[Dan C]

I'm pretty new to the craft, and would like to try making a mirror frame (about 16" x 32" x 1 1/4") out of butternut and then do some relief carving on it. I'm thinking of some vines, grape leaves, and grapes extending out over the edge of the mirror.

I can see two ways to go about making the frame and would really appreciate some feedback on how to proceed. The first way would be to glue 2 boards together to get my width (16") and then cut a hole out of the middle. The advantage would be that I wouldn't have to worry about joining the wood at the corners.

The second way would be to take 4 boards and fasten them together into a rectangular frame. If I do this, I'm not sure how to construct the corners. Lap joints perhaps? I'm afraid I'll run into carving problems at these corners. The advantage would be that the vines on the top and bottom would be going with the grain of the top and bottom boards.

Any comments would be greatly appreciated!

Dan C.

[Irish]

There is a third frame technique that is very often used and that is too create the frame and carving as separate works then attach the carving to the frame.

The frame can be created using lap joints or a biscuit mittered cornered frame. Then the grape design cut on the scroll saw or band saw out of another piece of wood. That scroll sawed rough out is then attached to a scrap of plywood with screws coming in from the back of the plywood into several points on the rough out that you know will be high areas in the design. This gives you a bracing board that can be clamped to your work table as you carve.

Once the carving or carvings are completed they are attached to the finished frame with wood glue.

Creating the relief as a separate work makes the carving much easier and avoids any problems with the stress that the carving process would place on the frames corners. Working the relief separately also lets you work in two different woods ... perhaps black walnut for the frame and the butternut (white walnut) for the carving. That gives you not only the carving but makes the carving stand out from a darker contrasting background.

Susan

[Dan C]

Thanks Susan (Laura)!

I like this 3rd technique that you describe - in particular, using dark and light woods to create an interesting contrast. For my current project, the effect I want to create is to have the carving be an integral part of the frame. Actually, I was inspired by some great carved mirror frames I saw in an art gallery in Quebec City. Unfortunately, I didn't look at the corners of the frames to see how the artist had handled this technical issue. Probably I can just use a carefully-cut lap joint with the underlying piece well below the carving surface. If I clamp the joint well, it should be pretty invisible. (Hopefully!)

On another note, I've greatly enjoyed your co-authored book "Wood Spirits and Green Men". I tried a test face and ran into some problems. (problems having nothing to do with the great book, but rather to where I'm currently at with my carving skills!) I tried using a piece of red cedar and found out that that was a mistake! I've heard that yellow cedar would be a better choice. I also concluded that carving the human face is a little beyond me at this point, but intend to try again in the not too distant future.

Thanks for your kind reply!

Dan C.

[Irish]

Lap joints can cause problems because you have the situation of the two grain directions of the wood. Wood expands and contracts with humidity and seasonal changes. This movement means that the two pieces of the lap joint are constantly pulling against each other. You will have the sides pulling in a different direction then the top. So just glueing a lap joint means that over time the glue will loosen and you can lose your joint totally. Because of the movement lap joints are not usually glued together, instead they use dowel pins to secure the two pieces and only the dowels pins are glued.

So with a lap joint you have both the wood movement to contend with as well as the dowel pins showing on the face of your frame.

Frames, in my experience, are most often created using mitered corners and biscuits. Butterfly dovetails are also used on the back side of a mitered joint to secure the corners. Now, what might be your strongest and easiest answer is the simple butt joint using biscuits to secure the two frame pieces. With the depth of your wood, 1 1/4", you may be able to stack two biscuits one on top of the other about 1/4" apart. This would create a strong joint that could easily support a large sheet of glass.

If you haven't gotten a biscuit joiner yet when you do you will wonder how you ever got along without one ... there are even mini-biscuits available today.

No matter what style of joint you decide on the pressure created during the carving process can loosen the joint. So you will probably want to brace the frame to reduce the stress. One way is to create a second frame that encases your master frame. This outer frame does not need to nailed or screwed to the main frame, it only needs to be tight enough to become a shock absorber during the carving work.

A second easy way to protect your joint areas during carving is to cut a set of triangle cheaters out of 1/4" plywood. A triangle is nailed or screwed to each of the corners on the back side of the master frame. Cheaters work great to minimize the stress.

There may be other joinery ideas but I believe you may wish to research in those sights that focus on wood working.

Susan

[Irish]

Michael is adding that you could butterfly a butt joint and create a beautiful secure joint as well if you don't have a biscuit joinery at this time. Again depending on your width you might be able to use two butterflies.


Susan

[Dan C]

Hoo Boy! Lots to think about! Thanks for the detailed advice. It's certainly not enough to just focus on the wood carving itself. I do have a biscuit joiner, so that's not a problem. Think I'll go with the butt joint and biscuit. Also, I like the idea of a triangular piece at each corner, while carving, to reduce stress on the joint, and a tight frame around the piece while carving to reduce stress as well. Now, on to the design, which for me, has a whole other set of challenges! Thanks!

Dan C.