DIY Network

Miter Clamp Jig From "DIY Tools & Techniques" episode DIT-330

	Figure A
	Figure B

Host David Thiel uses a time-saving jig for clamping miter joints.

Clamping a mitered frame to hold it together while the glue dries can be tricky to do. This is because you need to apply even pressure in two directions at once. If the pressure is applied unevenly as the glue dries, the corners of the frame will not dry perfectly square. A miter clamp jig can make the job a lot easier!

The miter clamp jig has four arms (figure A) that pull the pressure from the corners into the center of the frame. Blocks trap the corners in place (figure B). The blocks are attached to arms with holes cut one inch apart. The holes allow you to make several different sizes of frames with one jig. The arms are each attached to one other arm and all are clamped together in the center of the jig.

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	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E
	Figure F
	Figure G
	Figure H
	Figure I
	Figure J

To make the jig:

1. Start with a laminate-coated MDF board. When you glue your frame together, the laminate will allow you to glue the frame together without gluing the jig to the frame as well.

2. Cut the four arms out of the same laminate-coated MDF material. The arms are 2-1/4" wide and 18" long (figure C).

3. Laminate can be brittle. Put tape on the arms before drilling into them to prevent the laminate from breaking up.

4. Next, use a drill press to drill a hole into one of the arms. For the other holes, you will use a jig attached to the fence to help space the holes evenly. The jig is a block with a hole big enough to fit a pencil. The hole should be spaced one inch form the drill bit. Place the pencil in the hole, through the first hole in the arm. Then drill the second hole (figure D).

5. Remove the pencil and move the arm so that the second hole is underneath the hole in the block. Put the pencil through both holes and drill the third hole. Repeat the process for all the holes in the arm. Then repeat step 4 for the other three arms.

6. Cut the sharp corners from arms to create a finished look (figure E), then use more laminate-coated MDF to make the two cross pieces that hold the arms together. These connector bars also have holes. Cut them using the same method used fo the arms (figure F).

7. Cut four 3" x 3" blocks of wood, then draw marks between opposite corners to find the center of each block (figure G).

8. Use a 1" Forstner bit in the drill press to drill a hole in the centers of the four blocks.

9. Use a band saw to cut out one quarter out of each block (figure H). Accuracy counts in this step, so make sure you’re getting a clean cut.

10. With a 1/4" bit chucked into a hand drill, drill a hole in each block (figure I).

11. Put the arms, blocks, and connector bars together using bolts with washers and wingnuts.

12. Place the pieces of a frame into your finished jig and glue them together. The jig allows you to make adjustments to the frame until it’s properly aligned. You need only one clamp (figure J) to pull the frame together to maintain the miters.

RESOURCES :

Craftsman LaserTrac Drill Press
Visit local Sears store
Free power hand tool catalog: 800-377-7414
Web site: Sears.com/Craftsman

Delta Bandsaw
Delta Machinery
4825 Hwy. 45 North
P.O. Box 2468
Jackson, TN 38302-2468
Phone: 800-223-7278 Canada: 800-463-3582
Email: contactus@pnrtoolgrp.com
Website: deltawoodworking.com

Milwaukee V28 Drill
Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
13135 W. Lisbon Road
Brookfield, WI 53005
Phone: 800-SAWDUST (729-3878)
Website: www.milwaukeetool.com