The Framers Forum

October was a a month of ‘firsts’ for me. Here’s one, my first octagonal frame. I do need to figure out the joining method, this was glued, clamped and cross pinned. I think biscuit joints would be better, particularly on a larger frame. Two coats of black gesso with a good sanding, black acrylic spray and a dark paste wax to finish. I’ll add a bit of gold bling next time. That’s an mdf liner cut on a CNC.

That's very interesting. Eight mitres around the circumference of this frame demands quite considerable accuracy for the cutting angle of each mitre joint. I must admit to being very interested in how you achieved such accuracy. Even an error of one degree distrubuted between all eight of those mitres would have shown a noticable error somewhere. One degree divided by eight means a cutting error of 7.5 minutes of arc, but that has a better degree of cutting accuracy than that. I am interested to know how you managed to achieved that.

I'm a ex-engineer and I know how these things have to be to achieve such accuracy and I'm seriously impressed.

This hand finishing is top class too. I like this very much. Superlative work in every way. Lovey job!

Cut on my mitre saw, and clamped up good and tight. There were a couple of very small gaps that needed some filler. Two coats of gesso. Acrylic spray. I’ve since waxed it which has improved the finish. Don’t over think it, it’s pretty straightforward, mainly sanding.

When I purchased my very first Morso (£150) I made a few octagonal frames from a scooped pine moulding, as pine was all the go back in the mid 70's thanks to Habitat and Mr Conran I even managed to sell a couple as framed mirrors. I found the moulding easy to join with a home made tourniquet type clamp and then backed with hardboard. I have not made one since.

Compared with my effort yours really look the business

Peter.

Really love the finish.

Excellent Job Alan.

I made two oct mirror frames back in the day when wallpaper moulding ruled the earth.

On a Morso it was a fiddly task and they ended up quite a lot smaller than they were intended to be.
Fortunately I ordered the mirrors after the frames were done.

Haven't made one since.