Unusual Picture Frame project

[Douglas Robinson]

Some context: In college I belonged to Phi Sigma Fraternity and am on the Board of the alumni association of our chapter. Our main house was one of the northern-most stops of the underground railroad. The ceilings of the main main rooms were 12 feet high . In what we called the informal room it was an elaborate wooden ceiling. Being so high it never got damaged by years of rough housing. Eventually we sold the property to Rite-Aid and they demolished the building. Before the closing someone had the foresight to take the wooden ceiling down and saved the material.

Fast-forward to today. All of the wood has been transferred to my shop. This coming weekend is the 75th anniversary of the chapter of the fraternity and we are having a gala. (BTW: the chapter bought a decommissioned Catholic Church and that is the new house). For the gala I am using the wood to make picture frames. I have sized them to hold composites (yearly pictures the show all of the active brothers of the house at that time). The composites are 11 x 14 inches. This way the alumni can have a piece of the house they lived in.

Here is a pic of the prototype:

 

[Wilsoncb]

Very cool, I love it when there is history behind the wood.

 

[Westpacx3]

Such a cool project. I was in a guys house who had Independence Hall and 2 other associated pictures framed on the living room wall. It looked really out of place for a living room. Seems the guys great grandfather or grandfather helped remodel Independence Hall and kept some of the floor boards and they were passed down over the years until he had the frames made. Sure hope his kids know the story. The frames are basic and the pictures are just plain poster type stuff. Nothing special unless you know where the wood came from.

 

[drw]

Great project, I am sure your fraternity brothers that get a frame will be greatly appreciated! (Great to have talked with you this past week!)

 

[Graywolf]

Great project and the history behind the materials really cool.

 

[Douglas Robinson]

One thing I forgot to mention that there is irony behind this project. My grandfather on my Dad's side made his living running a picture framing business. I wonder what h would think of this.

 

[ScottM]

One thing I forgot to mention that there is irony behind this project. My grandfather on my Dad's side made his living running a picture framing business. I wonder what h would think of this.

He would be very proud that’s for sure.

 

[Bear Republic]

Great project and story! They are going to be greatly appreciated!

 

[Douglas Robinson]

So I completed 30 frames. I ran out of usable quarter-round. They were bought for $100/each.