Hey, all. I mentioned this in an old thread, but just in case
it got missed, I thought I'd post the link here. I've created
a complete tutorial explaining how I create my picture frames
from scratch, including glazing, mounting, and matting.

Please feel free to take a look, and let me know if you have
any suggestions for improvement.

http://kombat.org/FrameMaking/

Kevin.

"Kevin" wrote in message
...

Hey, all. I mentioned this in an old thread, but just in case
it got missed, I thought I'd post the link here. I've created
a complete tutorial explaining how I create my picture frames
from scratch, including glazing, mounting, and matting.

Please feel free to take a look, and let me know if you have
any suggestions for improvement.

http://kombat.org/FrameMaking/

Kevin.

Looks really good, Kevin! I recently built a router table and had picture
frame making in mind when I built it. I'll be saving your URL for future
reference.

Some minor suggestions:

I like 3D drawings. You have lots of excellent drawings, but in the early
stages I would like to see the 3rd dimension off in the distance. The
photographs of the profiles were excellent examples.

The remark about rule #1, "exactly 45 degrees", states that being off by a
couple of degrees leaves gaps. I think that being off by even half a degree
is too much. Maybe you can do some experiements and find what the real
limit is. I also notice that you have a pretty nice mitre fence. I don't,
and even using a triangle (like you show in your photograph) I've had bad
luck. Maybe there's too much slop in my mitre slot or something. More
likely, my wood isn't always perfectly straight, which throws off the
angles. I made a sled with a right angled block screwed down at 45 degrees
just so I could make these cuts. Perhaps you could go into more detail on
this critical issue, and provide minimum requirements and alternatives.

I wonder about applying the finish after glue-up. If glue gets into the
pores before the stain, you might get blotching. I would tape the cut ends,
apply finish, remove the tape, THEN glue it up.

Thanks for the tutorial. I look forward to trying it out someday.

- Owen -

Kevin,

What a fantastic tutorial! Clearly defined, explicitly precise, and
very helpful. I'm definitely going to add your link to your bookmarks.

Mike

Grammer error: I'm definitely going to add your link to MY bookmarks.

"Owen Lawrence" wrote in
:

*snip*

The remark about rule #1, "exactly 45 degrees", states that being off
by a couple of degrees leaves gaps. I think that being off by even
half a degree is too much. Maybe you can do some experiements and
find what the real limit is. I also notice that you have a pretty
nice mitre fence. I don't, and even using a triangle (like you show
in your photograph) I've had bad luck. Maybe there's too much slop in
my mitre slot or something. More likely, my wood isn't always
perfectly straight, which throws off the angles. I made a sled with
a right angled block screwed down at 45 degrees just so I could make
these cuts. Perhaps you could go into more detail on this critical
issue, and provide minimum requirements and alternatives.

*snip*

You may want to try cutting close to the 45 degree line and sanding the
rest of the way down. Sand, check against your 45 and sand some more.
It can be a lot more work, but you have much better control.

Puckdropper
--
www.uncreativelabs.net

Old computers are getting to be a lost art. Here at Uncreative Labs, we
still enjoy using the old computers. Sometimes we want to see how far a
particular system can go, other times we use a stock system to remind
ourselves of what we once had.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

You are quite correct. An error of .5 degrees in a mitre cut, in 1" wide
material, will result in a gap of .024" when the frame is assembled.

"Owen Lawrence" wrote in message
...
The remark about rule #1, "exactly 45 degrees", states that being off by a
couple of degrees leaves gaps. I think that being off by even half a
degree
is too much.

Kevin,

Excellent tutorial, beautifully presented. I've been wanting to try
this for a long time, and this may have been just the inspiration I
needed to get going. Thanks for sharing your knowledge so generously.

Brad

Owen Lawrence wrote:

Looks really good, Kevin! I recently built a router table and had picture
frame making in mind when I built it. I'll be saving your URL for future
reference.

Thanks, Owen. I appreciate the kind words.

Some minor suggestions:

I like 3D drawings. You have lots of excellent drawings, but in the early
stages I would like to see the 3rd dimension off in the distance. The
photographs of the profiles were excellent examples.

Good suggestion. I'm not much of an artist when it comes to vector
drawing, but maybe I could come up with something a little clearer.

The remark about rule #1, "exactly 45 degrees", states that being off by a
couple of degrees leaves gaps. I think that being off by even half a degree
is too much.

I think you're right; another poster has actually worked out some of the
math for us. Maybe I'll edit the description to reflect that the angles
must be even more precise than I said. I wasn't sure exactly how precise
the angles needed to be - I just knew that my saw's miter fence wasn't
precise enough.

I wonder about applying the finish after glue-up. If glue gets into the
pores before the stain, you might get blotching. I would tape the cut ends,
apply finish, remove the tape, THEN glue it up.

Hmm, interesting idea. Honestly, I've never tried that. Every frame I've
done so far, I've glued it up, then finished it. In most of my frames, I've
countersunk finishing nails into the corners, then puttied and sanded them
smooth before finishing. However, in cases where I don't use nails, maybe
I'll give your suggestion a try. Since I've started using the drafting
triangle and simultaneous-cutting methods, my corners haven't exhibited any
leftover glue at all, after sanding.

Thanks for the tutorial. I look forward to trying it out someday.

Thanks again, Owen. If you decide to give it a try, send me some pictures
of the finished result. I'd be interested in hearing if my tutorial was
helpful.

Kevin.

Kevin,
Excellent tutorial. Thank you for posting.
--
Ed. O.






