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2. TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

While good taste is to be ob­served in all the stages of picture framing, good crafts­manship is the first requirement when working with tools and actually making the frame. Time spent in sound construction will not only reduce the necessity for repairs, but will help develop the beginner's skill and speed. It takes but a few minutes longer to make a strong joint than it does a poor one.

Because the joint used in picture frame-making is the weakest in all woodworking (end grain to end grain), it is necessary to make every effort to strengthen it. Nails or screws alone are not enough; the joint must be properly glued with either hot cab­inet glue, casein glue or, best of all, the new plastic resin glue now on the market. The last named is mixed with cold water in the exact amount needed so that there is no waste, and as it dries harder and harder becomes waterproof and is not affected by climatic changes of humidity or temperature.Brushes used for glue are best made from artists' oil-painting bristle brushes by cutting down the handles to five or six inches in length.

It is necessary to use tools of good quality in order to make sound joints. Cheap tools will not do the work efficiently and are constantly in need of replace­ment. If it is seriously planned to make frames regularly, the investment in quality tools will not only facilitate the work but will be less expensive in the long run. A full range of cabinet maker's tools is not necessary, but as more experience is gained, the framer will find a need for items other than the ones de­scribed in the following.

The first piece of equipment needed for good work is the BENCH. It should be large enough to handle any frame contemplated and high enough (32" to 36") for comfortable work. Keep it away from the wall so that it can be reached from all sides when working on large frames and fasten it to the floor if possible for added strength.

The MITER BOX is used for cutting the miters for the corners of frames. It can be of the home-made variety costing a few cents or it can be purchased for about 50c for the wooden kind to the metal box cost­ing as much as $20.00. Because accuracy is absolutely essential when cutting miters, it is not advisable to try to use a home-made affair or to buy a miter box costing less than $4.00 to $5.00. Any hardware dealer will be glad to show his stock and a box can be selected easily that will fill one's needs and which is sturdy and accurate enough not to need replacement.

The BACK-SAW should be of the best quality in order to retain its set and sharpness. Inferior saws need constant re-setting and sharpening and unless it can be done at home, it will soon be found that much more has been spent on conditioning than the saw originally cost. Almost any length can be used, but a 20" long, 4" wide saw with at least 12 teeth to the inch will be most adequate. Handle the saw with care, do not cut into nails or screws, and keep it hung up when not in use.

For making frames with any degree of professional accuracy and finish in joining, a MITER VISE or CRAMPING TOOL is essential. Like the miter box, this can also be home-made or an efficient, ready-made kind can be purchased. It is used to hold the corners firmly together while joining. If one has ever tried making frames without it, further argument for their necessity is superfluous. A small vise, capable of joining Moldings up to 4" wide has been on the mar­ket for many years. For those who do not wish to invest in one at the start, there are other methods of joining such as by the use of clamps alone, a home­made jig or cramping tool. They are all described at the end of this section. However, none of the substi­tutes for a regular picture framing miter vise will do the work of holding the corners together as efficiently as the ready-made tool designed for that purpose. The time spent in making a home-made affair, together with the difficulty of producing first class work with it, will be wasted unless the beginner only intends making frames very rarely.

The COMBINATION MITER BOX, SAW AND MITER VISE eliminates the individual pur­chase or construction of the three tools already dis­cussed and combines them into one. The most pop­ular one on the market handles Moldings up to 4½" in width by about 4" deep. It will join any frame larger than 7½" x 7½". The back saw furnished with the machine is carefully fitted and can be adjusted easily for depth of cut. The machine is compact and can be attached readily to one corner of a work­bench. The investment is not high, and if the total cost of any of the first three tools and their inefficient operation is considered, it will be seen that its pur­chase should be seriously contemplated by the be­ginner in frame-making.

Care should be used in the selection of the HAM­MER, not only for price and quality but for the bal­ance or "feel". A badly balanced or too heavy a ham­mer will tire the wrist very quickly and thus contribute to poor work. Buy a "claw" nail hammer of some well-known brand. Ask to see hammers weighing from 13 to 20 ounces and choose the one that feels right. As one progresses in framing, other hammers will be found useful, but one is enough to begin with.

The NAIL-SET is used for driving nails below the surface of the wood so that the holes can be filled and the surface smoothed. Purchase a good quality, square head 1/16" nail set. Other sizes may be needed later on.

