Picture Frames....perfect 45 degree miters....HELP!!

[George Farra]

Afternoon All,

The LOML has asked that I make some picture frames to hold some of our treasured family photos. My woodworking so far has not required me to seek out and perfect 45 degree miters....but this sure does!

I have at my disposal and tablesaw, chopsaw, and handplanes of various sizes. My work habits blend the use of both machine and neander habits. So I am trying to decide what is easiest:

1) Chopsaw with final clean up on a shooting board (No 5 or 6 plane)
2) Miter sled for the tablesaw
3) Any other methods????

Please post up your most favored method of acheiving good tight miters!

TIA

George

[George Farra]

I should have mentioned that I wil need to dedicate time to build either a shooting board or a TS sled for this purpose, thanks george

[Tom Jones III]

I've had the best luck by building a dedicated sled for the TS. It doesn't take too long to build and assembly of the frames goes quickly.

[Joe Hillmann]

I've had the best luck by building a dedicated sled for the TS. It doesn't take too long to build and assembly of the frames goes quickly.

I built this

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=232114&d=1337006499

After I cut the pieces I put a bit of glue on each end of each piece then clamp the pieces together and use an air stapler to put two staples in each corner and I end up with near perfect corners every time. Start to finish I can build a frame in about 15 minutes, or if I make them assembly line style I can make one in just under 6 minutes each.

[Bryan Cramer]

I use this jig (http://www.woodstore.net/cutdemievti.html) from Wood magazine. It is very accurate because it is easy to adjust rather than tweaking a miter saw or a miter gauge. Some professional framers use dedicated miter saws set at 45*. Shooting boards work well too. I also recommend purchasing a band clamp to clamp the frame. I do reenforce the corners with brads or stapes if they will not be seen. If I have to rely on glue I apply a sizing of 50/50 water and yellow glue on the miters then after the end grain soaks it up and its is dry I put a full strength glue. Then I clamp the joint. Splines and keys add strength as well.

[Steve Rost]

Another thumbs up for a table saw sliding jig. I will suggest blade stablizers with a premium blade too. You will get asked again to do more!

[George Farra]

Thanks everyone

Looks like the TS sled is a great way to go. i also llike the t-track/stop feature for repeatability!

Thank you

George

[Rick Moyer]

I made this one: http://www.woodsmithshop.com/download/511/table-saw-miter-sled.pdf but I haven't tried it out yet.

[George Farra]

Rick

That woodsmith shop sled looks pretty stout!

George

[Leo Graywacz]

Always had a problem with getting the perfect 45. I even setup a sled for the tablesaw and still got not perfect results. I got the osborne miter jig and still no perfection. Then I got the Bosch Axial Glide and adjusted it myself and now I have a perfect 45.

It's so nice to glue the miters together and have the final miter line up just about perfect without any tweaking. Making picture frame wainscoting is just simple now. Just cut the pcs and glue them up. No fiddling.

[Carl Beckett]

I make a simple sled. You don't have to get the support rail set at 45 exactly, as long as you get the inclusive at 90 degrees. I simply take a board with a runner and then screw two pieces to it, located by putting a square across them both at the same time. I prefer a finishing cutoff blade to give a super smooth finish.

Shooting board is another way, and I've started just roughing with the miter guide and then cleaning up on the shooting board 45 hide made for the purpose (and with this method if you have to adjust a little just put a shim between the workpiece and the rail and you can tune it in)

[Bruce Wrenn]

After years of building "purpose driven" sleds, I finally popped the money for a Dubby. Only regret is I didn't buy one sooner. With the Dubby, you can do all kinds of frames, not just rectangles. After watching Jerry Cole (inventor of the Dubby) do a seven sided frame, I went out and did one just to prove I could.

[Ole Anderson]

I took a Woodpeckers solid aluminum 90 degree angle and incorporated it into a sled. Glued and screwed it to a sled then cut the slot and aluminum 90 in one pass.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v152/CJ7ole/IMG_1758.jpg

[Dan Rude]

I haven't done too many, but I have used this jig from Rockler with success. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18030&site=ROCKLER
Otherwise, I have used my Incra http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11471&site=ROCKLER with great success.:) Except for the time I must have knocked it out of adjustment and could not figure out why my drawer front had an angle to the sides.:confused:
Dan