I build a lot of picture frames in my shop, and getting everything aligned and securely clamped during glueup can be frustrating — especially with simple butt-jointed frames. To make the job easier, I use this adjustable picture frame glueup jig.
The jig starts with a plywood base drilled with a series of holes for removable dowels. A pair of clamp bars holds the frame assembly in place and provides the pressure needed to pull the joints together. One clamp bar is glued permanently to the lower edge of the base, while the second remains loose.
Before using the jig, I like to apply a quick coat of paste wax to the plywood base and clamp bars. The wax helps keep glue squeeze-out from sticking to the jig, so you don’t accidentally glue your frame — or parts of it — permanently to the plywood.
To use the jig, position the frame between the clamp bars and insert the dowels into the appropriate holes in the plywood base. Then drive wedges between the dowels and the loose clamp bar. As the wedges are driven in, they push the clamp bar against the frame and apply pressure to the joints.
The multiple dowel locations make the jig adjustable for different frame sizes. And because the design relies on simple plywood, dowels, and wedges, it’s easy to build a larger or smaller version to suit the frames you typically make.
When the jig isn’t in use, the dowels can be stored in the lower holes and the wedges can secure the loose clamp bar. A hole at the top of the plywood base makes it easy to hang the entire jig on the shop wall until the next frame glueup.
— Sean Griffin, Dayton, Nevada
