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"A simple picture frame jig"
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Author: Rod_Webb, Contributing Editor

If you want to save some money on framing, make your own frames. Sounds easy enough, but perhaps you have already tried to make your frames and have not been as successful as you would like.

If this is the case, or if you just want to learn more about framing, try making a simple jig to hold your picture frame tight and square while gluing.

Practice makes perfect, but having the jig makes the work easier, faster, and most important, accurate.

Materials required :-

1 piece of 4mm threaded metal rod , length 160mm. used for center adjuster.

1 piece of angle iron 150mm long.used for center bars

2 metre strip of wood 30mm by 10mm. used to make struts.

200mm piece of wood 30mm by 15mm.used to make frame corner clamps.

4 countersunk head bolts.. 4mm diameter by 40mm length. used to attach struts to angle iron.

4 countersunk head bolts.. 4mm diameter by 50mm length.used to attach corner clamps to struts.

8 flat washers, 5 X 4mm nuts, 4 X 4mm wing nuts.
Making the parts
Check details in pictures as you go.
The Center adjuster block.

Cut the piece of angle iron in half and drill two holes 5mm in diameter in each piece to take the bolts used for attaching the struts.
Mark the center line on the angle iron and on one piece drill a 5mm hole so that the threaded rod can pass through freely.
On the other piece we need to drill a smaller hole and tap a thread so that the rod can be screwed in and out.
Place a nut on one end of the threaded rod and super glue so it will not unthread. Place the rod through the first hole and screw it into the second piece. We now have our center adjuster completed.

Strut arms.

Cut four lengths from the 30mm by 10mm wood stock . I have used lengths of 375 mm. If you wish to make larger frames then cut longer pieces to suit. Measure in 15mm from one end and drill a 5mm hole, then at intervals of 40mm drill further holes along the entire length. Using a countersink bit, countersink each hole on the underside so that when the bolts are fitted they will be flush with the surface.

Frame corner clamps,

From our 30mm by 15mm wood stock cut 4 pieces 45mm in length. Drill two 5mm holes each 15mm from the end. Round off one end by sanding or using a fret saw. At the other end make a cut with a saw from each corner to the 5mm hole. This completes our 4 frame clamps.

Assembly.

Bolt the frame clamps onto the struts using the 50mm bolts a washer and a wing nut. Then bolt each strut to the center adjuster using the 40 mm bolts, a washer and nut.
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