rounded corner picture frames

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Compomouldings
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rounded corner picture frames

Post by Compomouldings »

Hi
Does anyone know how to make a rounded corner frame like the one attached

Many thanks
Mark
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large_Round-corners1.jpg
vintage frames
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Re: rounded corner picture frames

Post by vintage frames »

A frame like this was made by manufacturing the rounded corner pieces separately and joining them to the longer straight lengths to make the frame.
You can actually see the shadow of the joints at 45 deg. underneath the paint or gesso.

To make the corner pieces you would take a short length of say 2" x 2" timder and round off one of the edges to the radius you want.
Then cut away a square section from the opposite edge to reduce the profile to the width of the longer lengths.
The timber section should now appear as a corner piece when viewed end on and can then be sliced off for use.
After joining to the longer lengths, the rebate can be routed out to match.

Confused?
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Re: rounded corner picture frames

Post by Not your average framer »

Stuff like this is not particularly hard to do if you are o.k. with traditionak wood woring skilland understand the quaiyies of better quality woods. You will need to be using the kind of quatity of wood which wive be able the be finished to produce a really flawless finish around the rounded corner of the moulding. Something fairly hard and close grained will not like like a change in finish as it transitions from long straight grain to end grain. A bit of cheap primer / filler and sanding it smooth is very unlikely to be durable enough.

The side lengths of the frame are most likely to be jointed into the square corner sections using mortice and tenon joints. These are the traditional solid joints that have always been the traditional choice of the quality end of the furniture industry. They enable accurate alignment, plenty of glue contact and very solid fitting joints. Frames like this will take time, skill and a reasonable degree of craftsmamship to make. There was a 1960's revival of the sort of style, where everything was machined out of a single piece of MDF and were then srpayed with primed and cellulose paint.

Examples which remain are now prized collectors items and enjoying a bit of a revival these days. I don't suppose that you are intending to get this CMC machined out of MDF, so I guessing that there will be some more traditional methods involved. How are you set for your skills with traditional woodworking hand tool skills and availability of suitable tools, If the answer is o.k., then you can probably to do this your self, without too much trouble. It sounds like an interesting project. I am thinking that there is still a reasonable good market for frames like this, if you have got an inclination to purse it.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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Re: rounded corner picture frames

Post by vintage frames »

I managed to confuse myself.
For those that are still watching, one would cut a rounded section along the inside edge and not a squared section.

And you're going to need a spindle moulder anyway!
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GeoSpectrum
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Re: rounded corner picture frames

Post by GeoSpectrum »

I make them from time to time. I’ve only made smallish ones but make them in one piece on my CNC out of mrmdf. I’ve considered using real wood such as ash or oak but not got round to making one yet.
Alan Huntley
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Re: rounded corner picture frames

Post by Not your average framer »

How many of these are you likely to be making.. Is it enough to be worth making some jis, or templates? the inside rounded corners might be possible to do with a fostner bit and maybe the outside profile could be done usind a router foloowing a templete using a bearing guided bit. For volume production, there may be better suited methods.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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