From Molding To Picture Frame

Ideas for picture frames

@TheRainford's avatarRainford Restorations

It’s always fun to travel back in time. This past weekend I traveled back to the 19th century as I participated in the Early American Industries Association Historic Trades Sampler Program at Eastfield Village.

On Saturday I taught a workshop on the use of traditional molding planes to make a picture frame.  In this post I’ll cover some of the highlights of the course and share some details for folks who might want to give it a try at home.

Demonstrating the use of a molding plane on a sticking board. (Photo by Carol Coutinho) Demonstrating the use of a molding plane on a sticking board. (Photo by Carol Coutinho)

One of the joys of an event at Eastfield Village is to work by natural light in a beautiful and immersive setting — in this case Don Carpentier’s village of carefully moved and restored historic buildings — taverns, trade shops, homes and outbuildings.

Brian and Tom working with the molding planes. Brian and Tom working with the molding planes.

After an orientation…

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Painting the Windsor

I started painting my Windsor Chair that I finished up in my previous post.  I’m using Peter Galbert’s recipe from his book Chairmaker’s Notebook.  Basically I’m layering on Milk Paint.  If you wanna know all the secret tricks, you gotta buy the book.  Wanna a see a few of the images from his book .. take a look here.

Anyway here’s a few shots of the orange under cocoa.

Orange (pumpkin) on wood for the under color.
Brown (cocoa) on orange.
The chair needs another coat.
Some of the orange peeking through. A sneak peek of the look we’re going for.

Windsor Chair Class with Peter Galbert

I had a feeling I was going to have difficulty blogging during class. 

Here are a few of the high points from my Windsor Chair Class at Port Townsend School of Woodworking.

Splitting the white oak spindles.
Using the draw knife to shape.
More shaping of the spindles.
Starting to look like a spindle.
Steam bending the back bow.
Rough seat drilled and reamed.
Going cave man on the seat.
More seat carving.
Using the travisher to get close to the final shape.
Carving the under side of the seat with a draw knife.
More shaping.
Making the tenons on the bow
Holes drilled for the bow and inserted.
Trimming the feet.
Drilling for the spindles.
More work on those damn spindles.
Scraping to final surface.
Leveling the feet.
Seat Underside.
White oak bow.
Wedged spindles.
Finished seat.
Wedged legs.
Back bow sitting on the spindle deck.
My not so great gutter and I see a spot I missed.
What my gutter should look like (Peter’s).
And final shot.