Frames

[K&MScrollworks]

What does everyone do for frames? Do you make or buy them?
I have made a couple but mot real happy with them, customer seemed to by happy though. I would like to know where to buy decent frames at a good price. If you make them what special tools do you use? I do have a couple of corner clamps that seem to do pretty good.

Kris

[ndtroll]

I have the tools and materials for making frames... I found it is less expensive to buy them on sale at various stores than it is to make them....
The quality of the frame will depend on the project.... I also have a local guy who makes frames out of old barnboard... adds a nice touch to some pieces

In the midwest, we have Menards stores (similar to Home Depot). I have purchased 11X14 oak frames in various styles for $5 - $6 on sale...

I do not use the glass... sell it or trade it to a few local crafts people who have a use for it

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Kris

I do not do much portrait work so when I need a frame I make it. The biggest key is haveing a way to cut the frame lengths equally so the fram goes together well Also must be able to cut exact 45's or if doing multiple sides a good miter fence is needed. For this I use a Dubby miter fence system and I can cut any multiple sides I want and accurate. http://www.in-lineindustries.com/dubby1_4.jpg the site is http://www.in-lineindustries.com/single_dubby.html

Now with that said I can also say alot of people get frames from Walmart. They are realitively cheap in price and are not bad quality. They have sales at times when they want to close out a lot. You can also check craft stores because they also run sales. We have an AC Moore here and their fliers are always advertising frames. But like I said making your own is not bad either. Godd accurate cuts is the key and some sort of clamps. I like to use band clamps they work well for me. Others will have ideas I am sure.

[GrayBeard Phil]

I am going to try to keep this short.

A few years ago, a general woodworking magazine, Woodsmith, ran a article about picture frames. The background article ran on for about 5 or 6 pages describing all the problems with making a picture frame. The rest of the issue was dedicated to making jigs and fixtures (for those who know the magazine, is this a surprise?)

Bottom line: the exactness of the tolerances, none. No room for error, no 'fix it' later. Each cut must be right on the money, to the penny. All the cut angles add up to 360.00 degrees + / - maybe .10 maximum. Trust me, making it come out to 360 + / - 5.0 degrees is hard.

At the time, I was a member of a Club, and after the magazine came out there were a lot of noise about "We are using wood, not SAE 1024 carbon steel" and so forth.

Your call, but the Woodsmith article sure did scare me about trying to make my own frames. If you ever view a frame made to standards of craftsmanship the article was talking about, it will be just so obvious you may even do a double take with wide open eyes. Nothing compares.

Phil

[pops-shop]

I make all my frames for the Quarter Maps using Basswood.
Takes routing really well
Easy to work with
Set my miter saw to exactly 45 degrees
Have length jigs
Clamp it square really tight
No complaints in the last couple of years :)

Am I just lucky or what???

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

As I sometimes do, so forgive me Phil but I lost you. It is not hard at all to make a frame and to be dead on. It takes a good miter gauge and a saw that can cut 45 degrees accurate. You do need a stop so to get the exact same lengths but that is it. Heck you can use string as a clamp to hold it together. In fact I have a string clamp with some blocks for the corners. Now the thing that sets frames off is the details in them so routing these will take time and buying the wood takes time so this is why people choose to buy them for as much time they put into making them they figure they can just as well buy one and spend the time making more projects. I guess it is a matter of choice and how fancy you want to get. You can even buy frame material already milled and just cut to length. Any way would like to hear what others do for frames and if you do buy them where do you get them.

[jer71kil]

Kris

I have made two types of frames, 9x12 for 8x10 pictures and the same size but for 3-D pictures.

As JT says the secret is in the 45 degree cut. I use a chop saw but there are other ways to make the cut.

Scroller has a frame kit for a 3-D picture for $17.95 which includes the assembled frame, acryllic cut to size, and plywood piece for backing. If I make one from scratch, the same materials cost me $9.95. It takes quite a while to make so if I figure in time, it's probably cheaper to buy. I assemble the frame by using a 2'x2' piece of ply as a base and by properly spaced nails slide the frame pieces together and hold them down with easy clamps. I also put a piece of wax paper under the glue joint to keep it from sticking to my base jig. A sample is in my photo gallery page two entitled Cardinal Scene Picture. Also on that same page entitled "Dragon Silhouette" is a flat frame made from 1 1/8" wide moulding from Home Depot which was $.08 a linear inch.

The 2 frames at the bottom of that page were purchased from the mail order Art Supplier, Dick Blick some time ago at a sale price of 2 for $5. The material cost to make them myself is $3.94.

Since I am retired and have the time I enjoy doing as much as I can, myself. From a pure $ & cents viewpoint and time constraints, it is probably better to buy.

Keep the blades a-humming!!! :)

Jerry

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Jerry

As a little side note I enjoyed all your recent photos you uploaded to the galleries. Great job on all the projects. I know I keep harping on it but for those that just peek in on the new posts, you owe it to yourself to look in the photo gallery section. Keep up the great work.

[GrayBeard Phil]

Fred:

I looked over the magazine article, you got it correct AFAK:

Exact method for 45.0 degrees cut, and you can easily reproduce the (accurate) cut on each of the 8 cuts.

Use length stops (circular saw blade teeth pushes stock away from cut)

Your wood selection Basswood:
45 degree cuts: mostly end-grain to end-grain glueing. large cell wood like Oak and Walnut very hard for glue to work on 45 degree cuts. Basswood will glue up better on such cuts.

Household relative humidity changes causes wood movement across the grain but much less with the grain. Over time this very small wood movement will cause the end-grain glue to fail at the edges of Miter cuts. From my US Army days, as I remimber the Georgia winters / Summers; I don't recall that the Humidity inside the homes would swing like up Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and so forth. In winter up here, the dry heat inside a home is bone dry.

Some wood choices have a greater movement between summer and winter humidity. (summer 'sticky' drawer problem) again I beleive basswood is a good choice. Hickory not such a good choice, while Pecan could be a good choice.

And of course a jig (fixture) for assembly to set and keep the frame during glue up and cure time.

Still too much work for me to mess with.

Phil

[K&MScrollworks]

Thank you all for your inputs and knowledge you passed on. I certainly think I will buy the majority and only on certain occasions I will make one only on a special request. At this time I do not make alot of projects that require frames.
Again Thanks

Kris