Do you think this will be ok?

[chipper67]

Just had some questions for those who have done frames around their relief carvings. I've never made a picture frame before. Here are some pictures of the relief carving I did in butternut. It is from a pattern by Ivan Whillock from an older "Carving Magazine" I had. I decided to put a walnut frame around the carving. I had a friend cut the walnut frame for me since I do not have a table or miter saw. My question is regarding glueing it all together. As you can see from the pictures the frame is just going to be butted up against the butternut. Do you think that is ok? I plan on using Titebond wood glue. The carving is somewhat small, 6 3/4" x 10". Do you think the glue wood be good enough to hold it all together? Or, do I need to use some brad nails throught the miter joints. Or, do something like in the last picture which is drilling a hole through the miter joints on the back side and putting in a wood plug. Maybe that is overkill though. I am just wondering if over time the butternut carving will move or warp.

Also, I think I'll probably use a 50/50 mixture of BLO and Watco Danish Oil in Natural for the whole thing and then spray Deft as a final sealer. So, would it be best to glue it up and then oil it or would you oil the individual pieces first and then glue it up?

Thanks for any suggestions,

Chipper67

[AlArchie]

If your frame is a tight fit in the carving, you may not need to glue it to the frame.
Here's a similar project I did.....simply clamped the frame tight to the carving before glueing the frame up. You have mitred corners so I don't know if you can clamp that tight.

On a small piece like that, I would think that gluing the piece to the frame would work just fine....make sure the glue is applied only to the back of the carving so it doesn't ooze out on the front.

Al

[Ed Redwine]

I think a frame enhances a relief carving in most instances. I agree that glue will probably be enough to hold it.

[Smitty]

I have made many frames for my scrollsawed pictures and was concerned that the nails would come out the front of the frame. I used the method you show with the plugs . Glued the 45s clamped them to dry then drilled the holes for plugs and glued them in also. If you use the plugs drill a small hole in the middle to allow air to escape from under it when you press them in.

[pallin]

This advice is too late for this relief carving, but you might consider carving the frame as part of your relief. There are several examples among my photos in the WCI gallery.

[Dylan]

I think that the glue by itself will do just fine. Glue is all I use when I put together frames for my carvings.

Dylan

[chipper67]

Thanks everyone for your advice and comments. I really appreciate that.

Chipper67