What's your fave miter clamp?

[Dave Winters]

I have used a couple different ones, but haven't seen the perfect one yet.... You??

[Dan T Jones]

Dave,
Good question. I am sending back 8 of the Woodpeckers clamps. At least to me very clumsy and you can't see the top of miter joint. I have also have two of the Bessy versions. The one I like the best is the Lee Valley with the quick release brass nuts.
Dan

[Rick Lizek]

The Merle.
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/merle_clamp.html

[Frederick Skelly]

Dave,
Good question. I am sending back 8 of the Woodpeckers clamps. At least to me very clumsy and you can't see the top of miter joint. I have also have two of the Bessy versions. The one I like the best is the Lee Valley with the quick release brass nuts.
Dan

I have the LV too and like them.

[Lou Petrosino]

Band clamp-if your miters are true it works perfectly, tightens the entire frame evenly and you can see everything. Cheap too.

[Jim Tobias]

I own and have used Bessey Strap Clamp, Lee Valley Miter Clamp and Merle Strap Clamp. The Wolfcraft (link below) is the best and easiest to use by far. It is heavy and is truly 1 hand operational.
Jim


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JCLNQ4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Bill Huber]

I have the same ones as Jim linked to and they are great for anything but picture frames.
For picture frames I have the ones from LV, the rods.

[Phil Thien]

I had seen clamps with four plastic corners and heavy string in some books and figured "those look like they'd work well and be inexpensive." But I could never find them anywhere. So I made corners from plywood and use some cord I had on-hand. Works great.

I'm including a picture of what the commercial versions look like. You can get them on eBay and I think they come from overseas and would take a while to get here. Every time I had a few extra bucks I didn't have enough time to wait. I'm surprised someone like Lee Valley doesn't crank these out. Mr. Lee, are you reading this? I think they'd sell.

I did add a corner relief in my plywood version. I'm not sure that is a really good idea. While I have no problem aligning the pieces, they can shift around. I think a perfect 90 would probably be better.

[Jim Tobias]

Bill,
I have to ask....what do you not like about the Wolfcraft for picture frames? I actually make a good many frames and the wolfcraft is my favorite for them because of the 1 handed use.

Jim

[Bill Huber]

Bill,
I have to ask....what do you not like about the Wolfcraft for picture frames? I actually make a good many frames and the wolfcraft is my favorite for them because of the 1 handed use.

Jim

If you have a frame that is say 3/4" thick and do a little edge work on it so you only have like a 1/2" of square edge the band will want to pull the corners kind of out at the bottom.
Before I got the Lee Valley ones I did set the frame on some scrap so I could center the band and that work but it is much easier just to use the LV ones.

[Jim Tobias]

I see what you are talking about. I've had that happen and used something to "lift" the frame up in the clamps also.
If possible, I try to glue/clamp frame together before profiling the edge (when material is still at full thickness). This allows for getting all surfaces totally flat before edge profiling. I do use a backer board to prevent any possibility of blowout at the corners.

Jim

[Dave Cav]

I use the Ulima style pinch clamps.

[Mark W Pugh]

I have the same ones as Jim linked to and they are great for anything but picture frames.
For picture frames I have the ones from LV, the rods.

Bill, did you get the extension set with your LV clamps? I don't know if it's cheaper getting the set or buying 1/4-20 rod.

[Bill Huber]

Bill, did you get the extension set with your LV clamps? I don't know if it's cheaper getting the set or buying 1/4-20 rod.

No, the ones that come with it have done all the frames I have made.
I guess if I needed to get longer I would just order them from LV, rods are like $2 each and then you have the coupling nuts so it looks like it would be a little cheaper to get them from LV.

[Chris Fournier]

For smaller work I like the Collins spring clamps avaialble from LV or the manufacturer - they are high quality and effective.