Help With A Built In

john5mt

So i backed myself into a corner
i have this built in for a flat screen. All the boxes are built and attached to the wall and now it is time to attach some face frames. My plan is to use biscuits in the edges of the plywood and i dado-ed an appropriate groove in the back of the face frames to fit onto the biscuits. i am positve the glue and biscuits will hold it once it is attached but my dilemma is in how to clamp it properly while the glue sets. Typically with cabinets you would clamps to the back but being that it is all built and attached i cant do that. Any ideas? I dont want to use any nails in the face or have to put plugs in pocket screw holes.



I suppose this is one of those "he who fails to plan, plans to fail" moments

__________________
1st Gen tradesman
My summer job in college became my profession

john5mt

__________________
1st Gen tradesman
My summer job in college became my profession

MRstark44

ever used miller dowels? i've had great luck with them.
also, i love the look of using a walnut plug on the face of a cabinet like that. gives it some character when done right. (cant use to many, must be spaced out appropriately)

m1911

Pin some temporary 1x blocks to the plywood sides just behind the face frame and use clamps to clamp the face frame to the blocks until the glue sets.

dkillianjr

I like that idea. I don't have a pinner, but I would assume you could remove them rather easily.


Heres another idea John. How about something like this 3 way clamp? They are a little pricey at 10 bucks a pop. Maybe you could just pick up a couple and do parts of it at a time, im not sure what kind of time frame your working with. http://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Cla.../dp/B00080QF56


Dave

m1911

I was going to suggest the face clamps, but I assumed he did not want to invest in a bunch of clamps. Just nail some blocks with 18ga 1-1/4" brads, you wont see the holes once the face frame hides them. If you have enough c clamps you can clamp the blocks to the cabinet, and clamp the FF to the blocks with a second clamp.

greg24k

If you have a 23 gage pin nailer, it works best in such cases.

__________________

Gus Dering

I have never tried this but....
If you want no nail holes to fill at all, on the frame or boxes.

What if you popped together another box about 8 -12 inches deep with about 2 or 3 partitions in it that was just tall enough to tip up in the room and the same with as your et center.

Shim and secure it in front of the frame and use it to drive shims that clamp down your frame.

Sounds like a lot of work but who knows? It might work

Sooner Pesek

John,

Is it possible that you could use pipe clamps across the width of the entire unit in 3 or 4 places , then shim between the clamps and your faceframe to hold in place?

This will only work if the FF is pre assembled as one unit.

This is similar to Gus's idea and you can re-use pipe clamps.


Roger

__________________
"SKILLED Carpenters aren't CHEAP , CHEAP Carpenters aren't SKILLED " --- saw this on a t-shirt a while back ---

john5mt

Sooner that is a really good thought. I may add that to my plan of attack.

__________________
1st Gen tradesman
My summer job in college became my profession

Gus Dering

I like the pipe clamp idea too.
You may have problems in the areas that don't have a continuous horizontal box part though.
Seems like the box will flex in too much.
But it wouldn't hurt to give it a dry run and see what happens

neolitic

I have a pair of the face frame clamps
with no-mar jaws, that I bought locally.
The ones like killian posted work easier
if you can hot glue some shelf liner or
something to the jaws.
Even when the cabinets are laying down
it seems like I never have enough hands
to juggle the clamps and blocks to keep from
leaving "smilies."

__________________
Put your location in your profile!
(Sorry....it seems there really are dumb questions)

WarnerConstInc.

Get yourself a pin nailer just for these situations.

RED HORSE 554

chamfer strips glued on the blind side of the face frame and then blind screwed and or nailed to hold inplace until the waffers and thier glue dries It would be nice if the face frame could be togeather and installed as a unit then the total of the face frame would allow the chamfer strips to be pressed in tightly wile fastening

Platinum8

I know someone mentioned the face frame clamps. They have edge clamps out there that have some pads on them so they don't damage the suface or edge. Again, i don't know if you wanna drop any money on them but its a good investment. hope it helps

good luck.

billy d

John I bought some attachments that go on a clamp to turn it in to a three way clamp I used them once.the pressure that I put on them pulled the clamps right out.Something I have used it may sound crazy but it worked for me was the one hand clamps.I cut up a bike inner tube slide one end over one end of the clamp,clamped it on the the face and pulled the inner tube on the top and then clamped it again.
Went along the face with a block and a hammer and banged them ,the inner tube is under pressure all the time so pulls it in.Once every thing is going you can go back to the start and pull the inner tube even more to get more pressure on the clamps.I know it sounds crazy but it has worked for me.Good luck, billy.

Gus Dering

That is worth a shot. Good idea

catawba

John5mt here is a way to clamp with as many c-clamp's as you need or can get your hands on , when attaching the clamp just make sure you use a block thick enough to get the radius corner of the clamp far enough from the face frame that it doesnt make clamping pressure uneven.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Gus Dering

Another great idea
I wish I thought of that

I will use that one at some point, great tip. Drawing is a bonus

Deicide1

I came in too late because that's what I was going to say.


Either do what this guy says, or use a bar clamp in the same manner.