PLIERS are useful for pulling nails which may have been wrongly started as well as other odd jobs. Buy a medium size, side-cutting pair of good quality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The HAND DRILL is essential for drilling holes before driving nails or screws when joining the frame. The cheaper varieties work fairly well but good quality hand drills have strong gripping jaws, easier action and will last longer. When buying, see that the gears mesh and turn smoothly and that there is a minimum of "play". Buy the length that seems best, but the smaller sizes are just as adequate for frame-making.

A set of DRILLS is also necessary. There will be a certain amount of bending and breakage when using these, but the cost is comparatively low. A set of them should be acquired which will be large enough in variety of size so that the right one will be available for the nail or screw being used. Specific sizes are difficult to recommend, but after a few frames have been made, it will be easy to see which ones are most needed. It is suggested that one buys twist drills in sizes 25, 33, 44, 50, 55 and 58 to begin with. They will be sufficient for the use of small, medium and large size nails. Buy the drills at the same time that brads and nails are purchased, matching them in size as closely as possible.

Since screws are used ordinarily only with heavy molding, a medium to heavy SCREW-DRIVER will be needed. One with a 6" to 10" blade will be of most use.

A PLANE will be found useful in giving a different shape to Moldings as well as for smoothing and other work. A steel JACK-PLANE, 11½" long or longer is a valuable addition to the tool list.

A set of small WOOD FILES or RASPS will be needed for the decoration of plain Moldings and will also be found useful for general shaping or the smooth­ing of ornaments. 8" long rasps are ample. Buy one of each. Round, flat, triangular and half-round with handles for them.

Even if it is not planned to cut glass for the first frames one makes, a GLASS-CUTTER will be handy to have for the future. Its low cost makes it a necessity.

The more CLAMPS owned, the better. One can begin   by  buying   two   or   four   wooden   joiner's clamps and as many small C-CLAMPS as possible.

A TRY-SQUARE will be needed to check on the square ness of the comers of frames while joining. An 8" try-square with a wooden handle is recommended rather than a larger, flat, steel square because it can fit inside smaller frames and still be long enough to insure accuracy. The wooden-handled type is also cheaper.

The COUNTERSINK is a bit for the hand drill and is used to make a shallow, tapering hole to sink the head of a screw below the surface of the wood. Be sure to buy one that has a shank small enough to fit the hand drill.

Thus far, only the tools essential for frame-making and joining have been discussed. A few more items are needed if the framer intends to cut mats, mount pictures and do his own assembling.

There are many knives sold especially for mat-cutting and many other types are suitable for the pur­pose. Since one should be selected that works best for the individual, only a few general rules for its purchase can be given. The blade of the MAT-KNIFE should be quite short and thin. It should be of high quality steel,

capable of being sharpened to a razor edge and of holding it for a while. Paper will dull a cutting edge quicker than any other material, therefore constant re-sharpening is necessary. Because of this fact, the blade should either be of the adjustable variety (slid­ing into and through the handle) or the blades should be of the type that are easily replaced after being worn down through sharpening.

The STRAIGHT EDGE should be a metal-edged, beveled ruler or, better still, an all-metal straight edge. The extra weight and long-wearing, accurate qualities of the latter sort should compensate for the increased cost. At any rate, sight along the edge or otherwise test it for freedom from warping before buying.

Mats or any other kind of board cannot be cut properly or successfully without constant sharpening of the knife. It is advisable to buy a two-sided SHARP­ENING STONE, that is, one side medium coarse and the other fine grain. A 6" or 8" stone will be ade­quate. Use plenty of light machine oil when sharp­ening.

It is necessary to purchase an accurate RULER or scale. Mistakes will be considerably lessened through its use. Do not attempt to economize on this item because correct measurements are indispensable in frame-making. Buy either a good quality, straight yard­stick, a six-foot steel tape rule of the semi-rigid type or a six-foot folding carpenter's rule.

Regular CABINET GLUE may be used with good results for joining although the new synthetic resin glue is preferable. Hot cabinet glue has other uses, however, such as gluing cloth to wood for inserts, backing, attaching mats to mounted pictures, etc.

For the efficient melting of cabinet glue, a GLUE-POT is essential. The beginner in frame-making can perhaps do without one until its need is felt. Two tin cans, one smaller than the other, can be used to make a temporary double boiler.

A few CHISELS will always be of use to the frame-maker. Do not buy them with too short a blade. While they are not absolutely essential, need for them will be soon apparent. Chisels ¼, ½ and 1" wide are adequate.

