Shopsmith Forums

A current project would be a lot easier with a pair of these face frame clamps. I have only one. And to be honest I do not love it.

So we are all on the same page here is couple of picture:
They let you clamp pieces that would normally require some much long clamps and in general they can make your life easier especially if your shop is space challenged.

I have found that they are still made and can be ordered online. But, as I mentioned I don't love it. I seem to recall another company making a clamp with this function but different design. I was unable to find that I seem to remember but that could be for a lot or reasons. First the name, a lot of different face frame clamps but meaning various things. Second perhaps the company no longer exists or no longer makes them. Third my memory if faulty.

Since we are broad category of wood workers I was wondering if someone owns or remembers such a clamp the holds one board along its edge and then forces a second board into it via some sort of screw clamp. Anything that resembles the function but with a different look would be welcome.

Ed

I have the same clamp you do and it has probably been a decade since I last used it. The only other face frame clamp I've ever seen was for camping the face frames of two completed cabinets together and flush for installation.

I now use a pair of wedges for each joint, I screw one onto the table and tap a second one against it to tighten the joint. On the opposite end of the face frame I have two fences screwed to the table at a right angle and then build the face frame on the table from lower left to upper right adding pairs of wedges as clamps where I need them. They are similar to the ones shown in the link below.

https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/wedg ... ench-vise/

The drawback to these is you need a table or bench a little bigger than your face frame. I'm working on a 6' wide by 8' high book case to be built in but I plan to build the face frame as a single piece. I don't have a work surface that will handle this build, so if you come up with a better clamping system, post it here.

How much frame do you need to clamp up at one time, Ed? Do you need to wait for glue to dry, or will you be installing mechanical fasteners?

IIRC, you have a Rockler T-track table. Might it be useful for this?

As I was researching this morning to solve my own dilemma, I found a couple of options if you plan on using pocket holes and screws. I typically use dominos for face frames but may need to go the pocket hole route for this build.

Kreg has a clamp that engages one of the pocket hols and clamps the joint, but it doesn't provide for alignment of the faces.
Rockler has a version as well that provides for alignment of the back faces which works if your stock is the same thickness. There are clones of these on Amazon that come in two packs for less than the price of a single clamp from Rockler.

Long side is 81". I went with dominos since I have a machine now, so joints will be glued and no mechanical parts. Before this I would have gone with pocket holes and thinking more on this it might have been a better way to go this time..... Anyway, stuck with needing to clamp this up while the glue drys.

Old woodworker trying to learn a bit more and adding to my own issues by not planning this out better in advance.

This is number one of 4 of these I need to make so while I could change design or live with doing one joint at a time I was hoping for another solution.

Ed

Ed,

Congrats on getting the Domino!!! I love mine and hope you enjoy yours as much. What about clamping the face frame on an MFT table? I have seen you post several MFT tables you have before and I believe this would be the preferred solution. There are lots of MFT specific clamps that could be used for this. Below is a random YT video showing some ideas for face frame clamping on an MFT. Hope this helps.

reible wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:16 pm A current project would be a lot easier with a pair of these face frame clamps. I have only one. And to be honest I do not love it.

Since we are broad category of wood workers I was wondering if someone owns or remembers such a clamp the holds one board along its edge and then forces a second board into it via some sort of screw clamp. Anything that resembles the function but with a different look would be welcome.

Ed

The Debuque Clamp Works makes a clamp similar to the Shop Fox. They have been making them for a long time. I think the Shop Fox is a knock-of of the Debuque design. The one you have holds the wood horizontally, but they also make one that holds the wood vertically--far left in the attached photo. These clamps are sold through a number of stores online. I took a screen grab for Lee Valley because they show all of the different accessories. I always liked the ones I have (Shop Fox, like yours), but you need to have at least 4 of them to be really useful.

-Keith

I've had my Domino for about 9 months now. I love it!

I have several options for doing clamping for face frames when pocket holes are used but at this point only the one clamp for doing a domino and glue joint where applying clamping pressure for a long board is the critical component to getting the glue joint I want. The domino provides the locations, both in the vertical and the horizontal planes, where pocket holes require both of those be controlled by the table, and the screws pull the joint together, the tables I have are not designed to do the long boards I'm dealing with to provide that needed clamping force across the joint.

The Dubuque clamps might be what I remember seeing when I was shopping for this sort of clamp before years earlier. It would appear they are better quality but at a higher price. I think the fox clamps sells for about $17 on Amazon so for me and the little use I have for this type clamp I might just order a second one of those.

I think I'm ready for assembly tomorrow, so before I order I will see how well the fox clamp works for this application before placing the order. A couple of hours for the glue to dry then do the other side isn't the worst thing for this first test case.

Ed

Why not use long straps with a ratchet? I have used them in various situations and they have worked find. If the strap has to pass over the actual joint (rather than off to the side) I used small blocks of wood to lift the strap clear of the actually joint.

What about something like this?