High End Frames

[Lenny Eiger]

Greetings all,
I used to make my own frames. It's really fun, but its a lot of work. I make a standard frame, about 3 inches off the wall, with a lip for the glass. The lip is the hardest part.. a 10 inch table saw can't really do it. I happen to like maple a lot, especially spalted maple. It's light in color and has very interesting patterns.

I don't always have the time to do this and wondered if there was a high end place so,me of you would recommend to get moulding to make the frames. Every place I look at on the net has these ornate frames that look like garbage, IMO. The maple is stained yellow, I just am not interested. Does anyone know of a place to get nice wood at somewhat reasonable prices?

Truth is, I'd like to get the jointer, table saw and planer out of my garage so I can install a sink for the alt process printing. Woodworking tools, even with good dust collection are pretty incompatible... if I could get good moulding I could cut it with the guillotine cutter I have and be done with it...

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Lenny

[jp]

These people are in my neck of the woods and mill high end wood to specification.

http://www.aesampsonandson.com/flooring/maine/soft-maple.php

The yellow staining is probably from an oil based finish, some of the water based (non-VOC) finishes are less yellow.

I don't call myself a woodworker, I haven't bought there stuff. I've mostly used pine (left over from a flooring job at my house) to build things like rustic desks, tables, shelves. I've got a table saw, a skillsaw, a jigsaw and a drill and if I can't make it with that, I don't make it.

[Lenny Eiger]

These people are in my neck of the woods and mill high end wood to specification.

http://www.aesampsonandson.com/flooring/maine/soft-maple.php

The yellow staining is probably from an oil based finish, some of the water based (non-VOC) finishes are less yellow.

I don't call myself a woodworker, I haven't bought there stuff. I've mostly used pine (left over from a flooring job at my house) to build things like rustic desks, tables, shelves. I've got a table saw, a skillsaw, a jigsaw and a drill and if I can't make it with that, I don't make it.

Thanks for this resource.

I will say one thing. There is a combination of a jointer, planer and table saw that makes things work. With those three items you can get a piece of wood that's actually rectangular. It's a revelation when you start out with square edges... I'd recommend it anyway...

Lenny

[keith schreiber]

Are you familiar with Nurre-Caxton (http://nielsenbainbridgegroup.com/nielsen-bainbridge/nurre-caxton-brand)? Look at pages 4-5 of the downloadable catalog. Is that the sort of thing you are looking for?

When I lived in Tucson, I had a friend who was a very talented furniture maker. He made me some beautiful walnut frames with a flat face about 1-1/4" wide and a beveled back. Maybe there is someone like that in your area.

~ Keith

[Lachlan 717]

What's the issue with the table saw, Lenny?

[Richard Wasserman]

Are you looking for one frame at a time or are you willing to buy a a few hundred feet of molding at one time? These folks can make anything you want— http://www.paxtonwood.com/ I have used them and they do first rate work.

There are other similar companies, I'm pretty sure there should be someone close to you who can do what you want.

[Lenny Eiger]

What's the issue with the table saw, Lenny?

My first cut was just below the rabbet with the wood flat on the table. I then rotated it vertical to cut out the area so that there was a rabbet at the top vs a single cut. I have a 10 inch table saw with a Forrest blade and that sized blade is not good enough to make that kind of a cut perfectly. At that height, the pressure the wood generates will bend that kind of blade - enough to make it harder to miter. I should have run a 6 inch board rather than two 3 inch ones and dado'ed out the bottom. Maybe. I'm not really friends with routers, which is another solution. I don't want to deal with a shaper...

However, the truth is that I like quality frames, that are simple wood and I have been wondering where to get the moulding to make them. The Nielsen Bainbridge that Keith recommended are too ornate for my taste. (Thanks for trying.) More importantly, I need frames but having a table saw in the darkroom (even just for alt process) is sort of, uhhh... not too smart. There's lots of sawdust...

If I can find a good supply (looks like a moulding shop might do the trick) then I can sell the table saw and jointer. As much as I like doing it, I have no time left after doing stuff to make a living and photography.

Lenny

[Nathan Potter]

What's the issue with the table saw, Lenny?

He only has nine fingers now. :confused:

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Richard Wasserman]

He only has nine fingers now. :confused:

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

Saw Stop—Keep all your fingers! I don't have one, but the demonstrations I've seen were remarkable. http://www.sawstop.com/

[keith schreiber]

I agree that most of what is in the Nurre-Caxton catalog is at least somewhat ornate and not to my liking either, but I think the page(s) that I referred to are about as simple as it gets - just a flat face & side at 90 degrees with a simple rabbet. Maybe you saw something different or I am misunderstanding your description.

Anyhow here are a couple more links that might be of interest:
http://www.holtonframes.com/frames-framing/frame-catalog/mitered-frames/flats/village-series-flats/no-1/
http://www.smallcorp.com/hardwood.html

[Lenny Eiger]

I agree that most of what is in the Nurre-Caxton catalog is at least somewhat ornate and not to my liking either, but I think the page(s) that I referred to are about as simple as it gets - just a flat face & side at 90 degrees with a simple rabbet. Maybe you saw something different or I am misunderstanding your description.

Keith I took another look. However, the Holton site looks very interesting. I'll have to give the a call.

Thanks.

Lenny

P.S. For you characters, that's Lenny the ten-fingered. -)

P.S.S. Every time I get ready to use the thing I put my hands on the table while its off and say to myself, "This is a dangerous tool, it will cut your hand off." Then I start.