Good mounting work cannot be done without a heavy ROLLER. Air bubbles are easily removed and good adherence of the mounted picture assured with its use. In this case, a home-made roller constructed from a worn-out washing machine roller or an old rolling pin cut down in length, covered with felt and fitted with a strong handle will serve as well as a ready-made hand roller for laying linoleum. However, suf­ficient pressure must be exerted while rolling to make up for the loss in weight. A piece of heavy band iron should be bent to fit each end and to form a good-sized handle in the center.

A package of glass PUSH-PINS in the larger size will be found easier to handle than thumb-tacks and will thus speed up the work of mounting. They are used to hold down the corners of pictures and prevent curling while moistening or applying adhesive.

A bone PAPER FOLDER is not indispensable, but a useful implement to iron out stubborn wrinkles when mounting. The smooth handle of a knife or something similar might serve as well.

BATTENS are home-made, felt-covered, wooden strips used as pads when assembling pictures to pre­vent marring the face of finished frames. A full de­scription of how they can be made is included in the section on assembling.

A FLAT-SIDED HAMMER is used for fastening pictures in their frames. It may be either a small, light­weight tack hammer with one side ground flat or a flat-sided  TINNER'S   SETTING   or   PANEING

HAMMER of eight or twelve ounces. The light weight is essential so that the blows struck to drive the brads in will not be so heavy as to loosen the cor­ners of the frame. The flat side is necessary because otherwise it would be impossible to strike the head of the brad as it is being driven into the frame.

The FITTING TOOL is an extremely useful im­plement made especially for fastening pictures in their frames. It is practically essential when driving brads into narrow Moldings. Because it can be adjusted to drive the brads to an exact depth, the danger of forc­ing them completely through the molding is elimi­nated. It has a deep throat for wider Moldings and will speed up assembling considerably. Assembling can be done without it, but its purchase is recommended to those craftsmen making frames regularly.

A small CABINET SCRAPER will always be of use for general work in frame-making but especially for cleaning out the rabbet before assembling. The 5 and 10c stores have suitable scrapers.

POWER TOOLS

The following is addressed to those who wish to make picture frames for others as a source of added income or as a full-time occupation.

Heretofore, only the simplest of rudimentary equip­ment for frame-making has been considered. The sub­ject of motor-driven power tools is one which will be familiar to the home wood-working craftsman, but to the beginner is usually unknown. The following is a rough explanation of their use and how they can be adapted to picture framing.

It is assumed that by the time the framer is ready to acquire any power tools, he will already own the basic equipment for doing all the operations in picture framing by hand. The proper combination saw and miter vise will be owned, together with a good range of hand tools including planes, hammers, etc. The purchase of the following equipment is not recom­mended unless frames are to be made regularly and in quantity.

The most useful power driven tool for picture fram­ing work is the CIRCULAR or BENCH SAW. With the proper attachments, this tool can be made to turn out almost any profile of molding desired besides cut­ting miters, handling odd jobs and speeding up work tremendously. Inserts of exact width and shape for special jobs can be rapidly executed as can the innum­erable strips of varying thickness which are so often used in framing. It can be utilized for cutting strips of decorative molding, etc., thus eliminating the laborious work of hand-filing or carving. Because its use and operation belongs primarily to wood-working generally and not picture framing in particular, further explanation here is unnecessary; the subject is com­pletely covered in handbooks.

The bench saw, then, should be the first power tool whose purchase is to be considered by the serious pic­ture framer. As with all tools, money is thrown away unless quality is the first criterion in selection. Only acquire the type of bench saw which is capable of numerous adjustments and with which the proper attachments, such as molding cutters, can be used. The motor, which is bought separately, should always be of sufficient horse-power to utilize the saw to its fullest capacity. If the motor is too light, it will only stall when in use. For instance, an 8" saw needs a ½ HP motor.

A combination BELT and DISC SANDER is an­other power tool which will be found of great use in the making of picture frames. It can be employed to smooth molding, thus cutting down a great deal of the hand-sanding usually necessary. Nail holes which have been filled can be smoothed in a matter of sec­onds. The disc can be employed as a shooting board, insuring good gluing surfaces with a minimum of effort. Other uses will suggest themselves, and it only remains to recommend that this be the next power tool purchased. Belt sanders are not very expensive and only require a ¼ HP motor for operation.

The above tools, together with a complete assort­ment of hand tools, will be found adequate for the solution of almost any problem which the framer is likely to encounter.

