Picture Frame for Zeek

Zeek asked me to make him a picture frame for his diploma for Xmass. Outlined below is the sawdust process I went though.

Done

Here is the finished product. I had the matte and mounting done professionally, but I did save substantially in the cost by providing the finished frame.

Glue-up

I started by gluing up 3/8 inch walnut to a 3/4 inch red oak base. This works best if you have a single chunk of stock long enough for the entire frame. After cutting apart, mark the adjacent edges so you can assemble the frame in the same order.

Dado Side View

Cut a dado for the accent wood. I used maple stock 5/16 inch wide and 1/4 inch thick.

Profile

Here is a SketchUp diagram of the profile I created. Cut a 1/4 inch wide dado, 1/2 inch deep to accommodate the glass, picture, matting, and back. Then I used my router table to cut the small 45 deg chamfer above it.

disc sandering

I cut the final profile, the 33 deg long cut on the table saw, then cleaned it up using fence with my disc sander.

glue miters

I cut the miter 45 deg angles with my miter saw. The frame was sized to allow a 2 inch matt all round the picture. I then used two framing squares to keep the sides square. I put wax paper under the corners and spread marine epoxy on the joints. Spring clamps were used to keep the pieces aligned while the epoxy cured. I also weighted the sides with lead weights to keep all the pieces down flat.

Finishing

After cleaning up the epoxy squeeze out with a sharp chisel and doing some touch up sanding, I finished the frame with Watco Natural Danish Oil. I think the oak, walnut, and maple really provide a pleasant contrast.

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