Ramki.pdf

Craftsman Frame

Pegged half-lap joints are the cabinetmaker's way to build a beautiful frame.

Picture frames are pretty easy to make, except when it comes to putting the

pieces together. Getting four mitered corners perfectly cut and glued can

drive you batty! This frame uses a simpler approach-the half-lap, a

traditional furniture maker's joint. It's very easy to make on the tablesaw and

resembles a much more complicated mortise-and-tenon joint.

If you've never made a picture frame or lap joint before, this is a great

project to start with. And it's easy to make a whole bunch of these frames at

the same time. We'll show you an optional goof-proof sled that helps make

cutting dozens of joints simple, safe and accurate.

Our frame is teak, a wood whose rich golden color beautifully complements most

photos or artwork. Using quartersawn white oak would also look striking. This is a

traditional Arts and Crafts-style frame, and quartered oak was the preferred wood

of that era. If you've got some 8/4 (2-in.) wood, you can make top-grade

quartersawn pieces for this frame by ripping the board at an angle (see "Make

Your Own Quartersawn Lumber," page 5).

We've sized the frame to fit precut matte and glass available at many craft stores,

so you don't have to cut your own. The matte is 11 x 14 in. and fits an 8 x 10-in.

photo.

You'll need a stacking dado set for your tablesaw to make the lap joints. (A

wobble-type dado set won't work because it doesn't cut a flat bottom.) You'll also need a rabbeting bit for your router table (Photo

8, page 3). We recommend using a brad-point drill bit for the pegs that go into the frame's corners (see Sources, page 4). This bit

makes a cleaner entry hole than a standard twist bit.

The uprights, or stiles ( A, Fig. A ), of this frame are 5/8 in. thick. The cross pieces, or rails ( B ), are 3/4 in. thick. If you don't have a

planer to thin down pieces to 5/8 in., that's not a problem. The pieces are so narrow that you can make them the right thickness on

your tablesaw. Just stand some 3/4-in. pieces on edge and rip them to 5/8 in.

Begin by cutting the stiles and rails to final width and length (see Cutting List ). At the same time, make two extra stiles and two

extra rails from an inexpensive wood to use as test pieces when you cut the joints.

PHOTO 1:

Build a sled to cut the half-lap joints ( Fig. B ). You could simply use a fence

on your miter gauge, but this sled is more accurate, is safer and always

delivers consistent results. Install a 3/4-in. dado set in your saw and raise

the blade 1/8 in. above the sled. Cut a slot through the sled's base and

you're ready to go.

PHOTO 2:

Cut a rabbet on one end of each of your spare stiles ( Fig. C ). Your goal is

to remove exactly half the thickness. Clamp the stop block so the length of

the rabbet matches the width of a rail. Two passes are necessary to cut the

full rabbet.

PHOTO 3:

Test the fit until the two test pieces are flush. The back of the frame will

then be perfectly flat, which is important for accurately cutting the rabbet

that holds the matte and glass. If the pieces aren't flush, adjust the height

of the blade and try again. It's better to start with the blade too low rather

than too high, because you can recut the same pieces. When you're

satisfied, make these cuts on the ends of all the real stiles.

PHOTO 4:

Cut the first half of the dadoes in all the rails with the blade at the same

height as in Photo 2. The full dado requires two overlapping cuts. You'll

clamp the stop block in a different position for each cut. For the first cut,

mark the dado on a test rail. Line up the outside mark with the right-hand

cut in the sled.

PHOTO 5:

Cut the second half of the dado only in

a test piece. Move the stop block so

the inside dado mark lines up with the

left-hand cut in the sled.

PHOTO 6:

Test fit one corner. Your goal is to

have the two pieces slip by each other

to make a tight fit without requiring

any force. If the joint is too tight, move

the stop block and recut the test piece.

If the joint is too loose, make the dado

narrower by adding a piece or two of

tape to the stop block's end. Try the

new setting out on the second test

piece. When you're satisfied with the

fit, continue cutting the actual rails.

Sand all the pieces to 150 grit. Slightly

round all the edges with sandpaper.

PHOTO 7:

Glue the frame together. You don't need much glue or clamping

pressure. Spring clamps work fine, so you don't have to worry about

marring freshly sanded surfaces. Remove any squeezed-out glue with

a sharp stick before the glue hardens. Wipe off the stick's glue on a

damp rag as you go.

PHOTO 8:

Rout a rabbet all the way around the

frame's back ( Figure D ). Use a

rabbeting bit with a ball-bearing pilot.

The pilot rides on the inside of the

frame to control the depth of cut. Make

this cut in two passes. Raise the router

bit so the first cut is 1/4 in. high; then

raise the bit so the second cut is 3/8

in. high.

Caution: Hold the frame down with

push pads to keep your hands out of

harm's way.

PHOTO 9:

Square the rabbet's corners using a

wide chisel. Cut across the grain first,

then with the grain, then across again,

and so on, taking small cuts to avoid

splintering the wood. When the rabbet

is complete, order the glass. It should

be 1/16 in. smaller than the opening.

To be on the safe side, your best bet is

to give the frame to the glass cutter.

(Precut 11 x 14-in. glass to fit the

frame is also widely available.)

PHOTO 10:

Drill a hole all the way through each

corner of the frame using a brad-point

bit. Glue 1/4-in. dowels into each hole.

Use a contrasting wood to emphasize

this accent (see Sources, below).

Small dowels vary in diameter, so it's a

good idea to drill a test hole first. You

may need to switch to a slightly

undersize bit to get a good fit. The

brad point bit I used comes in 1/64-in.

sizes (see Sources).

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