THE CLAMP BUILDER BETA

Found an issue? Email rob@mattestlea.com.

ONE SYSTEM. EVERY ANGLE.

Good things.
Built from the corners.

From picture frames to boxes. Explore your setup in 3D.

Move camera
Arrow keys · click 3D view firstShift-drag also moves

Alternative setups shown. The rods are shared between them.

Explore the system

See the system around your project.

RECTANGULAR BOX · 3 LAYERSArrow keys move · Drag to orbit · Scroll to zoom
Preparing your workbench…

Your clamping kit

View product details ↗

The inspiration

Matt Estlea Box Makers Kit showing three stacked clamp layers around a walnut box

M6 blocks use the supplied 3D print models, including their engraved signatures. M4 and M10 proportions are scaled adaptations. Rods and thumbwheels use the supplied design and product photography as references.

MADE TO BE SHARED

Share your setup

Send this link to reopen the same shape, dimensions and clamp family.

Anyone with this link can reopen your setup. Preview links are for testing only.

ONE KIT. MORE POSSIBILITIES.

The Full Monty

M6 corner sets for 3–8 sided frames, plus three square/rectangle clamp layers for the 105 mm Box Makers Kit.

Choose 300 mm or 500 mm rods on the product page. Stackers, spacers, washers, nuts, extension blocks and a Spinnymajig are included.

The extra polygon corners make single-layer frames. They do not provide three layers for polygon boxes. Check the chosen rod option against your project size.

The gallery shows alternative setups. The included rods cannot clamp every frame at the same time.

View The Full Monty bundle ↗

Visualiser settings

If extra pressure is needed
FROM YOUR SKETCH TO A KIT

Draw your shape

Select a corner to set its angle or delete it. Drag to move; + adds a corner.
WORKSHOP REVIEW · NOT AN ORDER

Your kit request

Estimated custom kit price
About this estimate

ComponentQuantity

We aim to respond within 1–2 business days. Sending a request does not place an order.

Create a Cutting List

Side length

mm

Labels on the model

Corner angles

Click a wooden side to show its corner angles again.

Your best-value setup

How we compare kits

We compare exact missing components against available kits and verified top-up parts to find the lowest product total. Kits may include spare pieces. Shipping and checkout discounts are calculated later.

Development Notes

The Clamp Builder’s feature and fix history. Availability depends on the version you’re viewing.

30 October 2026 · Version 2.11

Centred packaging and raised foam inserts

  • Centred complete custom frame and box-kit cutout groups within their boxes, preserving paired corners, grouped thumbwheels and connected stacker chains.
  • Added deeper black A6 and A5 packaging options. Every box above the bracelet size includes an extra 10 mm support layer, with a matching washer opening so the bag stays deeper. Added support-layer SVG/DXF downloads.
  • Packaging now says “Finding the optimal packaging for your kit” and shows a four-second estimated loading bar that waits for the result before completing.
  • Added an optional Spinnymajig with a product image and explanation. Selected tools appear beside frame boxes or inside box-kit packaging, can be clicked for component information, and are included in bespoke request data and shared builds.
  • Packaging now tries aligned sections for hardware, angle-matched corners and connected support chains. It centres thumbwheel rows, keeps washer bags beside them at an outer corner, favours readable branding where space permits, and separates rod bundles by length. Standard M6 triangle, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon and octagon Box Makers Kits now support automatic packaging.
  • Estimated packaging progress takes 6, 8 or 10 seconds for two-, three- or four-layer box kits, waiting for the result before completing.
  • Share links use a compact format while preserving existing links, custom shapes, accessory selection and packaged view. AR uses material batches and lighter continuous rod threads while the main visualiser retains its original models.
  • Refined large and odd-sided packaging with aligned thumbwheel/support grids, trailing corners following established columns, and an optional separate outer row for the Spinnymajig. External Spinnymajigs rest on their heads and threaded rod tips. Cleared stale packaging targets while changing or generating shapes.
  • Multi-angle custom kits now keep matching corners together with a consistent orientation. The supplied five-corner, three-layer kit fits A4 rather than A3. Updated the Spinnymajig head from the supplied detailed STL, retaining its signature. Added provisional M6 custom-kit estimates using the existing costing/pricing approach, including paired thumbwheels/washers, printing, packaging and preparation; source manufacturing costs stay off the storefront.
  • Download kit request creates a branded PDF with component quantities, an overall estimated price, a message and a build QR link. Long requests paginate and downloads wait for pending estimates. Customers can now send kit requests directly to the workshop with their name, email and message, with a 1–2 business day response aim. Itemised component and operating prices are not included in requests.
  • Removed existing-component entry and owned-item deductions. Review, email requests and PDFs show a simple component quantity list and overall estimated price; previously saved inventory no longer changes the kit.
  • Kit request submission now lets Shopify security verification appear outside the review lightbox. Unconfirmed submissions show a recovery message instead of remaining on Sending, preserving customer details for retry or PDF download. Successful returns preserve Shopify’s contact confirmation while shared build links omit that confirmation marker.
  • Kit requests continue through Shopify email delivery, with branded PDFs available to download. Automatic PDF email attachments are postponed.

