My Picture Frame

[Eugene A. Manzo III]

I spent all day TRYING to make a picture frame.... Found some nice pine 3/4" x 3" x 2' at the bargain box @ HD.

Set up my Saw (Ridgid Portable) ripped the pine down to 2 1/4" looked right to me.

Set up my NEW (Rockler Router Table With Jessem FX Lift with a PC 694vs
Router) put in a nice round over bit and I couldnt get the board through all the feather boards I have on this ;) . After stripping the unit down to just the table and fence I fell in love with this setup VERY VERY nice.
so I routed a rabbet 1/4 x 1/4 and round over on outside then ogee on iside face. very nice indeed.

Set up my (Bosch scms on a Ridgid stand) and cut 45's and to length
wow I'm spoiled no more Struggling with angles anymore with this beast
I thought, Layed it all out what a mess. I checked the joints were all above 45 so I tried using the micro adjust could not get that to work. recut all the angles (The picture frame is now 1/4" narrower and shorter)
But quit honestly the saw and stand are awsome (It's the Operator thats
the problem I believe).

Set up my NEW (K3 Master jig) started drilling holes. Collar slipped put a screw out through the back of the frame.

The frame is salvagable I think and my wife only wants to paint it anyway

I cleaned up the shop

I grabed both the K3 and the Bosch manuals and went in the house to read BEFORE totaly destroying it all.

Picture frames are they difficult ?

[Jim Grill]

I don't think picture frames are difficult per se. 45 degree miters can be a pain if they are not perfect. For small stuff like picture frames, a simple miter box with a hand saw works great and are nearly always accurate, if you have a decent one. A shooting board with a low angle block plane is a sure bet, too.

If you're like me, much of the fun is using the shiny, new power tools and, in that case, taking the time to fine tune your saw and making multiple test cuts is the best you can do.

I always make several 45 degree cuts on scrap pieces and then fit them together at a 90 and check with a good machinist's square. Even the smallest imperfection will be amplified by the time you work your way around the frame and get to the last joint. If it's tight miters I'm aiming for, I will make four pieces using a stop block to ensure they are the same length and I'll fit them all together and check all the joints. When I'm confident that my saw angle is perfect I scrap the scraps and cut the real thing.

Have you considered splines on your miters rather than the pocket hole screws? I think splines are more appropriate for a picture frame and make even more sense if it's going to be painted.

Let us know how it turns out.

[Mario Lucchesi]

Jim is right on. Do sevral test cuts on cheap stuff. or make prototypes of cheap material, you can always use them for the shop. also practice practice practice. I assume that you are new to woodworking, I find that some people struggle beacuse they see Norm and other woodworkers on TV make things look soo easy. They never show the set up and test cuts that the do so as not to loose viewers, unfortunetly it gives people a partial view of how the process works.

[Grant Wilkinson]

Eugene

I make a few dozen frames a year, and have no problem using tools similar to yours.
One thing to watch for when using your CMS is that the stock does not move at all during the cut. Use the clamp that likely came with your saw to clamp the piece that will form the frame part. You don't care if the waste moves. I found that, before I used the clamp, my miters would be out a degree or so. With the clamp, they are spot on. Of course, this presupposes that you have set up your saw so that the 45 degree reading on the scale is really 45 degrees.

[Jim Grill]

I find that some people struggle beacuse they see Norm and other woodworkers on TV make things look soo easy. They never show the set up and test cuts that the do so as not to loose viewers, unfortunetly it gives people a partial view of how the process works.

Well stated. That is so true. I often leap from the couch and shout at the TV, "NO WAAAY". The neighbors probably figure I'm watching the sports channel but I'm watching Norm pull off another complicated setup in just a few seconds.

"I'll just tilt my blade to 12 degrees and blah blah"

The part we're not seeing is the 10 minutes of fumbling and test cuts required to get an accurate 12 degree cut on a TS.

I wonder how often he screws up. I'd love to see the NYW bloopers DVD. Now that would be worth sticking around for the end of the show to find out how I can order! :) We love you, Norm.

[Joe Chritz]

I've done a fair amount of frames around the house. The advice above is solid. Spend the time setting up the saw to truly cut a 45 and it will simplify the process greatly.

You could also build a 45 sled for a tablesaw, but I have found I get good results with my SCMS.

I have never added splines and just use regular wood glue on the joints. I have only broken one joint and that was by cramming to much backing material in and trying to force it.

I wouldn't hang from it over an alligator pit but to hang on the wall they are plenty strong.

Joe

[Jim Grill]

I wouldn't hang from it over an alligator pit but to hang on the wall they are plenty strong.

Joe


C'mon... where's your sense of adventure?

That was a funny one. :)

[Eugene A. Manzo III]

I thank you guys for all you advice. The first mistake was thinking the new
tools did not need to be tweaked. The other thing was I watched one of them DVD's from Rockler showing a guy using the K3 Jig piece of cake I
thought he wasn't even watching what he was doing and it came out perfect :cool: .