Duct Tape and Baling Twine

Picture frames are one of those fun projects that can turn your shop into a small scale production line. I did some of these a couple of years ago, but this second round of them taught me a few new tricks that saved a lot of time.

Rabbets: Before ripping the board into narrow frame width strips, cut the rabbets first. It’s much easier and safer to cut a rabbet on a seven inch wide board than it is to cut it into a long one and a quarter inch strip. Your results will be more accurate as well.

Band clamps: Band clamps with metal 90 degree brackets are the absolute best for glue clamping picture frames. The new Jet clamps were so much easier to use than my old standard clamps, I went and bought some more. The fifteen foot strap and beefy ratcheting handle that come with each clamp is much more than needed for an 8 x 10 picture frame, but it would be very useful for some large furniture casework, like wardrobes and media centers.

Inlays: The inlay jig hooked to the miter gauge on the table saw allows for quickly reproducible 45 degree slots for the white oak. Ripping a piece of white oak the same width as the table saw blade is the fussy part of this procedure. Too loose a fit gives you gaps, and too tight won’t even go in the slot without risking damage to the frame. Time spent getting the perfect fit here is worth the trouble in the end.

Sanding: The inlays are easier to sand down on a bench top belt sander with an aggressive grit and then finished up with an orbital sander with fine grit.

Glue: Wipe off excess glue with a wet cloth right after clamping. Dark glue that dries on unfinished walnut is almost invisible. Because glue seals off the wood and prevents the finish from penetrating, it will show up like a beacon when it is pretty much too late.

Fitting tools and inserts: The first frames I made I nailed small brads in the back, and bent them to hold the back in place. There were two problems with this. Hammering brads into hardwood frames takes a bit of force, and you run the risk of splitting or breaking the frame. Bending the brads back and forth more than a couple of times resulted in them falling out or becoming too loose to do the job. This tool is about forty bucks, but I think it is worth the money. From the back the appearance is very professional, and the flat metal spikes stay put when bent back and forth multiple times. There is also a choice of stiff spikes for more permanent mountings.

Glass: I bought my glass from the owner of a photography studio that was going out of business. He was anxious to get rid of it and was almost giving it away. Another cheap way to get glass might be to look at thrift stores or dollar stores. Keep the glass and toss the frame. You won’t save anything if you have to drive all over the valley to get it though. Glass is only about two dollars per 8×10 frame, if you have it cut at a glass shop in this area.

January 2nd, 2010 | Tags: fitting tool, inlay, Jet band clamp, jig, picture frames, walnut, white oak | Category: Woodworking | Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL