[wojo57100]

Hello everyone.

I'm new to the community and the home based business as well. A near fatal heart condition has recently left me looking for an alternative income. I've been a part time hobbyist for years and enjoy crafting very much. I recently set up shop at home and am currently working on an idea I hope to market soon. The problem I've run into is the easiest way to router the inner lip on the inside of a circular picture frame. Do I need to hold and turn each frame against the router bit by hand or is there a jig pattern I can lock the frames into (one at a time of course) and just turn the jig? I'd appreciate any suggestions offered in helping me get past this. Thanks.

William ONeil

 

[wojo57100]

Thanks John, I'll try it that way. Would you suggest I use a jig to router out the lips before cutting out the actual circle frames? My concern is how to stop the frames from spinning free of my grip if I cut them out first. Some are as small as 3" inside diameter. I tried dropping them into a circle jig but had to scar the outer edge to hold them in place. Would you know of an excellent non-slip material I could place underneath? Being new to this I'm not sure of the force of the router in turning them as it cuts.

 

[jw2170]

Hi Bill, welcome to the forum.

I would make a template and a jig to hold the work piece.

 

[MAFoElffen]

Hello everyone.

I'm new to the community and the home based business as well. A near fatal heart condition has recently left me looking for an alternative income. I've been a part time hobbyist for years and enjoy crafting very much. I recently set up shop at home and am currently working on an idea I hope to market soon. The problem I've run into is the easiest way to router the inner lip on the inside of a circular picture frame. Do I need to hold and turn each frame against the router bit by hand or is there a jig pattern I can lock the frames into (one at a time of course) and just turn the jig? I'd appreciate any suggestions offered in helping me get past this. Thanks.

William ONeil

How many are you planning on making? Multiple profiles in front face? Standard profile in back for the picture or painting?

Reason I'm asking those questions... Depends on how many you plan on making. If you are planning on doing business and you plan on making more than one of a kind... then James was right on with making a jig or pattern. That way when you go to make another of the same, you just use that jig or pattern to replicate it.

If you wanted to step up that business and your quality, then make it on a router table with hold-downs and feather boards. You can also use that to do jointing to get straight stock. For round or curved stock on a router table I either use bearings or an angle fence. (<-- look in my uploads)

If you grow and want to produce a lot more (down the road), then you might think might think about a moulder/planer. But for round / curved frames, the proiles would be easier on a shaper w/ jigs.

That is just on the profiles...

Your profile says you have a table saw and miter saw. Another part of that is your stock prep, joining and assembly.

The miters you can do on a miter saw... But to make that all easier, you can make a miter sled for frames for your table saw to make your 45 degree cuts and fitting faster and easier. One of my sleds is just set to make crosscut miters at 45 degrees both ways... with no moving parts. (consistency) Yes, you can cut the outsides of circles (large diameter) on a table saw... but a lot easier on a bandsaw.

Depending on the type of table saw you have, you can do ripping, jointing, crosscuts...possibly dado's and profile molding. (<-- With jigs if for round stock)

Table / assembly area with clamping for your "frames..." Going to do matting?

 

[JOAT]

Thanks John, I'll try it that way. Would you suggest I use a jig to router out the lips before cutting out the actual circle frames? My concern is how to stop the frames from spinning free of my grip if I cut them out first. Some are as small as 3" inside diameter. I tried dropping them into a circle jig but had to scar the outer edge to hold them in place. Would you know of an excellent non-slip material I could place underneath? Being new to this I'm not sure of the force of the router in turning them as it cuts.

The other guys have it pretty much covered. But I'm not certain about the frames spinning free. If you rout something too small it is apt to do that, but then you say some are as small as 3" inside diameter. I have no problem with insides that small, holding them by hand, so I'm not sure if you're trying to feed the material the wrong way or what, that can pull it out of your grip too. For really small pieces I hold them with vice-grips, or otherwise hold them. You might be trying to take too big of bites with the bit too, 1/8" at a time usually will do the trick. Practice on scrap, no sense in tearing up 'spensive wood. Pictures would probably help also.

 

[wojo57100]

Hi Theo and thanks for your response. I'm going to try doing them by hand with non slip gloves (for safety). The backside of the wooden rings only need a tiny inside lip to hold the picture and backing in them so 1/8" might be good. I was just hoping there might have been a jig to use since I need to run off thousands of them in 3 different sizes.

 

[harrysin]

Hello everyone.

I'm new to the community and the home based business as well. A near fatal heart condition has recently left me looking for an alternative income. I've been a part time hobbyist for years and enjoy crafting very much. I recently set up shop at home and am currently working on an idea I hope to market soon. The problem I've run into is the easiest way to router the inner lip on the inside of a circular picture frame. Do I need to hold and turn each frame against the router bit by hand or is there a jig pattern I can lock the frames into (one at a time of course) and just turn the jig? I'd appreciate any suggestions offered in helping me get past this. Thanks.