Other power tools, which would be handy to have but which are more or less luxuries include the COP­ING or JIG SAW and the DRILL PRESS or an electric HAND DRILL. Literature on their uses is plentiful.

Besides the power tools described, several types of automatic hand miter machines are also on the mar­ket. Called "choppers" by the trade, they are used by large commercial manufacturers of picture frames. With their use, the miters for 75 or more frames can be cut in an hour.

BRADS, NAILS and SCREWS

While the home craftsman or anyone who has done woodworking to any extent is familiar with brads, nails, screws and dowels, information for the be­ginner may be useful. Picture framing, unlike other woodworking, is so specialized that in order to achieve the best results, it is very important to choose the right type and size of fastener for each job.

None of the above fasteners are expensive and so it is better when starting out to make frames to buy a wide variety of sizes and lengths in small quantities.After it has been discovered which nails and brads are most commonly used, they can be purchased in larger amounts. Other sizes should be kept on hand, however, for unexpected needs.

If the majority of frames to be made are for prints or water-colors, etc., it will be necessary to have thin­ner nails and brads for the narrower Moldings used.For Moldings designed for oil paintings, nails up to 3" may be necessary. Because screws are usually only employed for joining extra large Moldings, they should not be in short lengths and should not be too heavy in any case.

BRADS are packed in small boxes labeled with their length and number which indicates the size of wire from which they were made. The numbers are low for heavy, thick brads and high for fine, thin ones. Not all lengths are made in all numbers; usually the shorter lengths are only made in the higher numbers and vice versa. It will be found more practical to avoid the very lowest numbers except in lengths over ⅞".

As a suggestion, brads might be purchased as follows: ⅜" or ½" by 20, ⅝" by 20, ¾" or ⅞" by 18 and 1" by 17.

The NAILS used for joining picture frames are called "finishing" nails. They have a small, rounded head and not a large flat one as do common nails. The head is made in that way so that it may readily be driven or "set" below the surface. Finishing nails are sold from 1" to 4" long (advancing by ¼’s) and their weight depends on their length. It is comparatively easy to find the correct size of nail for a particular frame by laying it across a mitered corner which has been placed together. The nail should be long enough to exceed through one piece and about the same dis­tance into the other, although this is not always pos­sible, on the wider Moldings. If the molding is too wide or of such shape that even nails or screws are not adequate, use what is possible near the corner and provide additional reinforcement by some other meth­od near the inside.

SCREWS are also sold by length and number in the same way that are brads. It is not advisable to buy many screws until it is seen whether they will be needed. Screws shorter than 1½" will be used rarely and only for special work. When drilling holes for screws, always have that part of the corner through which it is to pass first drilled with a hole large enough to permit the screws to slide through. The hole should be continued into the other part with a drill only as large as the "shank" of the screw.

DOWELS are perfectly round pieces of wood sold in varying lengths and in sizes from ⅛" to 1", the usual length being 36". A few of them in different sizes will be found useful to have on hand.

In any event, go slow about stocking up. It may be discovered that a particular method of joining is pre­ferred or that one tends to make up only a certain type of frame.

1.  MITER VISE (Home-Made)

Two screw-type window locks are required for this vise together with two pieces of wood cut to the size and shape shown. By making two of these vises, Moldings in a large variety of widths may be joined.

First, take a piece of ¾" plywood 10" square and cut away the curved area shown. Second, cut a piece of ⅜plywood 6" square and attach it with screws to the larger piece. Make absolutely sure that the corner nearest the curved part is a perfect right angle, or the joints made with it will not be true. Now attach the window locks in the position shown. They should be at exactly 900 to the sides of the top piece.

Its operation will be readily apparent. Each of the screw clamps holds one of the parts of the frame to be joined while fastening. When using the vise, always be sure to place slips of wood between the head of the screw and the molding to avoid damaging the edges.

This vise should not be used for joining the larger, heavier types of molding unless screws alone are used for fastening. The clamps are not strong enough to hold the molding firmly under the blows of the hammer.

2.  WEDGE CRAMP (Home-Made)

This is a simple type of cramp for holding the corners together while joining. All that is needed is a piece of 1 x 3 x 12 pine for the base. Two pieces (A-A) measuring 1 x 2 x 5 are attached with screws as shown. A triangular piece with 500 angles is then fastened in the exact center. Two wedges, made of hardwood, ⅜" thick and about 9" long, tapering from ½" to 3" at the broad ends.

