Picture frame makers, what do you use for clamping

[roger wiegand]

I put a spline in the corners then tack it with a couple of 23 ga pins from the back side during glue-up-- no clamps required. I've also put them together with hot hide glue, again, no clamps needed. Corners that are just mitered and glued without reinforcement usually seem to fail pretty quickly, the wood movement opens them right up.

[Bill Huber]

I have done about 6 frames now and using the Lee Valley clamps have worked out very well. I really like the nuts on the clamps, you can just slide them up and then lock them in place.

I do coat each part with glue, let is set a minute and then put a scond coat on, have not had one come apart yet. This lets the glue soak into the wood better I think.

I also took a 2' x 4' x 3/4" MDF board, put finish on it and then waxed it really good and that is what I use to do my glue ups on. Any squeeze out just pops right off and I have a good flat surface to work on.

[Tom Howarth]

I use these...
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Corn...p-4-1-4-/D3263

[Bill Huber]

I use these...
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Corn...p-4-1-4-/D3263

I had a set just about like those but the problem I had was they did not pull the joint together.

[Ken Frohnert]

I put a 4'x4' threaded rod set (much like the Lee Valley) from Woodworkers Supply on my x-mas list - I think it is a bit cheaper since it will do 4x4 from the get go at $29. They also sell extra corners and nuts so if you want 2'x2' size you can get two clamps out of one set. I cannot speak to quality since I don't have it yet. But it looks solid.

[Mark W Pugh]

I have done about 6 frames now and using the Lee Valley clamps have worked out very well. I really like the nuts on the clamps, you can just slide them up and then lock them in place.

I do coat each part with glue, let is set a minute and then put a scond coat on, have not had one come apart yet. This lets the glue soak into the wood better I think.

I just used this (http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...,31162&p=31162) for a 31" x 25" frame. I would say it's the "cat's meow" for me. Everything aligned up perfectly. I did purchase additional 1/4 x 20 all thread rod for the large frame. I would highly recommend.

[Phillip Gregory]

I use a strap clamp with four plastic corners. It works well if you have your miters cut perfectly, not so well if you're angled a little bit off of vertical as the pieces will slide vertically in relation to one another when you tighten it up. If you use a miter sled that is dead on, it's the way to go.

[Janis Stipins]

One more vote here for the Lee Valley picture frame clamps. I'd never made frames before, and just made ten of them for Christmas presents... used a miter shooting board and the Lee Valley clamps, and they all came out very square and tight. (Smallish frames in this case, so no splines or V-nails, just glue.)

-JS3