face frame question

radicalwood · 7 Mar 2007

Hi All,

I am currently building 2 built in units from Ash. The question is the face frames are 60" long and I don't have any clamps long enough to clamp the ends on. There are 2 verticals to make door dividers along the length which will be dowled or biscuit jointed together. If I do these first then use those to pull the ends in after glue has set will that work? and would you use dowles or biscuits for the verticals

don't want to spend money on pocket hole jigs or tools

have to save money for the little ones arrival in a couple of months

.

Cheers
Neil

George_N · 7 Mar 2007

The Kreg Mini only costs £15. Or you could make one from off-cuts. If it is only for a couple of frames it doesn't need to last forever.

Steve Maskery · 7 Mar 2007

Neil
I've recently bought some 6' sash clamps because I was fed up with trying to make do on jobs like this. Expensive, but I should have done it 20 years ago.

Anyway to your problem.

The problem with doing it the way to suggest is that the clamping force will not be exactly in line with the joints. Do I understand that correctly?

So my solution in your shoes would be the following. You can simulate a pocket hole with an ordinary small 1/4 router.

On the rear face of the rails, about 15mm from the end, rout a slot, like a mortice, about 3" / 75mm long and, say 14mm deep. A little over half way. Drill a clearance hole from the end of the rail to the mortice. You can then insert a pocket-hole screw into the mortice and screw it in with an electric screwdrive. I find that if I have 3 extensions connected together, it makes screwing inline when the screwdriver is at an angle very easy.

If your face frame is wide enough, two, side by side, would work well.

Cheers
Steve

wrightclan · 7 Mar 2007

You could try clamping a block on the rails, to grip the head of your longest clamp (cramp). Hope you follow what I mean. I wouldn't clamp to the centre stile with any significant force. Even with dowels or biscuits, that's too much leverage on that type of joint.

Brad

radicalwood · 7 Mar 2007

thanks guys.

I was a bit worried about the off centre for the clamps and the amount of force to pull the thing together.

George_N thanks for the link did not realise that they did that one. Looks like its out with the plastic.

Steve your right with the forces.

Cheers
Neil