29 October 2026 · Version 2.11

Visualiser, custom drawing and hardware

  • Added prototype automatic M6 packaging for Draw your own, Diamond and Right triangle builds. Original component models form aligned repeated grids inside one existing box, checking each box at 6 mm then 4 mm before moving to the next size. Connected alternating stacker/spacer chains share continuous slots, thumbwheels stay grouped, and matching corner blocks form facing mirrored pairs with face-up branding. Thumbwheel and support-chain groups are balanced around them, while washer bags always occupy a reserved insert corner. Rods stay bundled outside. The Packaged view, AR and per-layer SVG/DXF exports use the same calculated layout; kits that cannot fit one available box show a no-fit message instead. Tightened automatic layouts with silhouette-aware facing-pair nesting and a deeper background packing search. Matching corners, thumbwheels and connected supports remain grouped; washer bags stay in corners. Five-to-eight-sided custom frames use the proven narrower washer pocket. The supplied mixed six-corner frame now fits an A6 box instead of the square box without reducing the 4 mm clearance. Camera controls remain responsive while packing. Extended the tighter silhouette search to custom Box Makers Kits, keeping stacker chains connected, matching corners paired and thumbwheels grouped. The complete foam-hole layout and its parts are centred together in the exterior box, with the washer bag at a corner of the component cluster and rod bundles remaining outside. Optimised clearance calculations for larger kits without changing their spacing. Added estimated cutouts and reference downloads for the 30°, 45°, 75° and 105° M6 blocks.
  • Corrected Full Monty hexagon, heptagon and octagon packing using the original supplied CAD handedness and face-up branding. These rows now align with their cutouts without artificial row offsets; approved parts and cutting files are unchanged.
  • Added The Full Monty Packaged view using its two A3 foam panels, all 41 face-up corner blocks, connector pockets and complete bundle inventory. Octagon corners use individual pockets. All supported packaged kits can now be previewed in AR at actual size, including the black box, foam, clear washer bag and separate rod bundles; shared links reopen the packaged view.
  • Packed stackers and spacers now lie on their sides in every Box Makers Kit size. The Spinnymajig head is reversed to fit its pocket and its shaft uses the same M6 helical thread as the kit rods. Corrected foam pocket-wall faces so the top layer stays solid when viewed at low angles.
  • Added Small, Medium and Large four-sided M6 Box Makers Kit packaging from the supplied SVGs. Existing parts move into two 10 mm foam layers, with connected stacker chains, a Spinnymajig and its connecting rod, a washer bag, and two equally split, tied rod bundles. Large uses three cut pieces with a joined bottom layer; each piece has a full-size SVG/DXF download.
  • Added the supplied M6 triangle, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon and octagon packaging templates. Packaged selects the matching black box, 10 mm foam, component counts, bag and rod strap; SVG/DXF downloads follow the selected shape. Octagon corners form four back-to-back pairs, with every signature facing upwards.
  • Packaged now sits beside Assembled and Flat lay in the main visualiser. Existing four-sided M6 frame components animate into the approved insert; the base is black and the washers sit inside a clear, sealed bag. SVG/DXF downloads remain on the page. Original SVG and full-size DXF exports preserve the approved manufacturing template. The clear bag renders consistently as the camera moves; a thin rounded Velcro strap with an overlap tab wraps the rods.
  • Measurement labels stay visible and anchored near their parts, with smooth spacing to avoid other labels and visualiser controls.
  • The side-length editor is smaller on mobile, with Apply beside the input and placement that responds to the on-screen keyboard.
  • Snap to supported angles sits beside Apply Shape on desktop.
  • The designer appears first, followed by saved shapes, Select Favourite, Remove Favourite and shape naming.
  • Corner controls sit below the graph. Supported angle buttons replace the dropdown; Free, Horizontal and Vertical controls govern movement, alongside Delete.
  • Fixed movement planes survive Undo and Redo and are respected by snapping and symmetry. The Snap button gently pulses when needed, with reduced-motion support.
  • X/Y axis numbers were removed while keeping the grid and direction markers.
  • Two fingers pan the visualiser, one finger rotates and pinch zoom remains available. Changing between gestures avoids jumps and accidental component selections.
  • M4 and M10 choices are crossed out for M6-only concepts; selecting them explains the limitation.
  • Added supplied 30°, 45°, 75° and 105° M6 corner models to drawing, angle snapping, parts identification, flat lays and owned-component previews.
  • Corrected all four new blocks so rods use the through-holes and anchor in the blind insert sockets. Branding remains readable.
  • Raised the kit view above the controls on desktop and mobile.
  • Desktop now uses the combined controls and settings cog. Reset camera remains separate.
  • Project material starts at 50% opacity, adjustable from 0–100% in Settings.
  • Removed the overlaid kit summary. The Full Monty explains that its rods are shared between the displayed setups.

