May 2026 Scrap Frames

[gee-dub]

OK, I am between larger projects and so either need to have a bonfire and burn a lot of scrap or make some gift-like goodies out of some of this stuff. I have gathered way too much long narrow stock so instead of gift boxes I am going for picture frames this time. I am going to make a few that follow this design from back in 2018.

Long thin scrap here . . .

Long thin scrap there . . .

Long thin scrap everywhere . . .

I cut the scrap to an approximate size and laminate some piece to reach the dimension I am after.

This is a great place to use bowed cauls.

I am trying to use up material that I would not normally use so instead of birdseye maple I will try to cut some parts from this maple. It has some areas of decent curl but also has some serious twist that makes it unsuitable for larger projects.

My dad used to make picture frames as a hobby. The result of that is after his passing I have a decent supply of glass, mats, and tools for picture framing.



The lowly cabinet scraper doesn't come out often but when you need one . . . it is just what you need.

I also managed to dig out a scrap of 1/8" hardboard which will work well as an artwork backer held in place with picture frame turns.

I will show some of this hardware and assembly a little later. Off we go . . .

[fcschoenthal]

Looking forward to seeing this. That's a good looking frame.

[gee-dub]

I set up a 3/4" bit in the router table to cut the recess for the inlay.

I do a test router cut and then a tablesaw rip on a piece of scrap to assure a good press fit.

Got it.

I then rip some maple to that width and slice it thin at the bandsaw.

This should be enough to do the three frames I have planed.

You can see that the seam on the glued up blanks is not super attractive. One edge will be against the wall and this edge should get covered by the inlay.

(Read in your best Ace Ventura voice) Like a glove.

Ever onward.

[fcschoenthal]

I love the look of mahogany/sapele with maple, especially that much quilted. I made some end tables years ago out of mahogany (that I got for free from someone tearing out some built-ins) and a large quilted maple inset. They're still around today.

I may have to use your process to make some frames for the pictures that are in the room to tie them together. The only problem is that the wife has pictures of all different sizes.

[gee-dub]

I left the inlay and frame blanks overnight and there was a little wood movement. A small block plane lets me re-fit things with a couple of swipes.

I take some 99-cent store wax paper and roll it out to the length I need. Then I roll it back up and snip it off into narrow sections.

The frame blanks and inlays will get laid face to face with the wax paper between.

Like so.

Here's a good view of the blank/inlay/wax paper sandwich.

The decorative inner frame parts are pulled from this "some curl" scrap.

Once face jointed and wiped with mineral spirits there is actually more curl than I thought . . . winner, winner, chicken dinner!

I resaw them to rough thickness.

I mark the pairs as each pair of blanks will yield two long sides and two short sides for each frame. The closer the visual match of "show" parts the more I like it.

Everybody gets planed to 3/8" thickness.

The backer boards have been smoothed and shellacked. They just wait in the wings under some spring clamps.

Here's the backer frame parts and the inner frame maple waiting for some tablesaw work.

This is going to wait until tomorrow. My neck is nagging at me and I have learned to listen. A little shorter shop day today yields a long shop day tomorrow

[gee-dub]

It is amazing how useful an assembly table with dog holes and slots can be.

I cut the inner frame curly maple parts a bit oversized. Two reasons; one, the remaining spoil would be too small to use anyway and two, it allows me to choose the best match between the resawn blanks for the final size.

I end up with these.

Random detour number one; I have been an avid user of Glue-Bots and glue-brush-pots. As my output slows so does my ability to use up glue fast enough. I have been using the commercial bottles of late. My arthritis often makes me feel like a wimp. Pulling those darn Titebond tops is an area that I have trouble with. I whipped up this little do-jobber out of some of the frame backer scrap.

It's a little pry bar.

That stores like so. Now I don't have to go looking for a wrench or a pair of pliers to help me get these things open . . . cry-baby.

Some more use of the assembly table connecting the "L's" into frame backers.

Random detour number two: I have been using this 1970s "mighty mini" forever. I just happened to notice the difference between the German made one and the current offering.

I cut miters with a miter gauge. I have tried sleds and fixtures with some success but the old standby Incra v-27 works fine for me.

This is the inner frame setting on the backer frame.

I hope to finish the rest of the inner frames before I call it quits today.

[fcschoenthal]

@gee-dub let me make sure that I'm following. I see the curly maple frame, but am a little confused on the "backer frame". I saw that you are using hardboard for the picture backer, but what is the backer frame made of? I'm also assuming that the backer frame has a smaller width than the maple that the picture backer will sit into.

[gee-dub]

I'll try to get some better pics during assembly as I don't seem to have any I can locate from previous builds.  This is a frame construction that I have modified somewhat from a Woodsmith frame plan (see attached).  The backer frame provides a supporting structure and the aperture for the art.  The inner frame captures that dimension.  For example on these frames the backer frame is 2" wide and the inner frame is 2-15/16" wide.  Layering these creates a rabbet of sorts for the glass, mat, art and backer board.

I'll try to capture some more pics of this since I think it can make picture framing a lot easier for a lot of folks.  I know after making the Woodsmith frames I altered my approach.  It really frees you up to use all sorts of cut offs and so forth to make things that people are really happy to get.  It helps if you can get your hands on a picture through back-channels that is meaningful to them (kids, brothers, and sisters are good for this) so that you can present the frame and pic as a single item.

woodsmith frame-article.pdf

[fcschoenthal]

Thanks, that's exactly as I had assumed it would be.

[Mark J]

@gee-dub, your glue bottle lever is a really smart idea.  I'm thinkin' if the center hole were a touch smaller it could be used to push down and close the cap, too.

[gee-dub]

@Mark J - Wish I'd have thought of that.  I have another piece of that scrap in the trash can.  Think I will dig it out 

[gee-dub]

First off I present the Mark J #1 thanks to Mark's suggestion on reducing the storage hole.

 

LOML made a big, late lunch of roasted chicken and salad. As has been my habit of late I got my belly full and dozed off for awhile. Woke up and did something other than bring the waste bins in. I set up a straight bit in the router table to rabbet these frame parts. Some times I do these at the tablesaw but the router table was handy and comes into play on the next operation.

As I probably over-mention I mark parts liberally to help keep me from getting lost along the way.

I sand the backers and inner frames to 120 just to be sure all the surfaces are in plane and ready to be laminated.

I rabbet the outer frame blanks.

I chamfer the inner front edge of the inner and outer frame parts at the router table.

And here's everyone after that operation.

Time to miter some outer frame parts. I think I may finish sand first to avoid a lot of handling prior to glue up.

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

On 5/13/2026 at 9:47 PM, gee-dub said:

First off I present the Mark J #1 thanks to Mark's suggestion on reducing the storage hole.

 

 

Innovation at it's finest!!

 

[gee-dub]

Still lumbering along . . . I use a miter gauge and a 45 degree stop block to cut frame parts for the most part. I cut an opposing 45 degree angle on each end of the blanks as a starting point.

This allows me to select the division point for the long and short members. I often get to eliminate defects or undesirable visible elements that I don't want by working towards the "bad" section from each end.

I think this makes this approach more clear(?).

I have all the short sections mitered to length.

I set the 45 degree stop block for the long pieces and go at it.

I end up here. This is just a dry fit setting on the tablesaw but, you get the idea.

On and on . . .

[wtnhighlander]

@gee-dub, do you have any tricks to getting the stopblock set to the correct length before batching those out? Or just the basic trials on a sacrificial piece?

[wtnhighlander]

@gee-dub, do you have any tricks to getting the stopblock set to the correct length before batching those out? Or just the basic trials on a sacrificial piece?

[gee-dub]

@wtnhighlander - I generally just measure the inside dimension of the miter and add about 1/32" which equates to 1/64" at each end which is almost nothing unless you are doing dovetails or finger joints.  Certainly using a piece of similarly sized scrap (sorry, I had to stop and laugh since I left the "s" off of the word "scrap" the first time I typed it) to do a test cut to sneak up on something for many operations.  I am a big fan of making an "extra" of certain parts to allow me to test profiles, bit heights, and other dimensional cuts.  There is always some spoil for the fire pit anyway so it may as well be useful 

[gee-dub]

Got distracted helping out a neighbor this afternoon.  I did get some color base on the outer frame parts though.

[curlyoak]

On 5/11/2026 at 10:33 PM, gee-dub said:

Everybody gets planed to 3/8" thickness.

When I try to plane figured wood I get a lot pitting holes. So I plane it as close as I can, then I grind it to thickness on the drum sander. Maybe your planer is helical?

I'm enjoying your presentation here. Thank you!

[gee-dub]

Yes, helical.  I moved to segmented heads for jointer and planer about 20 years ago.  They are less expensive to operate over time and don't chew up my exotics so, pretty much a win-win despite the initial cost.   The old adage holds true; buy once, cry once.

[gee-dub]

You've seen these before. They really help with mitered corner clamping.

They hang on a beaded chain out of the way between uses.

They are used like so.

And I just do that a bunch.

I use a shellac flooding method on figured maple. This is a little messy but really lets the shellac soak down into the softer material that gives this type of wood its appearance.

Now I just go in for a cup of coffee while the glue sets and the shellac dries.

[fcschoenthal]

On 5/15/2026 at 8:26 AM, gee-dub said:

They really help with mitered corner clamping.

I've wanted to try something like this and 3D printed some. I've used L corner braces in the past.

Does it cause the miter to want to slip or move around when you are initially clamping it?

[gee-dub]

On 5/15/2026 at 7:01 AM, fcschoenthal said:

Does it cause the miter to want to slip or move around when you are initially clamping it?

I have sand paper glued to the contact side.  With a very mild pressure from an auxiliary clamp the block stays put pretty well.  As you tighten the clamp that provides pressure across the miter you can adjust things a bit as required.  You do want the blocks in line across the center of the miter or thereabouts.  Once things are aligned they stay in place quite well.  Not due to my miraculous design skills, just dumb luck . In practice I have not had things want to slip out of plane.

[curlyoak]

This is the way I cut all mitered frames. I have had this jig for a long time and I love it. The fence is very close to 45 degrees to the blade. Most importantly is that the fence from one side to the other is a perfect square. And each piece must be cut from both sides.

I'll add biscuits if there is enough room. I use 4 bar clamps. 2 on top and 2 on the bottom. and the bottom clamps are 90 degrees to the top clamps. Adjust your clamps. The glue when fresh acts like a lubricant. So you add and subtract clamp pressure until all corners are perfect. 

I use the right side as the second cut and c clamp on a 45 d. waste as a stop block.

I took the picture in haste. There are spoils in the goove and the sled is riding high.

 

[gee-dub]

Those angled sleds work great.  Even if they are off a bit; as long as you do opposing parts they always cut a true 90.