Simple mirror frame

[wtnhighlander]

Not a complex project, but I recall learning a lot of things from other people's projects like this, so here we go.

The white oak I am using is already pretty straight, so I chose to avoid the screaming demon that is my DW735. Cutting the rough boards close to size minimized a good deal of variance, so I simply hand-jointed a face and edge to start. This try square, made by @RichardA, was perfect for squaring the edge to the face.

After marking my reference edges, I ripped the opposite edges square and parallel. The 5/4 oak is a bit heavier than I wanted, so I thicknessed it using this method on the tablesaw.

Take a pass, flip end for end, and take another. Works up to about 6" on my saw, with a 10" blade. I use an inexpensive plastic drafting square from the art supply store to set the blade, and it works wonderfully. You may also notice, I am using a "cross-cut" blade with 60 teeth. Surprisingly, this Spyder 'Tarantula' blade from the blue store makes remarkably clean rip cuts, if a bit slower than a rip blade.

The resulting surfaces, right from the saw:

So the last thing I did today was to lay the parts out in a rectangle to verify the fit for the mirrorglass I have, 32x40 inches. This thing is going to be a bit heavy, so there may be another round of thicknessing in my future...

[Coop]

Now I feel victimized! I thought I had the exclusive square that @RichardA made! 

After having to replace my 735, all but my block planes have been put aside to justify the cost. More power to you sir! Looking forward to the build! 

[wtnhighlander]

Started the miter operation by cutting the parts to length. I find the aligning the ends and trimming until you can't feel the transition is the most accurate test.

Next, I cut the 45* angles by alternating sides on my sled.

Turns out that my left sled fence has developed a bow to it. I'll have to fine-tune with a plane, just a bit.

I hoped to make this a quick, low tool count project, and marked for dowels to reinforce the miters.

I put together a drill guide and depth stop from scraps, to keep the holes straight.

It works, but I found that brad-point bits can still wander a bit in this end grain situation. moving ahead anyway, I prepped some smooth dowel stock by scratching glue relief grooves in it with a pin-type marking gauge clamped in my bench vise.

After cutting the dowels to length, I did a dry fit test, and was less than impressed. I may end up turning those dowel holes into a mortise for loose tenons, so I can adjust for the wandering drill. More on that later.

I drew out a profile section on a piece of off-cut, and transferred the bevel to my saw to cut the bevel on the frame face. First, though, I made the straight cut to set the outer edge of the rabbet that will hold the glass. 

I got into the groove, and sort of forgot to take photos while I was making all the molding cuts. So far, everything has been done with just the tablesaw. Her is the profile as it stands.

You may notice the groove near the fat side of the part. Hard to tell, but it has an angled top edge, to form an integral cleat for hanging. This mirror will weigh a good 40lb or more, so a couple of flat-head decking screws into studs will match that angle like a french cleat. 

 

[Coop]

Ross, the last dowels I made, I cut the stock to 1/4” square and on my router table, used a 1/8” round over bit on all 4 edges. I left the ends square to give me a shoulder to rest the stock on. Then, after cutting off the square ends, I chucked it into my drill press and gently used a piece of sandpaper to smooth it down. 

[RichardA]

On 10/30/2021 at 9:00 PM, Coop said:

Now I feel victimized! I thought I had the exclusive square that @RichardA made! 

After having to replace my 735, all but my block planes have been put aside to justify the cost. More power to you sir! Looking forward to the build! 

Oops, you guys wern't supposed to meet.

[Coop]

Anytime I need to mark a line somewhere between 8-10* of 90*, I’ll grab mine!

Honestly though, it’s as accurate as a good Starrett! 

[gee-dub]

@wtnhighlander Coming along great.  I always appreciate build journals.  They make the project really come alive for those of us tagging along.  Really nice looking oak material you've got there.

[Mark J]

16 hours ago, wtnhighlander said:

I found that brad-point bits can still wander a bit in this end grain situation

I agree brad points can wander, even on side grain.  I have also found them to be difficult to position with very high precision (+/- 1/32").  The points aren't true cones, and I think they are not always truly concentric with the bit.  When I need the hole "just so", I use a 'drill point countersink' bit to start, but I only need one side for what I do.

[wtnhighlander]

@gee-dub, thanks! I have several bf of this white oak left from the last project, and wife wants a stain. Oak is always good for that.

@Mark J, I even tried the "start in reverse" trick to score the hole without grabbing, but still had wander. I guess those metal dowel drilling guides exist for good reason.

[wtnhighlander]

Football today, so shoptime for me!