28 October 2026 · Version 2.11

Mobile preview, ownership and purchase dialogs

  • A floating mobile mini visualiser appears when the main view scrolls away. Tapping it returns to a view fitted to the current kit.
  • The mini preview uses the width of the phone, refreshes once per second and retains its original detail. Stale shadow ghosting was removed.
  • Fixed the grey area below the desktop visualiser when scrolling.
  • Owned-component cards use the same models as the visualiser, with shorter cards and shape-based corner names.
  • Added dropdown shortcuts for entering complete kits already owned, with editable individual quantities.
  • Parts review can compare available kits for best value when customers already own components. Review your parts is clearer and available on the visualiser.
  • Mobile controls were combined and made consistent; pressure advice moved out of the diagram.
  • AR and purchase review dialogs were compacted, with clearer buttons and purchase actions kept visible.

26 October 2026 · Version 2.11

Custom shapes, existing components and cutting lists

  • Create a Cutting List opens a top-down frame diagram with the actual border width and corner angles.
  • Selecting a side and entering a length scales the cutting plan proportionally while preserving its angles.
  • Black-and-white PDF cutting lists include outside lengths, material dimensions and clearly labelled mitre-saw settings. The frame is oriented with a horizontal base.
  • Box wall thickness feeds into the cutting list. The duplicate table in the lightbox and second PDF page were removed.
  • Printed QR codes reopen the same build. QR sizing and link encoding were improved for mobile camera recognition.
  • Drawing measurements stay outside the printed diagram.
  • Clicking a wooden side opens length editing and optional side-length or corner-angle labels. Labels start hidden; clicking an angle gives a hide option.
  • Measurement controls reflect which labels are actually enabled.
  • Added diamond, right-triangle and Draw your own concepts, with mixed supported M6 corner angles and bespoke parts requests.
  • The drawing editor supports 3–8 corners, midpoint handles for adding corners, corner deletion and supported-angle snapping.
  • Individual angles can be fixed. Guides show constrained movement, and conflicts explain which locks prevent a shape from closing.
  • Favourites save shapes in the current browser. Reset, Undo and Redo were added, and supporting information moved behind help buttons.
  • Vertical, horizontal and 45° symmetry links corresponding corners across a visible mirror line.
  • What do you already own accepts quantities of exact components. Owned pieces appear at half opacity and parts-to-add at full opacity.
  • Component explanations show ownership counts and let customers clear ownership of that component.
  • Improved Firefox module loading so the builder can start without a browser-specific plugin.

