advice from a wood butcher...

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deacon

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
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Okay here is the deal.. I have two good ebikes and one good hub motor that I hate so anyway I want to move on to something else to occupy the time I have used for experimenting. I will keep riding, keep them running and keep contributing here but I want to spend more time on something else.

I have decided to go back and shoot pictures again. I have a pretty extensive camera collection which I should be using. I have worked out a system that gives me pretty much complete control of the new product line but I need some help with a few things as I go along.

Issue one is, I want to make custom frames because I can't buy standard ones to fit the prints I want to make. I got gifted a chop saw today. I need to buy a new blade for it but that I can do. What I really need is a nice portable way to rabbit boards to make frames from. I want to make simple barn wood frames. So is there a better way than to use a router. I don't own one so if that is the way to go, I will be looking for one. The rabbit is the only thing I will be using it for and probably on boards about twenty inches long maximum. So what size to I need.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.
 
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bairdco

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
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nice, mike. a math professor spends seven years making a bike with square wheels that can only roll over lumps?

that's some practical thinking, right there.

i think i'll spend the next ten years designing a bike that can only roll over 12oz aluminum cans (without crushing them.)

i've got plenty of empty cans sitting around, so i'm half-way there. ;)
 
DOC BOLM

DOC BOLM

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Aug 21, 2008
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Deacon I owned a frame shop for years.AKA FRAME OF MINE.Build your own saw.Take a skill saw and mount it under a piece of plywood with your blade sticking through.Build a fence 1/2 inch from the blade,a miny tablesaw.Make your rabbit 1/2 x 1/2.This will take care of your mat,glass,photo.H.D.
 
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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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Deacon a good router table and router would be what I would get. I spent better than 40 years restoring antique furniture and making antique reproductions from reclaimed lumber and part of the business was making picture frames for print and pictures.

I had a winged slot cutter set right down to the table and that gave me a groove in the wood for the glass and picture to fit in and a bit of wood to put the points in to hold it in place.
Some brown wrapping paper glued to cover the back and it was done.

You should be able to find a good frame supply co. on line and they will have what you need. I would think an ad in the paper may turn someone who has given up wood working as a hobby and want's to sell thier equipment.

Steve.
 
deacon

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
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Thank Doc and fast good ideas both. I love the odds bits of info that come from a post on this site as well/ Don't ever take life too seriously it ruins the experience.
 
BarelyAWake

BarelyAWake

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Jul 21, 2009
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fasteddy is right on the money, a good router is the cornerstone of any woodshop - of all tools it's the one you invest in, even if it exceeds your normal budget for such things.

There are simply way too many things it can do with various jigs and set-ups to try and work without it. I have this: Makita RF1101KIT2 2-1/4 H.P. Industrial Router Kit (Variable Speed) and for $200 it's paid for itself time and time again lol You may be able to get away with a smaller one like this: Bosch PR20EVSK Colt™ Variable-speed Palm Router Kit but whatever you find - make sure it's not only quality - but has the "cam-lock" body (the entire router engine housing is threaded) as it's simply the best and easiest to work with and allows for interchangeability with other bases/tables and accessories you may get later. (shop around, you may find better prices BTW)

Much like a Dremel, you have no idea how much ya need it till ya get one ;)

/end rant :D
 
DOC BOLM

DOC BOLM

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Aug 21, 2008
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BaW.Deacon is going to use barn wood that must be ripped to size first.A router is handy to have.I did 75 to a 100 grand a year in our frame shop,and never used a router.A factory built table saw can do his 45 deg.cuts,rabbits,etc.H.D.
 
BarelyAWake

BarelyAWake

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Old barn wood? o_O

*shudder* Looks nice tis tru - but it's sure rough on blades and bits fosho what with old fasteners and whatnot hidden away in it lol

Yeah, ya can defo get away w/o a router - mebbe even don't wanna use one in this case given yer "recycling" wood, still... I'd consider gettin' one anyway given the ogee multiform, tongue & groove, corner beading, and other assorted things ya can do with even just picture frames - rabbiting is jus' the tip of the iceberg, but granted I'm thinkin' long term and not just for a single project heh
 
silverbear

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
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I know it goes against the grain, so to speak, but if you like to work a little more slowly and a lot more quietly hand tools can do the job, too. I used to have all of my grandfather's cabinet making tools from a time when everything was hand powered (now my sons have them). I've made nice frames cutting the corners with a little dovetail saw and done the routing with a Stanley #55 multi plain. This has many interchangeable bits and can do some amazing things. An advantage is that when you work by hand if something goes wrong you can correct things in a hurry. With a router, disaster comes in a nano second. I know almost nobody would go the slow route anymore, but I thought I'd put in a word for the old ways just because. A lot of beautiful things were made (including picture frames) before electric tools came around. It depends on how big a hurry you're in, how many you plan to make and how much value you place on silent skill.
Part of the allure for me was a connection from my hand through the tool to my departed grandfather's hand, as if together we made things in collaboration. Some of the old ways are still good ways.
SB
 
deacon

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
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true but I dont ever use my dremel these days. The angle grinder replaced it from day one. I brought the gifted cutoff saw into the shop this morning and figured out how to work it. I can make the rails for the frames no problem, just as soon as I make some new images I will being getting serious about the frames.

