This was the project that sparked me to purchase my Skil router and table a couple years earlier. I was so dismayed with the end result of the first picture frame experiment that I stalled for two whole years on trying again. This time I decided to take a step back in terms of complexity. I made three frames: one was for a canvas and the two were for maps that I had purchased.
With the canvas frame I decided not to do a rabbet edge and instead just make the frame fit snugly around the outside of the canvas so it would be flat against the wall. I definitely prefer this look when framing canvases. I didn’t do any routered edges with this one just miter joints on the corners (using a miter saw this time – MUCH BETTER than a miter box for me). This one went pretty well, except that I had to sand the inside of the frame quite a lot to eventually get the canvas to fit. My miter joints are rarely a perfect fit. Lately I’ve taken to filling any gaps with wood putty or saw dust + glue, but I didn’t know that for this project so I just left them as is. For the glue up job I used this WoodRiver picture frame miter clamp product:
This style of clamp is inexpensive and certainly simple to use. I’ve purchased more expensive alternative picture frame clamps but I still come back to these. I even bought some additional threaded rods to make these work with a really large picture frame I made.
My wife helped finish the frame by staining it gray and then painting over that with a gold paint and turquoise chalk paint. She sanded the paint away to reveal some stain and wood beneath. We’ve done this a few times since and I really like this layering effect.
The second frame was also a simple squared off frame (no routering). This frame did incorporate a rabbet edge on the inside to hold the map, a pane of glass and a backer. I cut this rabbet edge before cutting the miter corners.
I added some 90 degree braces in the corners for decoration. This frame we stained dark and then painted gray and sanded it down. I got the glass by going to a local glass shop. Typically they require that I bring the finished frame to them, then they measure and cut the glass to size. I’m sure it’s not the best glass in the world for a picture frame – I think some professional framers will use glare-free glass or some such thing – but I don’t care enough to pay 10 x what this cheaper glass costs me. The glass I get from the local store is really inexpensive – I think this fairly large frame was in the ball park of $15-$30 (it’s a type of plexiglass). For the backer I have been using “Polywall” which is a product you can get at Home Depot. It comes in huge 8′ x 4′ sheets (~$20) and I just cut it to size. It’s stiff enough to keep the picture in the frame and works great for me! I also purchased a Logan brand “Point Driver” and points. These are the little bendy things that hold all the stuff in the frame. This tool is a must if you are making picture frames on the cheap – only unfortunate part is that it’s ~$50. Alternatively, some folks just use small finishing nails to do the same thing. That sounds like a headache. The point driver is the perfect tool for this job.
For the third frame I returned to the router to try again. I used a simple roundover bit this time. I was still learning the frame clamp so I didn’t glue it up perfectly (see picture below). I thought for sure I had f’e d this up. But thanks the magic of softwood all it took was some sanding and I was able to hide this mistake pretty well. This frame had a rabbet edge and we just stained it dark.
All-in-all this work saved me on the order of ~$500. Sure these frames wouldn’t pass for professional art gallery quality but they hold my maps on the wall so I can see them when I walk past – and the quality doesn’t make me cringe. Job complete.