Frame

This is already the first of at 2 frames I have made, and hopefully many more to come.

Making this frame involved 3 separate projects. The first, my table saw router table extension wing, so that I could make the rabbets using my router more easily on thinner pieces of wood. The second, a frame miter sled, so as to make accurately sized and repeatable cuts, and finally a spline jig to add some decorative contrast splines as well as some added strength to what would otherwise be a simple butt joint.

I had a little spare 3/4” thick walnut in the garage so I ripped that down to 1-3/4” wide, routed a rabbet, and cut it to size using the miter jig. I used the spline cutting jig and a few scraps of hard maple to strengthen up the corners after gluing, which I did using a tie-down strap. I trimmed the splines down with a small handsaw, and cleaned it up with my block plane. I have since gotten a ratcheting tie-down from Harbor Freight with the corners, as I found it hard to get the nylon strap tight.

Cutting glass took a few tried to get right, but I think I got it now, and I made the back to the frame out of some hardboard I had.

Finishing was done with Minwax satin poly, but I wish I had thinned it out a bit before applying. Overall I am very happy with this frame, and more-so my second one as well, which I think got a better final finish. The second frame, the last picture in the set, was cherry with maple splines.

Credit where credit is due, this entire project and process is pretty much step by step, jig by jig from the Drunken Woodworker/Make Something’s David Picciuto, links here and here.