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Wedding Photo Frame

author-gravatar hampshirewoodworks Apr 15, 2018

I followed Marc Spagnuolo's design that he featured in his Frames guild project over at TWWG. My frame was at quite a larger scale and I chose to use a different construction method than he did. The end result is the same, but a far more detailed build report can be found at TheWoodWhispererGuild.com for free.

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I like to draw things on my bench because I know that way the dimensions are right where I need them. Once things get too cluttered the bench generally needs a flattening so it works out.

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Breaking down stock with a panel saw is my go-to these days. It's quiet and gives me ample practice at tracking a line. I have a need for a proper saw bench, but for now I just bring it to bench height.

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At this point I finally realized the scope of this frame and that it's possibly 2x as big as what I've previously done. This should be interesting.

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Even though no one will ever notice, I made sure to bookmatch the pieces for each side. This is the first time when I didn't just use the board as is, but rather cut out sections from a larger board that contained the grain pattern that I wanted. 

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Best way for me to measure is using the piece itself. I wanted to see how deep I had to make the rabbet in the out walnut frame to accept the cherry transition piece.

80% of the time, it works every time.

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One of the many many clamping sessions this frame required. and each one required every small clamp I had in the shop.

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This is me trying to get a visual image for how it's going to look. SPOILER: It doesn't work in my head until I cut some real miters.

At least I see how friggin huge it is.

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Now we're talking.

Frame & matte to picture ratio is off the charts. #noregrets

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I marked the matching corners and here I'm just trying to see if I need to tweak any of the miters. They were almost bang on, but I had to hit a few with a shoulder plane.

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Normally when I make frames I use a spline or key, but the sheer size of this required something a little more robust. Thankfully I adopted a Festool Domino this year who was looking for a good home. I think I will use the domino here on out for frames, these are the second to smallest size available and they worked great. The 5mm dominos should be perfect for smaller frames I make in the future.

4 dominos is probably overkill, but w/e, I do what I want.

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EZPZ

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Good layout and a firm hand is key when boring the mortises. I used the tightest setting for the most strength in the joint.

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The next departure from Marc's methods was using glue blocks instead of a band clamp to bring everything together. I didn't have one big enough to wrap the whole thing, so gluing on pine blocks was the next best thing. The trick here is to use a wood softer/weaker than your primary, so when you're done using them as clamping support, you just knock them off with a mallet and plane off the remaining material.

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You can see here how easy these make what would otherwise be a handful of a glue up.

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I made many many many trips back and forth to get each side to close up equally. A shop apprentice would have been great for this, but the boy isn't tall enough to reach the bench yet.

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Solid.

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Perfect example, only the pine broke leaving unmarred walnut underneath.

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Now you see it.

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Now you don't.

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Turned out so well, I think I'll have to make another for my own self portrait.

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Back from getting the matting set and glass done. The frame shop did a number on the finish that I have to touch up, but live and learn. From now on I'll just buy the glass and do the setting on my own.

I think it worked out great though.

2 comments

Great job on the frame, it looks amazing! 

Nobody ever really notices the bookmatching, but it makes all the difference.

Great job, looks terrific.

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