May 2026 Scrap Frames

[glenn bradley]

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 pieces 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 . . .

 

[Leo Voisine]

I really like how you tell a story in pictures

 

[glenn bradley]

Thanks Leo. I've got an old Canon Rebel with a stabilizing lens on a tripod that leans against the wall. Every now and then through a project I will grab it and take a few shots. I'm no photographer but even a bad picture is worth a thousand words at times. I actually dropped the poor thing the other day and assumed that would be the end of it. Other than a dent on a plastic part it miraculously survived and is still in operation. Kudos to Canon on a solid, reliable platform. It can even survive me

 

[Leo Voisine]

It's nicely arranged. Looks like you spent some effort cropping and organizing the set. I have Canon cameras T6 and D90. I try photography, but lack in skill badly. I have a pile of Cherry scrap from my cabinet build that I want to glue up into something usable rather than to "heat" my house. Some nice picture frames and some of my nicer photos are a great idea. I like the quilted mat in your frame. One time I used red transtint on quilted Maple and it looks great.

 

[Rennie Heuer]

I really like how you tell a story in pictures

Ditto!

 

[glenn bradley]

Oh, I see . . . now the pressure is on . 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.

 

[Darren Wright]

I should consider doing some of these with some of the scraps I have at the new house. I've got probably ten or more large boxes of scrap to deal with or toss. Some of it may get bundled in to like size pieces and species and sold at the garage sale. I hate to just toss it all in the dumpster, so at least some of it would go to good use.

 

[glenn bradley]

I should consider doing some of these with some of the scraps I have at the new house. I've got probably ten or more large boxes of scrap to deal with or toss. Some of it may get bundled in to like size pieces and species and sold at the garage sale. I hate to just toss it all in the dumpster, so at least some of it would go to good use.

Totally get it. Things like these frames and the keepsake boxes come from the best of my scraps once they start to snowdrift up in the corners . This serves two purposes; one, when LOML suddenly asks "do we have anything we can give so-and-so for her birthday?" I am ready. Two, there is always plenty left over for marshmallow toasting when the grand kids come by for an evening.

 

[glenn bradley]

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

 

[glenn bradley]

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 when cutting to 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.

 

[Vaughn McMillan]

...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...

That's what teeth are for.
Kidding aside, the little do-jobber looks very handy.

 

[Rennie Heuer]

That's what teeth are for.
Kidding aside, the little do-jobber looks very handy.

I gave up on Titebond bottles a while back and now dispense my glue from an inexpensive condiment bottle. Easier to dispense and the glue will not stick to it.

 

[glenn bradley]

I use those for various pound-cuts of shellac. I’ll give them a try for glue.

 

[Jim DeLaney]

I use those for various pound-cuts of shellac. I’ll give them a try for glue.

I use them for shellacs, denatured alcohol, water, soapy water, and waterborne finishes. Gordon Food Service (GFS) has two sizes of the bottles in six packs. The bottles are 'wide mouth' so that makes them easier to fill.

 

[glenn bradley]

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 before I laminate them.

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.

 

[glenn bradley]

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 . . .

 

[glenn bradley]

So, some outer frame parts colored a bit.

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.

 

[Mike Stafford]

Great looking frames and an excellent tutorial on how to make them. Of course it helps to be a master craftsman such as yourself but the average Joe can make a reasonable facsimile.

Really good work!

 

[glenn bradley]

Thanks everybody. I'm just kind of squeezing these in during a lot of family activities of late. The design is based on the Woodsmith frames from years ago. The backing structure and inner frame can be modified for a lot of different looks.
. . .
Hmm, I can't get the Adobe PDF of the Woodsmith article to attach. It acts as though it is attaching but then none of the insert buttons appear and it does not appear by default in the post. I know folks were having issues with pictures earlier. Maybe this is a similar symptom? At any rate it is in Woodsmith No. 184.

Ah, kinda sorta working now. The 'insert' buttons are still missing but the file "default" attaches successfully.

 

[glenn bradley]

Gluing the inside frames to the backers.

I use a little auto-trim tape to mask part of the surface so that I can apply glue later.

Pre-drill holes for the keyhole bit that will create the keyhole slots for horizontal or vertical mounting.

Keyholes for everybody,

I have dressed the surfaces of the outer frames. The oil finish is not quite as hard as I like it for final prep. I will give it another day to cure.