Why can't I make picture frames?

[Wade Lippman]

I have always had trouble making picture frames and hate them.
My DIL asked me to make a frame for my son's MA diploma. I made him one out of brown oak for his BA and she wanted one to match. Well, I can't get any brown oak and figured trying to match it would be a fool's errand, so I made it out of red oak, figuring they would go together because they had the same grain, but were obviously different woods. The first one was matted maroon (BC) and this one will be matted red (UW), so it seemed appropriate.

I spent some time to make sure my kapex was perfectly adjusted, both vertically and horizontally. I cut my pieces and they are 45* dead on. I put them together and there is a space on the inside of all the corners big enough to slide a sheet of paper in. A little filler and no one will ever notice it, but WHY?!?!?!

What could I possible be doing wrong?

[John Kananis]

Use your tablesaw. Miter saws (even the festool) are not very accurate. Omga maybe, that's about all.

[Frederick Skelly]

I use my miter saw, then a shooting plane and board to refine.

[Clifford McGuire]

I use my miter saw, then a shooting plane and board to refine.

This ^^^^^

Or a miter trimmer. I found a Lion Miter Trimmer on Ebay and use it for every picture frame.

[Roger Feeley]

This ^^^^^

Or a miter trimmer. I found a Lion Miter Trimmer on Ebay and use it for every picture frame.

For some reason, the lion miter trimmer really scares me. Of course, I have four grandchildren.

[Stan Calow]

For some reason, the lion miter trimmer really scares me. Of course, I have four grandchildren.

Yeah, you have to show some respect for a double guillotine. I was thinking about making some kind of lockout for it.

Cutting an angle and then flipping it over is fine, but then you have to cut rabbets which creates another matchup problem opportunity, and sometimes you want the grain to flow.

[fritz eng]

I use my miter saw, then a shooting plane and board to refine.

IMHO one of the best videos on the subject of making picture frames.....best wishes

https://www.woodmagazine.com/video/h...ered-corners-0

[Maurice Mcmurry]

My miter saws do a fine job as do the table saw, radial arm saw, wooden miter box, back saw, etc. Learning how to keep them all dialed in has been a 40 + year journey.

[Jim Becker]

Hearne carries English Brown Oak...one of my favorite non-cherry/non-walnut species.

[Wade Lippman]

Hearne carries English Brown Oak...one of my favorite non-cherry/non-walnut species.

It was just one piece in with a lot of wood I bought at an auction. The edge of the board looked like normal red oak. I've never seen English oak, but presume it doesn't look like red oak.


I will try the table saw next time.

[Jim Becker]

It was just one piece in with a lot of wood I bought at an auction. The edge of the board looked like normal red oak. I've never seen English oak, but presume it doesn't look like red oak.

I was just responding give you mentioned it was "brown oak". English brown oak has a lovely brown colored heartwood and yellow-ish white sapwood. The photo shows the natural color:

[Phil Gaudio]

I have always had trouble making picture frames and hate them.
My DIL asked me to make a frame for my son's MA diploma. I made him one out of brown oak for his BA and she wanted one to match. Well, I can't get any brown oak and figured trying to match it would be a fool's errand, so I made it out of red oak, figuring they would go together because they had the same grain, but were obviously different woods. The first one was matted maroon (BC) and this one will be matted red (UW), so it seemed appropriate.

I spent some time to make sure my kapex was perfectly adjusted, both vertically and horizontally. I cut my pieces and they are 45* dead on. I put them together and there is a space on the inside of all the corners big enough to slide a sheet of paper in. A little filler and no one will ever notice it, but WHY?!?!?!

What could I possible be doing wrong?

I feel your pain. Seems like a simple project, but its not. Lengths have to be exact, and each miter joint has to be a perfect fit. Its one of those projects that
is just not as simple as it seems.

[Kevin Jenness]

I spent some time to make sure my kapex was perfectly adjusted, both vertically and horizontally. I cut my pieces and they are 45* dead on. I put them together and there is a space on the inside of all the corners big enough to slide a sheet of paper in. A little filler and no one will ever notice it, but WHY?!?!?!

What could I possible be doing wrong?

Your miter saw is adjusted as close to 45 as you can measure - over the length of one piece. When you put eight pieces together the discrepancies add up. A sheet of paper is about .003" thick. Most miter saws have a bit of play in the bearings and wobble in the blade - the only ones I have used that give flawless results are made by Omga, but CTD saws are said to be equivalent. The cure is to use a rigid, perfectly adjusted cutting tool with solid length stops or tune up the imperfect joints by hand with a shooting board, sanding block or similar.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Do the research, then buy yourself a Dubby for use on your TS. As to my Dubby, my only regret, is waiting so long to buy it. Jerry Cole has a video demonstrating his Dubby making various picture frames.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I find it much easier to pay attention to my power saws than to even think about trying to true up end grain with a plane and shooting board or sander. My saws are some of the humblest on this forum. With careful use and adjustment I have no problem with picture frames. Once again I try to point out that adjusting machines is a very big part of modern wood working.