Hand Tool Picture Frame

[Hand tool crafted]

This is my first gift completed entirely by hand tools. It was about a year ago when I completed it. My co-worker just posted this in a gallery showing of his photography. I thought I would share it here.

 

[Henry W]

Nice Donnie. I like the photo and the frame.

So what did you use to make this if not a table/miter saw and router? Methods? Anything you would do differently next time?
Materials? Wood type? Finish choice?

You can't just dangle a picture and not provide some details . Inquiring minds and all that

 

[Hand tool crafted]

Nice Donnie. I like the photo and the frame.

So what did you use to make this if not a table/miter saw and router? Methods? Anything you would do differently next time?
Materials? Wood type? Finish choice?

You can't just dangle a picture and not provide some details . Inquiring minds and all that

Well, I used old SYP for the frame itself. I asked him what he wanted it made out of and he said something that said NC. He is from CA and has lived and traveled very, very extensively. Nothing says NC more in wood to me than the Pine. So, I chose that. I used a vintage Atkinson CC Backsaw that I bought restored from Bob Garay. For the inside of the frame rabbet I used a Stanley 78 and the fence prior to cutting the miters. This is a canvas print and was something like 5/8 thick itself. The frame is 1-inch full thickness pre planing of course. I used a mitered shooting board for the ends once cut. For the planes I used my Great Uncles Stanley planes I have restored. He was a shipwright by trade and was born in 1898 -1899 I can't remember which. He was my grandfather's brother and I remember him well. A Stanley #4 and Stanley 65. The rabbets were cleaned up using a Stanley 71 1/2 I bought and restored to a usable condition. For the finish I used a homemade wax finish of linseed oil, pure gum turpentine and bee's wax. Don't hold me to it but I think, I may have splined the miters too, if memory serves me. I know I considered it at least. I used whatever glue I had at the time.

 

[Henry W]

Well, I used old SYP for the frame itself. I asked him what he wanted it made out of and he said something that said NC. He is from CA and has lived and traveled very, very extensively. Nothing says NC more in wood to me than the Pine. So, I chose that. I used a vintage Atkinson CC Backsaw that I bought restored from Bob Garay. For the inside of the frame rabbet I used a Stanley 78 and the fence prior to cutting the miters. This is a canvas print and was something like 5/8 thick itself. The frame is 1-inch full thickness pre planing of course. I used a mitered shooting board for the ends once cut. For the planes I used my Great Uncles Stanley planes I have restored. He was a shipwright by trade and was born in 1898 -1899 I can't remember which. He was my grandfather's brother and I remember him well. A Stanley #4 and Stanley 65. The rabbets were cleaned up using a Stanley 71 1/2 I bought and restored to a usable condition. For the finish I used a homemade wax finish of linseed oil, pure gum turpentine and bee's wax. Don't hold me to it but I think, I may have splined the miters too, if memory serves me. I know I considered it at least. I used whatever glue I had at the time.

Excellent thanks - I am not surprised by anything you wrote. I guessed pine, but wasn't certain.

Of course I can't specifically understand which plane is which... but get the general gist of this. When it comes to hand planes I need some experience/knowledge/training and time to do all that. I will improve on that someday.

 

[Westpacx3]

I like the wood grain and knot hole. It took me a while to learn to see and use the grain even if it means wasting wood.

Nice job

 

[Hand tool crafted]

I like the wood grain and knot hole. It took me a while to learn to see and use the grain even if it means wasting wood.

Nice job

Thanks. I think Paul Sellers has shown me that as much as anyone can. Watching him work and listening to his experience has been a joy and a pleasure. There are others to be sure, but he is the reason I am even woodworking, and absolutely the reason I am hand tool woodworking.

 

[Hand tool crafted]

Excellent thanks - I am not surprised by anything you wrote. I guessed pine, but wasn't certain.

Of course I can't specifically understand which plane is which... but get the general gist of this. When it comes to hand planes I need some experience/knowledge/training and time to do all that. I will improve on that someday.

You will learn as you go. I will say that having to learn by book and YouTube while both very rewarding, has had a big learning curve for me. The large concepts are easy. But it’s the nuances that make hand tool woodworking and those maybe just take time. In 3+ years I still haven’t tried dovetails yet. Why? Because until I felt some sort of genuine competence in what Robert Wearing called the most important skill in all of hand tool woodworking which is sharpening, and let me tell you what a truly remarkable difference truly sharp makes, in all of my tools. Not just planes or average size chisels. But saws (still learning), small chisels, hewing hatchets, spokeshaves etc. I didn’t want to move on. I tried one time and my chisels made more of a “mash it out” cut than anything else and it looked horrible. So, I stopped. And I committed to trying to really learn the fundamentals. And sharpening is now where I want to be. And from reading, it will continue to improve. Sawing is now my main focus. Rough to fine. Sawing plumb and straight to a line. It’s harder than it looks. I am trying the “Renaissance Woodworker - Shannon Rogers” sawing exercises. I just started this week a little. Ahhh, let’s say that I need practice!! But I love it.
Best of luck. If I can offer any help at all let me know.

 

[dpballard]

Great project! Nicely executed.

 

[CharlieGator]

Nice work!!!

 

[BrianBullCityWoodshop]

Rabbit with hand tools is pretty cool! good work