Since the dowels were a bust, I rigged a fence on my router and made slots.

I trimmed some offcut to  the same width to make some loose tenons. I use a sacrificial hook on my wide push stick, to push the work completely through. Never shoots back.

I had to work on the miters with a plane, remember the bow I discovered in my sled fence. Tedious work, but it came out ok.

Glue-up of  mitered frames is a hair-pulling endeavor. Without a flat surface bigger than the frame, I had to dance around a lot to get it all together, finally pulling the corners tight with this clamp arrangement.

Of course, I immediately realised I had forgotton to include any means of locking the glass into the rabbet.

Doh!  

So, while the glue dried, I cut some more scrap into 1.5" segments...

... made a jig to hold the pieces in my drill press...

... and after routing out a series of pockets around the rabbet, I now have clips to hold the mirror in.

Whew!

[Coop]

If I could have, I would have given you a dozen likes for the ingenuity of the clips and the clamp arrangement! 

[wtnhighlander]

Continuing on....

These stylized butterflies should keep the corners together nicely!

All together, ready for sanding. I had planned to cut a bead around the outside, but we decided the clean look was better, so this is it.

A little feature to assist with hanging: marked centerlines on the back, all 4 sides. Branded and dated, too.

And the last step for today, application of "weathered gray" stain. This will be followed by some Satin High-Performance. In-situ shot will be posted once it is hung.

[wtnhighlander]

As promised, a photo of the mirror in place.

Sorry for the perspective, the entry hall isn't all that wide.

I am particularly happy with how my in-frame hanging groove worked out. With two #10 deck screws into wall studs, the frame hangs tight to the wall, and is in no danger of dropping, although it weighs at least 30lb, by my estimate.

Thanks for following along!

I'd be interesting in hearing what you might have done differently, and why. Its all a learning experience.

[Chet]

Simple elegance, Ross.  That looks really nice.

[Coop]

Just now catching up on this. I questioned in my mind why you did a couple of things and now I question why I would have done it differently. I particularly like the bevel on the front, the tabs holding the mirror in place, the butterflies and the finish. Very well done! 

[wtnhighlander]

Don't worry, @Coop, I questioned almost every step!  The butterfly keys were probably way overkill, but heavy as the glass is, I wanted to cover all bases. Hard to judge in the pics, but that thing measures 60", corner to corner.

[Chet]

On 11/13/2021 at 6:23 PM, wtnhighlander said:

Hard to judge in the pics, but that thing measures 60", corner to corner.

Wow, that is quite a bit bigger then I thought.

[Coop]

On 11/13/2021 at 8:23 PM, wtnhighlander said:

 Hard to judge in the pics, but that thing measures 60", corner to corner.

That’s more of me than I want to see. 

[RichardA]

On 11/14/2021 at 8:56 AM, Coop said:

That’s more of me than I want to see. 

With good reason.

[Jonathan McCully]

I've often wondered how you put a bevel on a frame like that. Do you just run a portion of the length of the board over the TS with an angled blade? I didn't see you show any pictures of that, other than showing your blade set up with the bevel gauge.

[wtnhighlander]

Yes, I ran the boards, on edge, through the saw with the blade at some pleasing angle. I just eyeballed the lines on the board, and transfered the angle to the blade. A featherboard really helps.

[wtnhighlander]

On 11/14/2021 at 12:01 PM, Jonathan McCully said:

I've often wondered how you put a bevel on a frame like that. Do you just run a portion of the length of the board over the TS with an angled blade? I didn't see you show any pictures of that, other than showing your blade set up with the bevel gauge.

Johnathan, to be clear, I cut that bevel AFTER cutting the mitered corners, the rabbet for the glass, and the hanging groove. Cut all the details you can while the boards are fully squared up, so you can use either face or either edge for reference in a pinch. Of course, referencing the same face or edge every time leads to the greatest accuracy.

[Chestnut]

I really like the hanging method that is slick. Like really slick. I'm going to have to borrow that. For Megan for our 1st anniversary, I'm going to make a framed travel map, I might have to borrow that hanging method.

[wtnhighlander]

4 hours ago, Chestnut said:

 I might have to borrow that hanging method.

Have at it! I think if it was a lighter frame, a groove with a keyhole slot in the outer edge, hung on pan-head screws, might be more secure. These screw heads aren't very big, so a little bump from below could dislodge the bevel, if it weren't so heavy.

 

... and happy upcoming anniversary! 

[gee-dub]

@wtnhighlander I lost track of this thread for awhile.  Came looking for it this morning.  The frame looks great.  Clean, strong lines and the finish is top notch.