mirror frame glue up question

Jan 26, 2017 8 Replies

I have a potential project to make mirror frames for a customer, glued but not installed. They want them out of door molding for the stiles and colonial base molding for the rails butted together. There's very little wood to work with for gluing and having them stable enough to transport in a car.



I thought about some sort of backing on the corners for a bit of stabilization. Does anyone have another solution to 'beef up' the glue joints so they'll hold together until they're mounted?


Staple cardboard to the back, or a thin sheet product like 1/4" Luan or

1/8" hardboard.

I've seen "pocket holes" (not Kreg) in at least one (antique) frame. The

2 different profiles are most-likely not going to meet nicely at the corners, which makes me think you might wish to reconsider. Are you going to cut rebates for the mirror and a fiberboard insert? If the mirror is large (and heavy), you may wish to consider whether the design you are proposing is safe. Maybe you can introduce to your customer other possible design alternatives? Have you considered how the mirrors will be hung?

A "quick answer" to the specific question you asked is probably something like "fiberboard (behind the corners) and a staple gun".

Bill

Pocket screws would be one possibility, depending on the thickness of your moulding. Biscuits or some other sort of spline might also work. Stapling the back side of the joints works for me building window casings.

Cheers, Colin

IF the stock is as thin as you say indicate it is, pocket screws and spline s are out. Mike is right, about stapling stock to the back of the corners (triangular pieces ), but I would go with the 1/8" stock, either the hardbo ard or aircraft quality plywood.

would make a temporary frame with corners secured with wingnuts so you can remove easily

maybe make them slide so they are adjustable and reusable

this below is not temporary

not sure what the correct term is for this method

once the frame is assembled you cut across the outside corners then you glue a triangular biscuit in then sand

this one does not protrude into the picture space

another method is similar but one face of the biscuit is exposed and it crosses over the picture space

or you can do at the back so it is concealed

the look is nice for either one usually use different wood type for the biscuit so it stands out

also need a jig on the table saw

One could get a thin sheet of AL cut to size at Lowes or HD . Then punch holes in the corners and sides. Mount to back.

Or get Plastic sheet for the same.

Small frames that have heavy coins within I put sheet brass.

Mart> >> I have a potential project to make mirror frames for a customer, glued >> but

Do you really mean "biscuit"?

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