William ONeil

You haven't said HOW you make the round frames, circle jig, band saw, routed etc.
I see no reason why something based on this project couldn't be a quick way to produce multiple identical copies. If this idea appeals to you let me have a detailed description with measurements together with a list of straight bits and template guides and I'll see if I can help you with specific information. If confidentiality is involved, PM me the information.

 

[Botelho007]

Harry.
Good information.
Thanks for sharing.
Cláudio

 

[bobj3]

Use the bit below in a router table

Features a double stepped rabbet.
MLCS Picture Frame and Cornice Router Bits


==

Hello everyone.

I'm new to the community and the home based business as well. A near fatal heart condition has recently left me looking for an alternative income. I've been a part time hobbyist for years and enjoy crafting very much. I recently set up shop at home and am currently working on an idea I hope to market soon. The problem I've run into is the easiest way to router the inner lip on the inside of a circular picture frame. Do I need to hold and turn each frame against the router bit by hand or is there a jig pattern I can lock the frames into (one at a time of course) and just turn the jig? I'd appreciate any suggestions offered in helping me get past this. Thanks.

William ONeil

 

[TwoSkies57]

+1 on Bobj3 suggestion.

I've used these bits for a while now and find them to be the best/easiest route when doing
picture frames. If you plan on making a considerable number of frames, The time saved in setup alone makes em well worth the investment for one or both..

 

[alaskagypsy]

"non-slip gloves" for safety?????????? No gloves, no long sleeved shirts, no hair should be close to the bit. Gloves get caught, it will pull your fingers right in.

 

[MT Stringer]

"non-slip gloves" for safety?????????? No gloves, no long sleeved shirts, no hair should be close to the bit. Gloves get caught, it will pull your fingers right in.

+1 What he said.

NO GLOVES!

 

[TRBaker]

+2 no gloves

 

[JOAT]

Hi Theo and thanks for your response. I'm going to try doing them by hand with non slip gloves (for safety). The backside of the wooden rings only need a tiny inside lip to hold the picture and backing in them so 1/8" might be good. I was just hoping there might have been a jig to use since I need to run off thousands of them in 3 different sizes.

You've already gotten the word on gloves. Where did you ever get that idea anyway?

Yeah, I would think a 1/8" lip would work. But when I said 1/8", I was meaning do not try to rout more then 1/8" at a time, 1/4" could work, but don't try to hog a larger cut. The less you take in a pass is usually better, especially with the smaller pieces.

You need to run off thousands? Nice, IF you have a guarantee you can sell that many. But I sure wouldn't invest in a lot of materials until I actually had a market for them. I've got a friend that makes some very nice boxes, and priced quite reasonably. He hits a number of craftshows every year, selling them. He takes along maybe 40-50 for each, and cannot count on selling all of them. So, I wouldn't count on selling thousands, certainly not in a short time. In other words, don't quit your day job.

I'm thinking any jigs, templates, patterns, whatever you want to call them, you're going to have to develop and make your own. It's not rocket science, I do it all the time, with most of my projects, sometimes even when I want to make just one copy, but with both sides as identical as I can.

I don't know what bits I'd use on a project like yours, because I've never had the need, or desire. So, my advice is to listen to what Harry has to say on the subject, he's probably our leading expert on what you're wanting to do, and how to do it.

I would say that pictures would be a large help.

 

[rayschimpf]

Harry
I realy like the lesson this is number two and has lots of information that can be used on many other projects. Can you post number one.

Ray

 

[JOAT]

Harry
I realy like the lesson this is number two and has lots of information that can be used on many other projects. Can you post number one.

Ray

Ah, that's your next lesson - look first, ask second. You go to the search function, at the top of the page, type in Routing For Beginners, punch go, then scroll down a few lines, until you get to the tutorials by Harry. :yes4:

 

[wojo57100]

Hello Harry. The wooden ring photo frames are run off using hole saws. Currently we're running them with 2", 3", 4", and 5" inside diameters. They have a 1/2" frame width and a 1" thickness. The stock moves from one saw to the next so there's no loss of material and they're produced really fast for large orders. I was thinking about designing my own drill press mounted sanding drums that I could easily lower to sand the lips in. I think I could do them quickly and more efficiently by moving them along in the same way. does it sound like a feasible idea for mass production?

 

[donald_archer]

Hi Bill

If I understand the problem correctly I would either clamp the frame to a work bench with the open part hanging out over the edge of the bench, use a rabbet bit with a bearing and rout lip on the inside. If you need more support move the frame and rout again until the circle is done.

That's how I would go about it but I have only owned my router a year

Hope this is as clear as mud

Don

 

[wojo57100]

Problem Solved

Thanks for the input everyone. I really appreciate the help since this is my first real work with routers and my first real order looks to be around 3000 pcs. I ended up using a rabbet bit and designing my own jigs for each ring size. Now the rings slide down into a half circle jig as the lip is routered and stops at the exact size needed. And NO Gloves as they are easy to hold by routering the lips in small increments. Thanks again everyone.