First project - Picture frames

Cool frames!

-- Ride hard or go home~

Well, Now…. That’s finer than a frog hair split three ways!

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

Hand cut half lap joints. That wasn’t easy! And they turned out well.

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

I’ve made many of the same, different method but the end result being the same. But, what I also do to add dimension plus holding power, plus some old time look, I drill a mortise at each corner, put in a different type wood in the mortise. There is an amazing difference. Try it…..you’ll see. It looks much richer.

-- Marty - Verona, Va.

These are great. Definitely worth sharing. Thanks for posting.

-- measure twice, cut once...... most of the time! www.custombuiltjoinery.co.uk

Very cool, love the grain!

-- Chris, Fl.

Nice work, well done!!

-- Jack, Albuquerque

Looks great. Thanks for sharing

That was a good find on the wood – especially the colorful version! You can be very creative with clamps for something like a picture frame where there will not be tremendous pressure on the joint – rubber bands, binder clips, masking tape, lots of things. I would not recommend using them for a chair or anything, but for a picture frame they would serve you well!

And do not be hesitant to post a project, however small it seems to you. Firstly, one project here often inspires another for other members. Another big reason is the one you mentioned – it is a record of your work that you can look back on. I know there were a lot of things I built and gave away, never having taken pictures of them. I sure wish now I had a record of what I did.

-- Kay - Just a girl who loves wood.

Nice looking project frames. Here’s a type I make, similar only tongue and groove with mortise. I use old barn, fence wood, anything aged and old in appearance. The mortise and square tennon at each cornergives them a nice touch, (through my eyes).

-- Marty - Verona, Va.

-- Marty - Verona, Va.

Thank you all for the encouragement.

Kookaburra: Thanks for the tips! I’m actually making another frame with normal 45 degree corners and I’m using blue tape. I got the idea from AngieO, another LJ. It works well enough and it is just for a frame like you said so it should be OK.

PC24omni: Sweet frame! I love the square pegs, too. Nice little Greene & Greene flavor. Thanks for sharing your work.

-- Cliff. Proverbs 16:9

great job, love the pins

-- Norman

Nice work on the frames chris. If you cut those half laps with just a wee bit of a back bevel your joints will tighten up nice under clamping pressure and leave a little pocket for glue. Well done hand cuttin those bad boys.

-- "there aren’t many hand tools as awe-inspiring as the #8 jointer. I mean, it just reeks of cast iron heft and hubris" - Smitty

you’re way ahead of me, i don’t even know what a half lap joint means. I like these, and like another person wrote, there’s always something in a project that will inspire or encourage other members.

I use raw linseed oil alot on projects, especially easy to use for frames. While it may dry a little slower, there are zero chemicals in it. Jamestown Distributers has an online site that sells it if interested.

Good luck with your next projects