First smooth the base carefully and make sure that it is absolutely flat. Then make the two pieces of 1 x 2 stock about 5" long and attach them at exactly 450 to the base so that they form a perfect right angle but with the corner open about 5" as shown. Next cut the triangular piece with the 500 angles and screw it accurately in the center. The wedges are then made of ⅜" hardwood running from ½ at one end to 3" at the other. Notches should be cut in them for knocking out after the corner has been joined. Now saw off the projecting corners and sand smooth.

When using the cramp it should be fastened se­curely to the bench so that the corner of the frame being joined is in line with the corner of the bench. The frame will then project over the bench and can be supported in a level position while fastening.

When nailing the miter, it is advisable to clamp the molding down as an added precaution to prevent shifting.

3.  WEDGE CRAMP (Home-Made)

Another type of cramp can be made which, though it does not have the flexibility of the previous one for holding Moldings of varying widths, will work well if molding of approximately the same size is used regularly. Several cramps of this type might be made to accommodate different widths.

Cut a triangular piece of ¾" plywood from a square measuring about 12" by 12". Screw two pieces of hardwood ¼x 1" x 8" or 10" on the corner to form a perfect right angle as shown.

Next cut a right triangle of the same 1/4" hardwood stock as shown. Place a corner of the molding to be joined on the cramp, slip the triangle in place and then attach a piece ¼x 1" x 6" as illustrated, leaving space to hammer in a few thin wedges.

If a number of frames of the same size are to be made regularly, four cramps of this kind, one for each corner, should be attached to a piece of plywood of the correct size. In this way the frame can be assem­bled, glued and joined without shifting until it is completely fastened.

When using this cramp, be sure to place small squares of paper under each corner being joined to prevent the frame from sticking to the board or base. As before, it is advisable to clamp the molding with wood-clamps while nailing.

4. ROPE CRAMP (Home-Made)

Another sort of cramp involves the use of four cor­ner blocks and a strong cord. The only disadvantage of this device is that the corners cannot be nailed until the glue has dried and the blocks removed. Strong clamping pressure can be exerted, however, so that a tightly glued joint is made.

Take a 1" x 1" square piece of hardwood, 4" long and drill four ¼" holes at a 450 angle as illustrated. Saw the four pieces apart into 1" lengths and then cut a ½" x ½" section out of each corner opposite the drilled edge. Sandpaper smooth, particularly the holes, so that the cord will not be worn excessively.

The cord used for the cramp must be of the hard, woven, non-stretching variety such as that used for Venetian blinds. It can be purchased in any length at window shade stores.

When using the cramp, allow plenty of slack and take up the difference by twisting with a piece of doweling sufficiently long so that it can be snapped under the frame while the glue is drying.

Another method of making the corner blocks so that the frame can be nailed while the glue is drying is to use four pieces of band-iron bent to almost a right angle and cut and drilled as shown. Unless metal working tools are owned, it is better to have a small machine shop make these up to specifications. When using this type of corner block, three pieces of the cord are to be knotted at the correct places with the knots outside to make a loose fit. Leave one side with plenty of slack to take up the twisting necessary for tightening. While the cords can be shortened or lengthened easily, it will be seen that this type of cramp is limited in use.

5. WIRE CLAMPS FOR CRAMPING

Simple clamps for holding the corners together while the glue is drying and for later nailing can be made easily from upholstery springs. Cut off a section as shown and sharpen the ends by filing or grinding. Lay the corner to be joined together on a flat surface and pull the clamp apart until it can be placed in position, then release carefully. As many as necessary should be attached in different positions to each corner.

Other vises or cramps will most likely occur to the beginner if he is working with home-made equipment, but none of them will give the quick, precise results accomplished with the ready-made tool specifically designed for the purpose.

Essential tools for cutting and joining frames:
Miter Box
Back Saw
Miter Vise or Cramping Tool or Combination Saw, Miter Box and Miter Vise
Screwdriver
Hammer
Pliers
Hand Drill
Set of Drills
Set of Rasps
Ruler
Nail Set
Try Square
Countersink Bit (Round Shank)
Clamps
Brads, Finishing Nails, Screws
Glue Additional tools to be needed later:
Glue Pot
Chisels
Jack Plane
Tools essential for the operations listed: Mat-Cutting:
Mat Knife
Oil Stone
Straight Edge
Mounting: Roller Push-Pins Bone Paper Folder Brushes
Assembling:
Battens (Home-Made) Flat Sided Hammer Fitting Tool Cabinet  Scraper Glass-Cutter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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