zarathu Loc: Bar Harbor, MDI, Maine

OK.... I’m a reasonable woodworker with a wood shop. Normally I don’t sell photos but the MDI Photo Club had a show at Birch Bay(retirement community), and at the show somebody wanted to buy one of my 13 x 19 inch photos.

And so, since it was for someone else, Murphy got involved.

First thing I discovered was that my router would not do the job, too much wood to remove.

Then, I discovered that simple cutting the inside with my table saw did not work. I need a dado blade.

Then I discovered that my old table would break the RSV fence off when the bolt glued itself on by rust.

Then I discovered that I needed to cut to the new blade insert.

Then I discovered that I could not glue up the frame without putting a template on the inside where the glass goes to glue the frame against against or it becomes a RHOMBUS, and one side will not be parallel.

And then I discovered that the hardware store will not cut the glass if it's not square.

And then I discovered that if you use gel stain on the wood instead of strictly water based or oil based, it will form a thick solid top if its not sealed tightly (which is hard to do with gel anyhow)and you can’t get the stain out.

And then, I discovered that if you fall on the ice and need six stitches in your head, you will also break the glass and damage the print and get blood over everything.

And then I discovered that the device that puts the little slips of metal to hold the backing on will break the glass AGAIN if you use it wrong.

And then I discovered that mat board is horribly expensive on Amazon, and that I could cut plastic decking to fit, but that it was almost as expensive as mat board.

And then i discovered mat board for 7.50 each.

And then after ordering 15 pieces for $112, that I HAD GIVEN them the wrong inside diameter, and of course thye would not take them back since it was my error.

And then I order new mat board, with a coupon for $101.

And then I discovered that I COULD NOT FIND a way to put the paper backing on, and so the inside of the frame now needs to be stained when it was not before. Along with this I discovered that it's not a good idea to use a staple gun because unless each one is perpendicular and in the middle it will spit the wood on the outside.

I DID DISCO0VER the nice lady who has been waiting at least a week so far longer than I agreed, is not upset, but does need it by Xmas.

She paid $150. But I have already spent close to $300 to make this one frame.

Of course now I know what not to do.

Settlit Loc: Baton Rouge LA

As we say at my house, confession is good for the soul.

Bill_de Loc: US

This should be posted in our woodworking section. Then take a picture and post it in the Photo Gallery.




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zarathu Loc: Bar Harbor, MDI, Maine

We have a woodworking section? Who knew?

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

When I had a shop I made frames from various molding profiles. A quick pass over the (home made) router table, 45s cut on a miter box (couldn't afford a chop saw), corner clamps and white glue with a brad at each corner. MinWax stain to finish the project.

srg

Very good. You would have spent more and learned less if you paid for an instructor.

PoppieJ Loc: North Georgia

hobby lobby sales frames and usually at 40% off the listed price. They also sell mats custom cut. You can usually get out for this size between 40 and 50 dollars. But I guess there is something to be said for making it yourself and look at all the experience that you got doing it

NMGal Loc: NE NM

Good old Murphy. Never far away.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

And what TO do, I hope!!! This is a FUNNY post. Maybe because it reminds me of some of my adventures in my woodworking shop!

bikinkawboy Loc: north central Missouri

I’ve found that oftentimes a trip to Goodwill can offer up a frame for not much money. I’ve also found that if you build your own with a high class wood like walnut, you need to do a high class job of building it. If you go with crappy old barn wood for a rustic look you can do a crappy job building the frame and get away with it. I’ve also learned that you can saw a board and make it shorter but it’s darned hard to saw a board and make it longer. In addition, the more expensive the wood the more likely you are to mismeasure and cut it too short. And you never see that loose knot until after you’ve sawn the board. Plus, loose knots most generally present themselves (onto your forehead) when you crank up the speed on the wood lathe. And never ask your wife to critique your work. You get comments such as, “I thought rectangular kitchen tables were supposed to have 4 legs” or “That’s a really nice jewelry box but why is there no lid so I can get inside?” Women!

dustie Loc: Nose to the grindstone

You may have even surpassed Christopher Columbus in the sheer number of discoveries made.
Now if you could just escape the tyrannical grip of Murphy and be knighted by a considerate benefactor.

zarathu Loc: Bar Harbor, MDI, Maine

I have been a personal friend of Murphy since I was born. We are on a first name. basis(his first name is Ed by the way). I should tell you how Ed and I get along every time I went out on my sailboat----every damn time. Some of the events are funny now. They sure weren’t funny at the time.

zarathu Loc: Bar Harbor, MDI, Maine

Hobby sales are not what I can now make it for. Plus they don’t ever ever have my size. I print my photos in 13 x 19 inches, and the inside of the mat has to be 12.25 x 18.25.

Since I can print a 13 x 19 on metal paper for about 5 bucks, this is the size I use. The wood costs about $5. The glass costs about $8.50, the mat board coasts about 6.50, the foam board costs about $2. And so I have a custom frame for about $29. A custom frame is never on sale.

zarathu Loc: Bar Harbor, MDI, Maine

I have found that my corner clamps were much inferior to a piece of 1/2 inch fiber board cut exactly rectangle to fit the inside glass with a nylon fabric and clamp out the outside, held together with gorilla Polyprop glue. Three sides of this held when I slipped on the ice smashed the glass in the frame, and cost me 9 stitches in my head. And 4 hours in the ER and a cat-scan(I don’t have a brain tumor by the way) sent my white coat BP over 200. But they let me go because it came down a lot and the exit papers stated that I obviously don’t have endemic BP issues because it fell and real BP issues do not fall in a quiet dark room.

bikinkawboy Loc: north central Missouri

You sure that “quiet dark room” wasn’t a coffin they were sizing you up for?