Making a Frame

All wood in this project is salvaged from trash and construction sites in the Logan Square-Bucktown area of Chicago Illinois.
The first two pieces... The smaller panel with the moulding, on top, is what the watercolour painting will be mounted into.
It will be sealed with gesso, and the moulding will be gold leafed, to seal the wood, protecting the watercolour paper from acidity.
The larger piece with the hole cut into the center, to receive the image panel, will perform the function of the cardboard matt, that usually surrounds a watercolour painting.

Another angle of the pieces, showing the underside of the image panel, with some childish scribbling... it was the door on an old wardrobe in its previous life.

The two pieces, fitted together. small brads will hold them together from behind, in the final stages of construction.

Contact cement is used to glue the walnut veneers into place on the first of four matched pieces.

The first piece of veneer is laid in.

The veneering continues...

Another sheet laid in, but not yet trimmed. Notice the registry marks penciled in, in advance
of applying the contact cement, which does not permit adjustments, as it bonds instantly.

Veneers all in place, and roughly trimmed.

Image panel set in place.

When finished, and with the Image mounted in its panel, this unit will be set into the outer frame (not yet constructed), which will be deep enough so that there will be about 1/2 inch of space, between the front glass, and the image, and walnut matt.

Three heavy pieces of 100+ year old pine, cut from a salvaged 19th century beam, to make the outer frame.

The same three pieces, notched on the inside, and with a slight bevel cut on the front-facing edges.

A better view of the beveled fronts.

Cutting the miters with a chop saw, and planing the inside faces.

All the major wood-cutting done... break for lunch.

Front view of the glued up, squared-up outer frame.

Rear view of the same.

Tomorrow... planing, sanding, doing some fills and, and then, starting the veneering. Also, building the spacer, that will fit between the glass and the internal unit... the walnut matt-board, and the panel that will hold the painting

Home