My First Project - although unfishined

Beautiful frame AngieO.

Maybe make a groove in the back to place the picture before glue up?
Or, you can route a groove (rabbet) after glue up, but you’ll have round
corners.

I admire your determination.

Great job for your first project !

-- John in Belgrave (Website) http://www.extremebirdhouse.com , http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=112698715866

Nice! I found that band clamps work great for picture frames.

-- "hold fast to that which is good"

I usually just use a ratchet strap and some 2X2 stock glued and screwed at 90° for each two pieces.

If I want to get a little fancy, I round over the back edge for the strap to slide over.

If I want to get really fancy, I put a slot through the back side and round it over so the strap can’t go anywhere.

To get really really really fancy, I sand and wax the edges of the rounded side so the strap slides easier.

-- Improvise.... Adapt...... Overcome!

Way to go Angie!

-- Learning is like a door. Open it and there are hundreds more on the other side. Thanks for all the lessons!

Thats a good start.

Buying tools eh? Yep you’re hooked.

-- Martyn -- Boxologist, Pattern Juggler and Candyman of the visually challenging. http://www.theartofboxes.com

Don’t forget, in lieu of having no clamps. Your blue tape would work in this situation…..

You will also want to make the Joints Stronger.

Overall Looking Good So Far !!

-- Pat - Worker of Wood, Collector of Tools, Father of one

For a first project you are on your way to a great picture frame. There are a lot of ways to clamp a picture frame, I’m sure you will find a way that suits your abilities and resources. Keep up the good work. Too bad you aren’t near East Tennessee, I’d give you some of my cut off pieces of walnut, maple, cherry, and oak for your projects.

-- Hal, Tennessee http://www.first285.com

Well, what’s next? a box probably… same process for the sides and glue them together there is the box. Those time that I dont have clamps, I just nailed a temporary bracket a piece of wood on 4 corners while the glue is drying. An ordinary staples can reinforce the corner and for higher strength a spline (inserts on the sides or inlay on the back.

Being your first, I like the way your 45 degree miter joint… so perfect. That will be the quality that you need… precision and accuracy.

Keep it going.

-- Bert

Very nice, when first looking at it, it seemed to have an ocean theme or feel about it, like it would work well in an ocean beach house.

-- Randy - If I'm not on LJ's then I'm making Saw Dust. Please feel free to visit my store location at http://www.facebook.com/randy.blackstock.custom.wood.designs

DaddyZ is right about useing the tape, I use it all the time to hold my box drawers together for my bandsaw boxes, only if that’s painters blue tape you are using then it doesn’t have the holding power as normal masking tape does so that would prob be better then the blue painters tape. Once again Angie very nice job, can’t wait to see more projects keep em coming. :)

-- Randy - If I'm not on LJ's then I'm making Saw Dust. Please feel free to visit my store location at http://www.facebook.com/randy.blackstock.custom.wood.designs

Thanks guys. I didn’t get to finish tonight although I did get my slot put in the back to hold glass and whatever I put in there. I traded in my router table (that wouldn’t fit my router) and got a new one. I felt much better about adding the groove using the table. I’ve sanded everything down and I’m ready to glue it up.

Ok…. So finishes….? I found an old can of Poter Paint Wood Stain. It says “clear base”. Tested it out on a scrap piece. Didn’t like what it did but not sure if that’s because it’s not what I should be using or if I just don’t like it.

Gonna glue up tonight and finish it tomorrow. I welcome any tips on the finishing process.
Again…thanks for the comments.

Strapping tape,band clamp,or ratchet strap works well to clamp these. Shellac is a nice finish that is pretty easy to do. Now would be a great opportunity to learn splined miters (simple to do, adds strength and longevity to your frame, and also adds some visual interest). Others call these feathers/keys/etc.

-- " I'll try to be nicer, if you'll try to be smarter" gfadvm

I’ve watched several YouTube videos on splines. Definitely want to try that. I have a friend who has some “scrap” wood, as he calls it. Last night he was telling me that he had one purple heart. He said they were small pieces but they are thicker than what I’d use.
I did get a clamp for frames. Apparently it’s something my husband will use too. So it was worth it.

Oh…. And I don’t have my table saw yet. So what else could I use?

Router table and straight bit with jig or a slot cutting bit.

-- " I'll try to be nicer, if you'll try to be smarter" gfadvm