Making Frames

Nearly 2 weeks ago, I started making some frames, and I finished them up about a week ago. (One of them is for a piece in upcoming exhibition in CO at "The Center for Fine Art Photography.") Here's some photos from the process.

Sorry everyone else shopping at Menards, but I picked over their poplar stock PRETTY well.


At the Hamline University woodshop.


From my Instagram: "Playing in the woodshop. Making some frames for an upcoming exhibition."


After a pass through the table saw.


Safety selfie.


After 2 passes through the table saw.


Final frame (and mat) dimensions for the piece for the CO exhibition.


The large frame and 1 of the small frames mitered, assembled, and puttied (just the nail holes).


Another Instagrammed photo: "A 32"x41" frame for an upcoming show in CO,
and three 22"x28" frames. Puttied, sanded, and ready to be finished!"


Some tight joints.




Hanging out in my office for the weekend.

After they spent a few days in my office, I hauled them home, wiped them down, and laid them out for finishing in my garage:

Wiping on a coat of tung oil. The difference is subtle, but I like the way it gently
"warms up" the frames. (Coated on left, not on the right.)


Before / after.


Before / after.


After drying for a day.

Check out my last post for some photos of the large print that will be going in the biggest frame for the exhibition at "The Center for Fine Art Photography."

Why Did I Ever Stop Doing This?

I haven’t built my own frames since undergrad. It was time to give it a whirl again. Man, I missed it. I needed 6-8 frames that were 24” x 24”. So I got to work.

. . . . . . . . Day 1 . . . . . . . .


Stairs to the CVA Sculpture studio


90 feet of 1x3 inch poplar "rabbited out"


36 two-foot mitered pieces


“Manly” blood blister
(from a not-so-manly tape measure... oops.)

. . . . . . . . Day 2 . . . . . . . .


Frames taking shape


9 frames (before puttying and sanding)


After putty and sanding
(with enough left over for a tiny frame)

. . . . . . . . Later Days . . . . . . . .


Applying tung oil in my garage


Picking up matboard and foamcore at Tradewinds


Framed up


Installing D-rings and wire


Delivered to the Nash for installation

- Lumber: $91
- Glass: $64
- Foam core and mat: $140
- Tung oil: $9

- Total: $304
- $50.66 / piece (with 3 frames to spare)

So for that price, I have 6 framed pieces ready to hang. AND I have 3 extra frames all ready to use in the future.