Laminated Picture Frame

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  • Marilyn Moreno
    15 September 2016 at 6:27 pm #140221

    I completed my first picture frame in this style. Frame is a laminate of walnut, maple and cherry. I have 1 more to make.
    What I learned:
    1) it’s easier to laminate larger pieces than doing smaller pieces individually.
    2) leave more room for waste than I think I need for sawing to a line (I’m still not that good at it).
    3) ALWAYS mark the correct sides and edges to cut the miters. I had to make the frame, mat boards and plexi-glass a bit narrower to correct my mistake.
    4) Shooting board is a great tool. Accuracy is important if you want to match up your corners.
    5) I love the card scraper.
    6) No matter how much you rehearse the glue-up, something can still go wrong.

    And thanks to the previous posters to the “Picture Frames” forum for the info on glazier points, using the shooting board,etc. I gleaned many helpful hints from your posts.

    Marilyn - Lehigh Valley, Eastern Pennsylvania - USA

    Peter George
    16 September 2016 at 12:52 am #140230

    That looks awesome Marilyn. Your mitres look really good which means your accuracy was spot on.

    Did you do the splines to reinforce the corners?

    I have some more frames to make and I may look at doing something similar.

    Peter in
    Biggar SK
    "New York is big, but this is Biggar"

    Wesley
    16 September 2016 at 7:10 am #140233

    Great work Marilyn. I think the wood lamination makes it even harder to line everything up perfectly, so well done!

    Wesley

    Marilyn Moreno
    16 September 2016 at 2:04 pm #140266

    @pjgeorge, @weslee: Thanks…
    Peter, I didn’t do the splines, and I may go back to do so. I know it will strengthen the joint.
    Question: Do you use wire to mount your frames? I used those simple brackets with the teeth and I’m thinking I might change the mounting to wire.. Do you have a preference?

    Wes, the laminations were hard, but I think I made the process harder by cutting the boards for each piece before laminating. That made the squaring up and aligning much harder, because I had to do it for each piece.
    Next time I’ll plane the surfaces for each board, glue them up and then rip the pieces. I won’t have the messy glue cleanup like I did for this project.

    Marilyn - Lehigh Valley, Eastern Pennsylvania - USA

    Peter George
    16 September 2016 at 2:45 pm #140290

    I’ve used both wire and the saw tooth brackets. I mostly use wire now. It just seems more secure, although I’ve never had a problem with the brackets.

    I generally don’t use the splines because I reinforce the corners with V nails after the glue dries. I’ve also used brads. I think the reinforcement is more of a “belt and suspenders” thing. I haven’t had a mitre glue joint fail in a picture frame.

    Peter in
    Biggar SK
    "New York is big, but this is Biggar"

    Marilyn Moreno
    16 September 2016 at 3:57 pm #140292

    Thanks Peter.

    Marilyn - Lehigh Valley, Eastern Pennsylvania - USA

    Derek Long
    16 September 2016 at 4:59 pm #140308

    Very nice work! I like it.

    Derek Long
    Denver, Colorado

    Greg Merritt
    17 September 2016 at 12:35 am #140324

    That turned out great! Very nice work.

    http://hillbillydaiku.com

    Peter George
    17 September 2016 at 1:32 am #140327

    One other trick for hanging pictures:

    Put a small rubber or vinyl bumper on each of the lower corners. It helps the picture from tilting and keeps it from damaging the wall. I use 1/4 inch dome bumpers from the hardware store.

    Peter in
    Biggar SK
    "New York is big, but this is Biggar"

    Marilyn Moreno
    19 September 2016 at 4:40 pm #140388

    Thanks guys.


    @pjgeorge    , Peter, I used bumpers on the corners. I noticed them on some custom frames a bought years ago, and followed their example.

    Marilyn - Lehigh Valley, Eastern Pennsylvania - USA

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