Frame Wrapup

I’m still not at the point where I can make a “perfect” frame reliably. Here are some pictures of the frames that I made this weekend (some with the images included, some not yet:)

Last couple of frames are empty but also painted

The method I’ve been following to make frames is:

1. Draw a picture of the frame with dimensions, and measure the total outer linear length

2. Rip that total length of 4/4 stock, with the width being about 1-1/16” plus a couple inches extra for slop

3. Plane all sides except the back square to the face.

4. Mark a line 1/4” from the face for the glass to press against.

5. Mark another line 1/8” on the adjacent side from that face for the rabbet to hold the image.

6. Use a rabbet plane to quickly get rid of the waste.

7. Rough out the 45 degrees for each piece. I decided in doing the pieces with 3/8” extra total length but if I did it again I’d start with 5/16” extra (at least when using basswood.) I used my bench hook with a mitre style slot in it. Strong recommend:

   

8. In a perfect world the slot from the rabbet will be nice and clean, I have not had luck with that, so afterwards I use a chisel to carefully redefine the lines from the marks and remove the waste

   

   Note the near perfect interior corner on the frame close to the camera, and the very messing corner on the further frame.

9. After that I used a shooting board to perfect the mitres. This is such a hassle. Basically I use my shooting board and a carpenter’s square to shoot the corners with my jack plane. Dial it in by indexing on the face of the frame to check for square of the 45. This is so confusing! Keep trying till it’s perfect, I guess.

10. After getting everything perfect, check that each parallel side of the frame is the same length. Shoot the longer side to be the same length as the shorter side.

11. Glue up.

    

12. I use some V-Nails to strengthen the frame because I’ve been unable to get perfect mitres.

13. I use some Durham’s rock hard putty to fill the mitre gaps (and holes left by the clamps.)

14. Finally, paint it.