# Frame Nailing Jig



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Frames do vary a little from one company to another, but the jig should be spring loaded to handle it. I bought mine from Walter T. Kelly. I love it.


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## Oxankle (Jan 8, 2004)

Michael;

I've seen the picture in the kelly catalogue, but the one from plans here is fine. No matter whose design it is, the spacing for the inside frame dimension must be accurate. The spring loading holds the frame end bars in place, and that dimension is critical. The completed assembly looks good. 

I did modify the design a bit to make the side bars of 2x material rather than one inch. This stiffens the frame, making it much more rugged and only a trifle heavier. 

I lengthened the end bars, those that are spring loaded, to allow for holes thru which bungee cord is threaded. Instead of rabbeting that bar I cut 3/8 material to nail and glue to that piece, giving the same effect but a much stronger part. The 3/8 pieces can be narrow as they simply press against the frame ends. 

The one hitch is that internal frame dimension, which I will adjust today by rabbeting the "inner supports", part E in the plan. About a 32nd of an inch is needed

Total cost-zero---scrap lumber supplied by my son-in-law the homebuilder plus one old bungee cord lying in a junk box. Deck Screws, frame nails and glue already written off. Labor stolen from honeydo's. (Isn't that the way all hobbyists compute costs?) 
Ox


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I honestly had trouble understanding how it worked even getting a kit from Walter T. Kelly. It's a simple concept once you see how it works, but not so simple to figure out when looking at the plans.


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## The Honey House (May 10, 2000)

Well, I for one thought the plans were excellent! The best I've ever seen published on the net! And the price was reasonable.










I'm having a problem understanding what you mean by "the bottom strips will not nail up in the jig."

I read your post and liked some of the modifications to beef it up a bit.
One question.
Are your side panels (A) 17 and 7/8" long?

------------------
Dave Verville
Fremont, NH USA



[This message has been edited by The Honey House (edited February 02, 2004).]


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## Oxankle (Jan 8, 2004)

Dave;

Yes, the main frame is precisely as specified by the plan except that I used two inch material for the side bars. The problem arose when I assembled the completed jig and found that it held the frame ends about 1/32nd of an inch too far apart. 

I discovered this when I nailed up a set of top bars, turned the jig over, nailed the bottom bars to one end of the set, then found that I could not pull the other ends in so that the bottom bars would nail properly. Had to complete them out of the jig. What was happening is that I could pull the tops of the frames in to nail the top bars, but this of course kicked the bottoms out in the other direction. As a result the bottom bars were about 3/l6" short. 

Today I rabbeted the ends of one of the inner support boards by about a 32nd inch. Works perfectly now. 

This is a good design, easy to make and use.
Ox


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## The Honey House (May 10, 2000)

I don't know!
I got mine out tonight and re-measured and it's spot on to the drawing.

Some times I have a slightly different problem with some manufacturer of frames.
On my jig I have to push the end bars out to nail on the top bar, which then causes the bottom bar ends to canter in. Not much, but
enough that I have to "spread" each of the end bars out to get the bottom bars on.

When you said that you where going to rabbit the inner supports (E) my thoughts where the side panels where long. (Shorten the distance between E(left) to E(right).

How about piece (B) bottom spacer?
You have 1 1/4" from the edge of the side panel to the edge of (C) side spacer?
(Part B is longer than higher)
(Is Part B turned 90 degrees?)

Again, I don't know and I just am throwing out a few ideas!








It's been up on this site since 1998 and I think this is the first time some posted about it. 
I'm glad you figured it out and made the changes. Sure does speed frame assembly along. 
As MB said, "I love it" too!

"Instead of rabbeting that bar I cut 3/8 material to nail and glue to that piece"

That a great improvement! The 3/8" left on (F) after rabbit doesn't leave much material to hold a heavy spring very well, using the full board will really stiffen the ends.








My next one will incorporate that mod.

------------------
Dave Verville
Fremont, NH USA


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Some times I have a slightly different problem with some manufacturer of frames.
On my jig I have to push the end bars out to nail on the top bar, which then causes the bottom bar ends to canter in. Not much, but
enough that I have to "spread" each of the end bars out to get the bottom bars on.

I thought that was the purpose of the design. To hold the top and bottom bars in with the spring pushing them tight.


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## The Honey House (May 10, 2000)

That might be so.


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## Oxankle (Jan 8, 2004)

Michael;

Ideally the jig would lock the frame ends in place so that the top and bottom bars dropped into place and could be nailed where they fell. This ideal would require that the frame and jig be perfectly matched. 

In practice I have learned that some frame ends are thinner than others and it appears that some manufacturers' tooling differs from others by a few thousandths. This means that the inner dimension of the jig can be a bit short (which means that you have to spread the frame ends to assemble a frame) but it cannot be long or you have the problem I described. The frames I am putting together measure about a 32nd shorter (maybe thicker frame ends) than the jig. 

As for the various parts, I know that jigs not precisely made have little chance of working. For that reason I took great pains to cut exactly as specified. 

In any event, that is a great set of plans and I am really pleased with the jig. I will know more about it when I start assembling a set of frames with the thinner frame ends.


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