“America’s leading woodworking authority”™

Premium Plan

In this plan you’ll find: Router-Made Picture

• Step-by-step construction
instruction.
• A complete bill of materials.
Frames
• Construction drawings and
related photos.
• Tips to help you complete
the project and become a
better woodworker.

These plans are best viewed with

Adobe Reader installed on your
computer. If you want to get a
free copy, visit:
http://adobe.com/reader.

Copyright Woodworker’s Journal © 2016 www.woodworkersjournal.com WJ187

222.076-080 SS Pict Frames_Project #2 10/8/13 9:05 AM Page 76

if ect
t
G j This Small Shop...
o
Pr SHOP SIZE:
9’ X 18'

Router-Made Picture Frames PRIMARY TOOLS:

Band Saw
Miter Saw
We provide the know-how for some gift- Router Table
Drill Press
appropriate, custom-built picture frames. Handheld Router
Disc Sander
Hand Plane
Drill/Driver
ACCESSORIES USED:
Quick-Grip Clamps
Band Clamp
Router Bits

When it comes to creating picture frames on a router table, the

options become nearly overwhelming — after all, a picture frame
is simply a molding mitered to surround art of some sort.

After working on many samples using a multitude of router bits, we

focused on creating interesting frames with a minimum number of
bits, as shown at left.

Woodworker’s Journal
222.076-080 SS Pict Frames_Project #2 9/25/13 11:17 AM Page 77

Picture frames are essentially

made from long strips of
molding. The end views of these
two moldings show the structure
from which the two frames
(below) are constructed.

Classic Contemporary

F
raming a piece of art, be it an original oil painting by an were achieved in the two frames you see at the top of this page:
established artist, a favorite photo, or even a masterpiece one a more traditional-looking frame made from mahogany, and
from the hand of a grandchild, requires making some one more modern-looking, made from maple and padauk. In
choices. Do you want a classic-looking frame with major molded total, they use four different router bits. The “classic” picture
accents and multiple shadow lines built in? Or would simple frame uses three cutters and the “contemporary” uses only two.
lines and basic shapes set off the art in a more pleasing way? Wood species choice is another variable that is fairly subjec-
The choices are highly subjec- tive. If the padauk stock in the
tive and will vary from one per- contemporary picture frame
son to the next. Curiously, that One useful trick when looks a tad too orange for you,
same level of subjectivity is in laminating long moldings perhaps by substituting cherry
play when it comes to making a together is to use a flat you can achieve a nice con-
surface like a workbench to
picture frame. Which is one trast with a more subdued hue.
keep the piece flat as the glue
reason that, when it came to cures. The resulting assembly
Or maybe you like a strong
designing a couple of picture stays dead-flat out of the contrast but would prefer it to
frames for our year-end Small clamps. be domestic walnut — that’s
Shop Journal article, it was a your call.
very difficult effort. Everyone In the same way, you may
in the room had good ideas, prefer walnut over mahogany
strong opinions and arguments in the classic frame, or red
in their favor. Which, of oak, ash or cherry, to name a
course, meant that nothing was few. Some might make the pic-
agreed upon. ture frame from yellow poplar
So, with that in mind we and paint it.
decided to just go into the shop
and proceed with two main Milling the Classic Frame
goals. The first, to come up with The main molding of the classic
two attractive but very different frame is formed in six steps.
styles of picture frames. The See the Drawings on page 80
second was that they should not for details. With the 1/2"-thick
require a builder to purchase stock cut to width, set up a
10 additional router bits just to 3/4" radiused cove bit in your
make them. router table. As you can see in
After a few false starts and the photos on the next page,
several mock-ups, those goals how you hold the stock against
222.076-080 SS Pict Frames_Project #2 9/25/13 11:21 AM Page 78

Mock-ups Make Setup Easier:

Without the router bit spinning and with the guards removed, the frame mock-ups are used to set up the router table. The photos also demonstrate
that by changing the orientation of the stock on the router table, the author was able to create different shapes with the same bit.

A mock-up of the main piece of molding for the classic picture frame was The cove cut on the outside edge of the classic frame’s main molding is
made from MDF. The mock-up helps set up the cove bit in the router table made by changing the stock’s orientation — running it flat on the table’s
to form the mahogany molding. Note the orientation of the stock. surface. No change to the fence or the bit’s height is required.