I am going to shoot film because I have some pretty nice film cameras. I also have a high res film scanner both large format and 35mm types. The 35mm is a dedicated roll film scanner that I paid way too much for back in the day.

At the end of my working days, I began to experiment with color lazer prints. The color shift is interesting on those. I would never try doing it with people but for lakescapes it might be interesting.

I plan to do a lot of black and white as well. Probably some still life hand colored even.



this kind of stuff maybe
 
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deacon

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
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Long as you guys help me decide what to do I'm obligated if you want to see them I'll post them. Now I have a question.

I went to home depot today to look at routers. I don't want a traditional router table if I can help it. I am thinking I will hang the router under a piece of plywood. Why you ask, because I want to prop the plywood up on two saw horses so that I can take it down and store it away somewhere. I don't have room nor do I want the sawdust all over my shop. I can put the chop saw on a couple of saw horses and would like the router the same way.

So if I drill a hole in a piece of plywood, then use a 1x2 as a fence, will it work. Then, can I use washers to set the depth of cut of the router bit. And if I can do that, can I use a straight bit on the router or do I have to get a rabbit bit. Those things are expensive.
 
BarelyAWake

BarelyAWake

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Jul 21, 2009
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Yeah actually - provided you get/make and inset a half decent faceplate, the reason for that is it aids in precision and alignment while feeding (like a true 90º). Another "trick" is to use an old Formica countertop for the "table" itself, which helps a LOT because of it's smooth, uniform surface. Check this pdf on the subject if ya wanna: http://www.shopnotes.com/files/issues/100/6-step-router-plate-installation.pdf

The fence is quite a lot trickier - given you'll wanna adjust it all the time you'll wanna just clamp it in place. I don't recommend just any old pine 1x2, you'll want something harder and smoother (and uniform) than that, keep an eye out for a hunk of aluminum - an L shaped beam would be good, a box even better. Aluminum is soft enough that if ya knuck it with the bit it won't be the end of the world as we know it lol. Remember, most router/shaper fences have a hole cut in the middle for the bit - not just so you can take a measured pass with just a lil of the bit cutting, but also for the chips to be able to escape.

The straight bit... well, ya can ofc - but good, tight fits rely on extremely close tolerances and you'll hafta make multiple passes so... that's up to you.

BTW - believe it or not, Sears Craftsman makes a passable deck & fence that's portable, ya don't even need put the sides on if ya don't want http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...ame=All&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a
 
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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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Doc is right as is BarelyAWake. I like tools that are dedicated to a job but that is me.
As doc said a saw. home made or a small table saw will cut your notch in the wood. One cut with the wood vertical to the fence and the next cut with the wood flat on the table and you have a notch for your glass and photo.

The corners I like cutting on a chop saw and as Doc said a nail gun is a must.

BarelyAwake has my interest as I said because I like having a set up tuned to the job. Being a tool junky only colours the outlook a bit. Doc is practical and no nonsense but the joy of a well crafted tool that purrs like a much loved kitten beats practicality over the head every. LOL

It is amazing the things that a good router can and will do. A home made router table will work and I don't think you will need to washer it to get the depth as the router adjusts up and down. A good small router table I think would be easier to use and store but like Barely AWake the tool junky is showing.
I'd check any pawn shops near you.

Silver Bear, is the most correct of us all. There is litttle that beats the feel of a tool being pushed across a piece of wood.
It seems to telegraph it's well being to you.

If I had listened to that advice I would have three fingers in better shape than they are.

Steve.
 
deacon

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
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north carolina
Considering the arthritis in my fingers, I'm going with power tools. I had looked at the bits for a router and figured that I needed the hold in the fence. I was thinking a spade bit set to cut just about half way into the fence. I had some big ones left over from my camera butchering days. What I was thinking is that I'm really making a single purpose jig so once I get it setup the way I want, i will just bolt the fence down.

I want these frame very rough in most cases so I will just chop saw the pieces then router them. I can ease the inside edge with a sander. I don't really want it too finished looking. Glue and pin the joints and then stain them gray. Cut the print to match the opening in the frame to take advantage of any imperfections in my measurements. Instead of glass I may go with just a lacquer finish. Maybe a lacquer then some fine dust particles to break up the sheen. I know there is flat lacquer so I'll just have to experiment with it a bit. We all know that I don't like to experiment but I can force myself just this once.

That's why all the control issues. Since selling art photography is almost impossible, I don't want to think of this as anything but a hobby. As a hobby it's about the doing of it not the final product. At least for me.
 
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