22 October 2026 · Version 2.8

Shopify integration, catalogue selection and mobile controls

  • Made the BETA title and feedback email more visible.
  • Reduced mobile overlays and visualiser height, added a settings cog, grouped AR with camera views and moved sharing to the lower controls.
  • Added View your Kit and purchase shortcuts on mobile. The Full Monty is hidden there to keep the page simpler.
  • Pressure guidance is optional: if extra pressure is needed beyond the stack height, separate clamp frames can be repositioned.
  • The example prioritises top and bottom with two frames, adds the middle with three, and pairs top/bottom groups with four. Guidance is suppressed within 5 mm of stack height.
  • The pressure example closes its explanation while animating and offers a reset action.
  • Raised the mobile kit view, slimmed the presentation controls and replaced the settings emoji with a simple icon.
  • Sliders use whole millimetres. Fixed mobile scroll-related canvas flickering.
  • Removed the corner-block product link because individual corners were not separately available at that stage.
  • Box Makers Kit dimensions are limited to complete kit capacities; box height can reach 165 mm where supported.
  • Auto selection includes M4, with Mini rods shown at 200 mm. Mini selections cannot exceed their maximum size.
  • Thin frames exceeding Mini capacity switch to M6 in Auto and show the minimum-material-thickness warning.
  • Box height and shape-specific minimum widths determine Mini/M6 transitions; non-rectangular widths use the maximum project width with side width shown alongside.
  • Clamp layers follow box height automatically. Fixed-size stackers and spacers remain fixed-size, and stacks rest on the ground.
  • Added M6 connector markings and proportional Mini thumbwheels; rods, washers, magnets, inserts and block branding were refined.
  • Flat lays count objects once per component type across multiple rows, with labels beside the parts.
  • Optional measurements, default inverted tilt, background-click deselection and clearer individual-part highlighting were added.
  • Integrated the interactive builder into Shopify with the standard website header, catalogue-linked kit review, product images, prices and Add to cart.
  • Projects use mitred joints and include square, rectangle, triangle, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon and octagon shapes.
  • Frame Clamps are the starting system. Box Makers Kit selection adds height-driven clamp layers; frame border width and material thickness can be adjusted separately.
  • Dimensions support sliders and typed input in millimetres or inches, with inch conversions rounded to 1/16 inch.
  • Clamp size and rod choices follow project dimensions using catalogue options and capacity limits.
  • Added assembled, exploded and flat-lay presentations, with camera views, panning, reset and tilt limits above the horizon.
  • Supplied CAD models replaced illustrative blocks; hardware, threads, washers, magnets and M4/M6/M10 branding were refined.
  • Added component highlighting and explanations, shareable builds, mobile AR, the Full Monty overview and walnut/oak/maple materials.
  • Light/dark settings, a hideable plywood base and darker walnut improved the presentation. The experimental build-sequence view and Night mode were removed.

Before Shopify launch · Prototype

Before Shopify — standalone concepts 1–13

  • Built the first interactive square and rectangular box configurations, then added triangle, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon and octagon projects with mitred walls.
  • Added Frame Clamps as the single-layer alternative to the Box Makers Kit, with visual shape buttons instead of a shape dropdown.
  • Box height began selecting clamp layers automatically. Manual layer choices and suggested project presets were removed.
  • Added automatic clamp families and catalogue rod choices. Frame border width became a visual choice separate from material thickness and clamp strength.
  • Added typed dimensions, millimetre/inch entry and conversions rounded to 1/16 inch. Dimension names and ordering changed to Length, Width and Height.
  • Added thumbwheels tightened against corner blocks, washers between wheels and blocks, and smooth appearance of additional rods.
  • Added an optional plywood base, contrasting wood finishes and darker walnut. The styling moved towards the Matt Estlea colours with Light/Dark controls.
  • Introduced assembled, exploded and animated flat-lay views. Flat-lay movement was simplified, blocks share an orientation, and normal dimension changes preserve camera zoom.
  • Added fixed-size stackers, connectors and spacers, rod holes where appropriate and flush metallic magnets. Spacers were made solid and connector proportions were corrected.
  • Replaced illustrative hardware with the supplied CAD corner blocks, connectors, stackers and spacers, using the threaded-rod STEP reference.
  • Added continuous visible rod threads, including a 1 mm M6 pitch and proportional illustrative M4/M10 pitches.
  • Corrected branding and mirrored lettering, including distinct M4/M6/M10 labels, one brass insert on each blind corner socket and bare through-holes.
  • Added hover highlighting and clickable part explanations, then shareable build links and to-scale mobile AR.
  • Added the Full Monty overview showing alternative frame shapes and a box kit together. Moved it to the bottom of the configurator and removed its experimental flat lay.
  • Added arrow-key and Shift-drag camera movement, a prominent reset, invertible tilt, horizon limits and grounded parts.
  • Flat lays gained counted Poppins row labels placed beside the pieces, automatic fitting and more horizontal layouts.
  • Explored a step-by-step build animation, then removed it for later implementation. Removed Night mode and redundant kit summaries as the interface was simplified.
  • The standalone prototype was shared for Patreon testing; access was made available without requiring a ChatGPT account before the Shopify integration.