Anyone ever use a gluing jig?

[Mimajo]

After having made a table that kind of leans, lol,  I purchased a gluing jig to help make miniature furniture.

I have the general idea of how to use it, but would appreciate any advice from someone that actually uses one.

 

Thank you

Jo

[Sable]

Only advise I can give is to keep it glue free. The slightest bit of dried on glue messes up the flat surface and throws the angles off. 

 

[Selkie]

Is yours the magnetic one?

I can't live w/o mine. I line mine with wax paper first to help keep the glue crud at bay. If you are making a right angle, line your flattest sides into a corner and slide the magnets tightly up to them. Leave until dry. 

You can reverse the magnets so you can put them on both sides of thinner items using it more as a clamp as well. 

I've made some pretty weird configurations with mine and it always does a great job unless I line it up wrong to begin with. 

Hope that helps.

[Mimajo]

Careful wih glue......waxed paper....got it.

 

Thanks guys, wish me luck.  I'll post a pic when I finish the table.

[stickyfingers]

Where did you find it? I've tried rigging up all sorts of things...t-pins and Styrofoam, Legos, using a graph paper template, etc. it all works OK, but a genuine jig sounds better.

When I rehabbed my childhood house, I had to make all of the window frames from scratch, and they were all *barely* a different size. All of the frames, in and out, was almost my breaking point with that house.  

[Selkie]

I bought mine thru Micromark. They specialize in tools for miniature builders like ships, trains and buildings like us. If you ask for a catalog, beware, you'll want one if everything!! 

[Mimajo]

I bought mine from Micromark also.  You're right I already have a wish list!

[Steve Panner]

Here's a simple homemade gluing jig I use for framing mini paintings. It's made from laminate flooring scraps. They are covered in melamine so glue squeeze-out doesn't stick to them.

It has a range from 3/4 x 1 inches up to 3 x 4 inches, but it can be made in any size. It also works very efficiently, I once framed 20 paintings in one day, all in different sizes, including cutting the miters.

A jig similar to the one from Micromark can be improvised from the back or side panel of some old appliances. I have a panel from an old microwave I'm saving to make a jig like that. It is made of thick sheet metal with right angle borders, just like the commercial jig. Magnets similar to those used in the jig, including the metal plates, can be found in some magnetic locks for furniture.

These might be options for people that live in places where proper miniature tools are not available or the cost of them+shipping is hard to justify for a hobby.

[Selkie]

Wow that is really cool. Thanks so much for sharing that Steve. 

Here's a simple homemade gluing jig I use for framing mini paintings. It's made from laminate flooring scraps. They are covered in melamine so glue squeeze-out doesn't stick to them. ......

[moonberry]

Ditto what Selkie said. I also bought the magnetic jig from Micromark; and extra magnets. So far it works beautifully.  I use Aileen's clear glue, and haven't had any issues with it sticking to the jig.  I like that you can stack magnets vertically too, for those taller pieces that need to be glued.

[CutnStuf]

I don't think I'm getting how this jig works or what it is your gluing up. Is is possible to show it in action?

[moonberry]

Here is a great Youtube tutorial showing the jig. I like that he drew grid lines on his board. I think I'm going to do the same with mine.

[Sable]

I don't think I'm getting how this jig works or what it is your gluing up. Is is possible to show it in action?

let's say you are glueing a picture frame with four square corners. With Steves jig (which is genius, by the way) you would place the frame in the upper left hand corner against the edge rail, apply glue to all 4 of the 45 degree corners and position the bottom and side sliders to keep the frame in position and square. Got it?

Edited September 24, 2015 by Sable

[KathieB]

Here is a great Youtube tutorial showing the jig. I like that he drew grid lines on his board. I think I'm going to do the same with mine.

I cut down a plastic quilter's guide to line my jig. It has finer markings than the lines drawn on this one. It also does not adhere to any glue spillover. 

[Mimajo]

I cut down a plastic quilter's guide to line my jig. It has finer markings than the lines drawn on this one. It also does not adhere to any glue spillover. 

Kathy,

How do the magnets hold if you have plastic between the magnet and the jig?

[havanaholly]

In one of my albums I have several pictures of my gluing jig in action:  http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/?app=gallery&module=gallery&controller=browse&album=149

[Mimajo]

Thanks Holly, that's great.

 

[KathieB]

Kathy,

How do the magnets hold if you have plastic between the magnet and the jig?

The magnets are quite strong. The thin plastic doesn't affect them at all.

[-defunct account-]

I've borrowed KathieB's trick of the quilters grid. I've been using my jig with that for years now.  If I forgot to say thank you Kathie, Thank YOU x 3 years    It's proved especially useful when I've custom made pieces as another way to check measurements.  It's easy to tell when you try to square it up if you have one table leg over sanded, using birds eye view on the grid. 

Glue cleans off of it easily and they're inexpensive to replace if needed, not that I've needed to yet.  

 

 

[Mimajo]

I've borrowed KathieB's trick of the quilters grid. I've been using my jig with that for years now.  If I forgot to say thank you Kathie, Thank YOU x 3 years    It's proved especially useful when I've custom made pieces as another way to check measurements.  It's easy to tell when you try to square it up if you have one table leg over sanded, using birds eye view on the grid. 

Glue cleans off of it easily and they're inexpensive to replace if needed, not that I've needed to yet.  

 

 

Ok guys, I have been quilting for years and other than my cutting mat, the only grids I have are thick 1/8" hard plastic (one with the cutter attached).  The magnets do not work through them. Feel kind of out of it since I haven't purchased any quilting accessories in years.  Where can I find a thin plastic grid?

[KathieB]

Got mine in a quilt shop, hanging on an accessories wall. It is thin and bendable. 

See it here. searching with the word "template" brought up several examples.

Edited September 29, 2015 by KathieB
to add image

[Mimajo]

I will check it out thanks again.

[-defunct account-]

You can get it online if you don't have it at your local shops or craft stores. 

http://www.amazon.com/Quilting-882670027-Quilters-Template-Assortment/dp/B000YZ8T3Q/ref=pd_sim_201_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1RDMJ5FQ71H2NQ71E7T6&dpID=51XlTEGHXIL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_