My woodworking projects at:
http://www.amiigas.com

"Mike" wrote in message
oups.com...
Grammer error: I'm definitely going to add your link to MY bookmarks.


Spelling error - "grammer" is spelled grammar!

LOL - Sorry, Mike - devil made me do that!

Vic

Kevin (in ) said:

| I've created
| a complete tutorial explaining how I create my picture frames
| from scratch, including glazing, mounting, and matting.
|
| Please feel free to take a look, and let me know if you have
| any suggestions for improvement.
|
| http://kombat.org/FrameMaking/

Kevin...

Nice job! That's one of the best woodworking tutorials I've seen.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/solar.html

The remark about rule #1, "exactly 45 degrees", states that being off
by a couple of degrees leaves gaps. I think that being off by even
half a degree is too much. Maybe you can do some experiements and
find what the real limit is. I also notice that you have a pretty
nice mitre fence. I don't, and even using a triangle (like you show
in your photograph) I've had bad luck. Maybe there's too much slop in
my mitre slot or something. More likely, my wood isn't always
perfectly straight, which throws off the angles. I made a sled with
a right angled block screwed down at 45 degrees just so I could make
these cuts. Perhaps you could go into more detail on this critical
issue, and provide minimum requirements and alternatives.

*snip*

You may want to try cutting close to the 45 degree line and sanding the
rest of the way down. Sand, check against your 45 and sand some more.
It can be a lot more work, but you have much better control.

Puckdropper

Actually, I have tried that. The end result always seems to be a bit of
rounding (i.e. the cut isn't perfectly flat once I'm done sanding, no matter
how careful I am). So far my best luck has been with my sled, and/or
sneaking up to the cut I want. I long to be able to do it in one shot.

A friend of mine told me a couple of weeks ago that using a mitre saw really
does the job and takes the worry out of it for him when he does the finish
molding on windows. Yet just last weekend another friend told me of the
trouble he had with his small/cheap mitre saw while doing baseboards. I
guess there are no absolutes in this business. I continue to practice
whatever technique seems best at the time. If I were going to make hundreds
of frames I'd probably invest in one of those guillotines.

- Owen -

On Sun, 07 Aug 2005 09:50:33 -0400, Kevin wrote:


Hey, all. I mentioned this in an old thread, but just in case
it got missed, I thought I'd post the link here. I've created
a complete tutorial explaining how I create my picture frames
from scratch, including glazing, mounting, and matting.

Please feel free to take a look, and let me know if you have
any suggestions for improvement.

http://kombat.org/FrameMaking/

Kevin.

Kevin, This is very good, the URL is a keeper.

Some minor suggestions:

You did not mention miter trimmers, they are worth getting if you can
find a used one, especially the chinese clones of the original Lion
trimmer. I find I can use a cheap chop-saw and cut to within 1/16" of
the line, then take off a couple of slivers to get it dead right.

I have a set of extension arms (part no is WM110) available for B&D
Workmates that work well for clamping the glued-up frame. However, I
don't know if these are still readily available.

Barry Lennox

Hey, all. I mentioned this in an old thread, but just in case
it got missed, I thought I'd post the link here. I've created
a complete tutorial explaining how I create my picture frames
from scratch, including glazing, mounting, and matting.

Please feel free to take a look, and let me know if you have
any suggestions for improvement.

http://kombat.org/FrameMaking/

Kevin.

Kevin, This is very good, the URL is a keeper.

Some minor suggestions:
...
I have a set of extension arms (part no is WM110) available for B&D
Workmates that work well for clamping the glued-up frame. However, I
don't know if these are still readily available.


The frame clamp mentioned in the tutorial is on sale at Busy Bee Tools right
now. Go to http://www.busybeetools.com/ and search for "frame clamp".

- Owen -

Nice Tutorial I just recently had someone ask me to make a frame for a
canvas painting of there family and Im looking for ideas on how to make the
most of the project. Thanks for the tips Ill know theyll come in handy


"Owen Lawrence" wrote in message
...
Hey, all. I mentioned this in an old thread, but just in case
it got missed, I thought I'd post the link here. I've created
a complete tutorial explaining how I create my picture frames
from scratch, including glazing, mounting, and matting.

Please feel free to take a look, and let me know if you have
any suggestions for improvement.

http://kombat.org/FrameMaking/

Kevin.

Kevin, This is very good, the URL is a keeper.

Some minor suggestions:
...
I have a set of extension arms (part no is WM110) available for B&D
Workmates that work well for clamping the glued-up frame. However, I
don't know if these are still readily available.


The frame clamp mentioned in the tutorial is on sale at Busy Bee Tools
right now. Go to http://www.busybeetools.com/ and search for "frame
clamp".

- Owen -

The tutorial makes a great introduction to woodworking
for beginners. I have a couple of observations that you
may wish to incorporate:
1. Tell the readers that they should cut all (both) pieces each
time they set the blade or fence. Never try to reproduce a
setting; it's just asking for trouble. The same comment
applies to router-bit settings.
2. In Step 3, "Cutting the Pieces to Length", explain the reader
the virtues of using a backer board to prevent tearout. The
cut will be much cleaner.
3. Step 2, "Routing a decoration" should be done as a single
pass before the larger rabbet removes the 3/4" of support.
This will save you all the hassle of continually readjusting the
fence while making (what is essentially another rabbet) 1/8"
at a time.
4. Long thin pieces of wood are prone to warping, especially if
you have just ripped them from a wider board. It is a good idea
to proceed to assembly as soon as possible.

Keep up the good work. I've bookmarked your page.