Use the same bit and settings to make the first cut on the classic frame’s Only when making this last cut with the cove bit do you need to change
accent molding. One of the advantages of this design is that you can the setup. And all that is required is lowering the bit by about 1/16” to get
achieve varied-looking coves with only a few bit adjustments. the last shape on the accent molding.

the fence will affect the shape of the cove you form on the wood. router table top. Take a minute to inspect the cuts you have made,
Start with the wide face of the stock held against the face of the to be certain that you did not waver in your cut. You can go back
fence and run the length of the stock through the bit. Although and fix any high spots if you need to.
not shown in the photos, a featherboard (or even two) will give Now grab the accent molding stock, which you will need to
you added control if you are shaping long pieces of stock. How have cut to width from 1/2"-thick stock as well. Again, look to
much stock you need to shape will be determined by the size of the photos above and the Drawings on the next page for details.
the photo or piece of art that you will be framing. It’s a good For the last cut (photo, lower right), you will need to drop the
idea to figure that out before you get started. Now before you get router bit just a hair to get the shape right. With that done,
worried, the photos above were shot to show you proper stock chuck a core box bit in the router and shape the flutes into the
orientation. The bit was not spinning and the guards are main molding. Take some time to sand your pieces and then get
removed so you can see things clearly. (No fingers were injured ready to glue them together. This is best done on a workbench as
during the making of these moldings.) shown in the photo on page 3. Your last routing step is to
The next cut will form the back (outside) edge of the main
molding. Make this with the face of the wood flat against the

Woodworker’s Journal
222.076-080 SS Pict Frames_Project #2 9/25/13 11:22 AM Page 80

www.woodworkersjournal.com

MORE ON THE WEB
For a video of tips on gluing up molding in the shop,
visit woodworkersjournal.com and click on the
“More on the Web” tab shown above.

FULL SIZE
Cove bit
Cove bit
Core box bit
Accent Molding Cove bit

Classic Frame Main Molding

Cove bit Straight bit

Accent Molding
Straight bit
45° chamfer bit

45° chamfer bit

Straight bit

Contemporary
Frame Main Molding

Straight bit
45° chamfer bit
use a straight bit to form the rabbet for the back of the frame,
which will capture the art. The depth of the rabbet will be deter-
mined by how the art will be mounted and whether there will be
Band clamps work well for frame glue-ups. After the glue cures, remove
squeeze-out, give your frame a final sanding, apply the finish and voila:
glass in front of the art. You will need to figure that out before
you’re done! you cut the rabbet.
Miter-cut the frame molding you’ve just completed to length.
A miter saw works well for this precise task. Now glue and clamp
the pieces together, and you are nearly done. Give the frame a
final sanding and apply your choice of finish to complete the
project. A hanger strip is a good way to make the task of hanging
the frame on the wall easier.

Contemporary Frame
The process of making the contemporary frame is even easier
than making the classic frame. You only need a 3/4"-diameter
straight bit and a piloted 45˚ chamfer bit.
With the 3/4"-thick stock ripped to its proper width, form the
first of three rabbets in the wood, using the Drawings as a guide.
When you’ve completed all the rabbets, rip the 1/4"-thick accent
stock to width and glue it in place, in a manner similar to the
photo on page 3. When the glue on the last piece has cured,
chuck the chamfer bit in the router table and shape the three
Router Bits edges as shown in the Drawing. Once again, some sanding
A total of four router bits were used to make the two picture frames above. before you cut the pieces to length is a good idea, then step to
The contemporary frame used only a straight bit and a chamfering bit. The classic
the miter saw to cut your miters. Miter-cut the molding pieces to
frame used the core box bit, straight bit and the bearing-guided cove bit.
length, dry fitting the joints to test the accuracy of the miters. A
Straight Bit (3/4" Diameter x 1-1/4") #40359 ............ $20.99 ea. band clamp is one preferred method for gluing and clamping up
Chamfer Bit (45 Degree x 17⁄16'' Dia.) #25162 ........... $32.99 ea. miter joints.
Cove Bit (3/4'' Radius x 7/8'' H) #91540 .................... $52.99 ea. When the glue has cured, remove the squeeze-out and do a final
Core Box Bit (1/4'' Dia. x 1/4'' H) #90891 ................ $17.99 ea. sanding. Apply your finish, and the project is complete.
Picture frames make great gifts and are fun projects to do.
To purchase products online, visit www.woodworkersjournal.com
and click on the “Store” tab. Or, call 800-610-0883 (code WJ1366). And they are well-suited to a small shop environment.

Woodworker’s Journal