I think.

Works for me - but so far I've only done it 3 times on a smaller 500mm frame size.
And I don't have a studio any more, so gave away my underpinner, and use my Frameco, which takes the frame in the rod setup nicely. So you can underpin whilst the glue is wet.

All very manual, it wouldn't do for a business set up.
And cross threading, the stick in the woodglue tip is brilliant. Wipe the stick clean, and you're ready to go next time.