Framing A Piece Of Glass

[mbcabinetmaker]

It has been quite some time since I have posted a project so I decided to share this simple job of building some frames for 3 glass shelves. My motives are a little selfish though. I have a new computer with windows 8 and the new photo gallery is driving me nuts. What a better way to figure it out than to post here especially before I forget how!.


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First I will share my jig that I built to straddle my chop saw and works like a zero clearance insert on a table saw. It is upside down here and you can see the blocks that straddle the chop saw bed. It fits nice and snug so there is no movement at all and I don't even have to clamp it down.









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I usually have to build a new one every few months.









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There we are all set up and ready to go.









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I had already prepared my stock before thinking about doing this posting but my first step is to cut all my left hand angles.









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Setting up a stop block after the first cut makes this go fast and accurate.


Okay my timer just went off in the kitchen so more of this later.

[reible]

Following just fine until the last picture..........

Ed

[algale]

I was too embarrassed to say what Ed said. These are M.C. Escher frames?

[forrestb]

but what a beautiful surround for your chop saw!

Here sit I envious and jealous that I don't do work like that.

Forrest

PS Okay, you obviously have us all sitting on the edge of our shop stool. SHOW US THE FINISHED FRAME so we can understand your miter cuts.

[mbcabinetmaker]

Sorry I created the confusion! My food was burning! And then I had to eat of course.

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All of my left hand miters are made.









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Now it is just a simple set up to make all of the right hand cuts again using a stop block. That way all of the parts are the exact length that they should be. The laser is handy on the first piece to locate the pencil mark and help with setup.









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This is an unorthodox SPT.











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Hoffman Key machine.









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One half of a Hoffman Key.

[mbcabinetmaker]

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Parts ready for assemble.






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Hoffman Key.








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A little glue and a Hoffman Key creates a pretty good joint for a simple frame.






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I usually clamp them for good measure.







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These are glass shelves going between 2 cabinets in a wine room for glasses. The interior decorator requested the wooden frames.

[beeg]

GREAT PRESENTATION AGAIN, Mark. Love the shelf's also.

[reible]

Alright, my confusion was just a figment of my imagination. Makes perfect sense now.

Thanks for taking the time to do the posting and exposing us to some new paths (at least new to me) of doing the joints. I've done dovetail frames but never a hidden version.

Ed

[algale]

I still don't get it. Why make left hand miters on both ends of the board before going back and making the right hand miter?

[reible]

I still don't get it. Why make left hand miters on both ends of the board before going back and making the right hand miter?

What is really happening is that you are just making left side cuts, the results at the other end are a by product of the next cut. Picture a long board, cut one end, slide down to do second cut (distance is longer then frame length needed) make second cut etc until the last or 4th side is cut. This is all done with the saw set in one position, in this case for the left hand miter.

Then reset saw for right miter and cut each piece to the correct length with this new miter angle and you are done.

This is the normal way to do it rather then flopping saw angles for each cut. Even works well on the shopsmith and I believe the PTWFE shows this in the sawing section.

Ed