Window frames for the non-woodworker - ie me!

[mike]

I want to try and make some simple windows frames to replace the ones falling to pieces in the garage windows. When I say frames it's not the actual frame - just the window panel itself that opens. Basically it's a frame with a rebate running around one edge so I can mount the glass in it. What I'd like to know is, should I take the lengths of timber and cut the rebate along the entire lengths first? Or should I make up the frames (just rectangles) and cut the rebate aftwards. Or, thinking about it, cut the pieces to length and rebate each piece before making them in to a frame? Yes, your right I'm not much of a woodworker :-)

[mindwipe]

whats a rebate? take it i'm worse than you then

[Andy Hall]

An L-shape cut from a piece of material - normally to accept another piece of material or assembly.

Americans call them rabbets.

[mike]

Yeah, that guy with the chequered/checkered shirts and a beard calls 'em rabbets. Also, he has every power tool known to man!

[Andy Hall]

Oh, Norm Abram, you mean. He strikes me as an entertainer, but not much beyond that. One or two of his projects I found slightly interesting and I've borrowed the odd idea, but many of them are quite crass or twee designs, and he spoils others by plastering them with inapproriate finishes.

He actually doesn't have a spindle moulder (U.S. term is shaper).

On the other hand he does have a $30,000 wide belt sander....

Unfortunately, there really aren't any decent woodworking TV shows which is rather a pity.

[Andy Dingley]

Yes.

Go to eBay, buy yourself a #78 rebate plane (Record or Stanley). Don't spend too much.

Don't try and do it with a router - it's easier by hand. If you're making big frames you need a spindle moulder, but you can do smallish and simple frames with hand tools easily enough.

[BigWallop]

Cut the timber to the lengths you need then rebate them before making them up as a frame. Make sure you choose the straightest and most un-twisted lengths of timber as well.

Cutting them to length first is easier to work on.

[John Rumm]

Could work... How you going to cut the rebates? This method would work best if you were using something like a hand held circular saw...

Nope, it will be more hassle getting nice square corners to your rebates...

As good as option 1, and probably the way I would do it (cutting the rebates with a router in a table).

It will also depend on how you want to make your frame joints. You can get specialist cutters for the job, but they can be pricy:

if you don't mind swapping the cutter about half way through the job:

[biff]

An alternative way of forming a rebate if you have not got the machinary is to use two pieces of wood and glue them together. For example, take a length of 60mm x 30mm and glue on to it a length of

20mm x 15mm. The result will be a 60 x 45mm frame section with a 15 x 40mm rebate, which is what you need for a 4-16-4 double glazed unit.

You might think this is 'cheating' but if the glue is good (such as the white powder urea formaldehyde resin that used to be called Cascamite but now comes under various names) it forms a very strong piece that actually has less risk of twisting than a single piece. The joints at the corners are easier to form if they are made first with the 60 x 30 pieces and then the thinner pieces are added afterwards. You do need lots and lots of ssmall G or F clamps, but these are much cheaper than spindle molders and router tables.

If you don't want to do the job again in a few years use oak, or if you must use softwood made sure it is larch or Douglas fir and then paint it with real linseed oil paint.

Good luck

[John Rumm]

Yup, that would do it as well.

[Stuart Noble]

As a last resort I'd say. For exterior stuff those glue joints never seem to perform that well. Check with your timber merchant and see if they stock any rebated sections.

[biff]

Fair point, Stuart, but the way I suggested, the glue line is all indoors. There are no joints exposed to the weather.