# Continuous grain picture frame



## DaveMoore (Jul 17, 2009)

I've made my head hurt trying to work this out, so maybe one of you guys can help me out 

Is it possible to have continuous grain on the face side of a picture frame with mitred corners? I can't think of a way to make it work. Around the outside of the frame, continuous grain would be possible just like when building boxes, but it doesn't seem possible to get continuous grain on the face side….unless i'm missing something…

What do you guys reckon?


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## mrg (Mar 10, 2010)

You are going to need wood with a tight grain that is pretty straight or constsitant. Cross cut the sides to size then cut the meters on the ends. Reason being that you are not going to have the waste from left miter right miter. That will keep the grain a bit more consistent.

I hope that made sense. When doing a box you would do it the same way and loose the kerf which is on the corner.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Just cut the frame from a long board. Number the cuts to keep 'em in proper order. Easy peesy! Think about wrapping a string around a box.
Bill


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## PeteMoss (Nov 24, 2008)

If you take your stock, resaw it, then open it up, you will have two bookmatched strips. Lets say they are 40 inches long. Then if you cut one strip say 15 inches from the bottom and the other 15 inches from the top and open them up into a square, you will have a square 25 inches by 15 inches. Miter the corners and stick it together. Two corners will be continuous grain and two will be bookmached. More or less.


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## phiflint (Mar 26, 2011)

Start with a board as wide & as long as you would like your picture frame to be. Cut a hole in the middle. Done.


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## tenontim (Feb 24, 2008)

I think I would get some sequenced veneer in the flavor of wood that I want the frame to be, then match your grain as mentioned above. With the veneer you'll have several pieces that are almost identical. Make your base frame from the same species of lumber.


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## DaveMoore (Jul 17, 2009)

ok, think i got it….I was worrying too much about the pieces that are "lost" when mitering, but i guess if the grains reasonably straight them it shouldn't be a big issue

Tim, these are the first picture frames i've made, and i've no experience with veneering, so one step at a time I think . I'll keep it in mind for the future though, thanks


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## tenontim (Feb 24, 2008)

Dave, when you decide to try some veneering, I posted a blog awhile back, that shows how to veneer using an iron, instead of clamping or vacuum pressing. http://lumberjocks.com/tenontim/blog/8856 Try it out, it's a fun way to get into veneering.


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## DaveMoore (Jul 17, 2009)

Tim, very nice article, thanks. I'm going to stick with solid wood for the picture frames, but I do have a couple of ideas for veneered projects in the future, so it may come in very useful.


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## buckles (Jun 10, 2011)

Dave 
Take a board that is as long as one side and one top piece. 
Resaw the board length wise and mark the pieces.
Stand all four pieces on edge just like they came out of the resaw.
Move the upper left piece directly away from you
Move the lower right piece directly towards you
Move the lower left piece to your left
Move the upper right piece to your right
Now move each one so they form a square.
Now take and lay each piece down so that the top of each piece is towards the inside of the square. 
Miter each end.
Regards
Joe


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