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31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well writeen book with few shortcomings, October 24, 2002
Chapter 1 Materials and Equipment
The book begins from the assumption that you own little to know tools and then goes on to cover the basic tools need for framing. This includes sharp, modern, color photographs with detailed descriptions of each item and how it is used. The author also does a nice job at providing more than one tool example to accomplish the same job, such as the different type of mat cutters. He explains the differences between the simple inexpensive models to the costly advanced versions and how you would need to implement them. This chapter also covers the five basic parts of a frame (backing board, picture, mat, glass, and frame) and the primary categories of moldings. One glaring omission: there is only one brief mention of power miter saws.Chapter 2 Making a Simple Frame
The chapter begins with cutting the mat, which after reading through the book, you'll discover is one of the most challenging tasks in framing a picture. The author covers several different methods in cutting a frame from a standard knife to an expensive professional cutting system. Next is cutting and joining the frame, and looking at this book from a woodworker's point of view, this was both inspiring and frustrating. It was an inspiration in that the displayed techniques sent my creative thought process into motion and gave me direction as to what type of frame I would like to design and make. It was frustrating seeing how the cutting and joining process was oversimplified. The uninitiated in the skill of cutting and joining small pieces, especially mitered pieces, will be very disappointed at how the process has a higher than normal learning curve. And God help you if you skimp out on any of tools presented and opt for the wooden miter box to produce a tight fitting 45° angle. I can just see the weekend hobbyist throwing this book and the miter box across the garage!
This chapter has another flaw due to the author being too general: how to determine the depth of cut for the rabbit to hold the glass, picture, mat, and backing is never mentioned. As for joining a mitered corner there are far better ways to do so than the methods described in the book. Although they will all certainly work, I can come up with four methods that use better materials and will produce a higher quality joint with no more experience or tools needed than the methods described in this chapter.
The following sections cover cutting glass and assembling the pieces. It is well written, and easy to follow. Chapter 3 Advanced Carpentry
Here we go, now I was ready to learn something! The opening topic on homemade profiles was excellent; the advice was right on and useful for beginners through advanced alike. The author mentions using preformed moldings like those readily available at your local home store and more advanced ideas like making mirrored inlaid banding from inlay veneer. I was very upset over the light mention of how to use a router to make profiles. It was very oversimplified and I believe it could lead a person to serious injury without further mention of a necessary learning curve. Advanced joinery was another useful topic although it was lacking in many common techniques used by many woodworkers.
The section on ornamental extended corners was very interesting but should be left for the advanced framer/woodworker. I also believe that his method for making ovals and circles is far more difficult than it needs to. The following section on slips, box frames, and floating frames is really fun and is a section that woodworkers can shine. However, here we once again run into that "depth of the rabbit" problem. It's never mentioned and I kept wondering what is an acceptable amount of space to leave, if any at all, between the backing board, the item in the frame, and the glass. The section on multisided frames (those being more than four sides) is another poor section that will lead the beginning and even many intermediate readers down a dark path. Chapter 4 Decorative Mats
What a great chapter, I learned a new way to draw an oval, that's simple and uses a compass, nail, and thread, why the bottom "stile" of a mat should be wider than the top, and how to figure the proportions for mats with multiple windows. The section on double and triple mats, and making unusual shapes was equally useful, as were the detailed descriptions about the variety of matboards. The section using other materials in place of matboard got me to thinking about using wide pieces of veneer. Chapter 5 Wood and Wood Finishes
This chapter covers basic domestic woods (assuming you live in the UK or Europe!) and what you can do to cover them in stains and finishes. The one glaring error in this chapter is the assertion that veneers can only be used on flat or gently curved moldings. The author needs an education on bendable veneers! There was also a nice side bar on building your own mini-fuming tent. The section on stains was basic at best and does not even take into account the many differences in staining different species of woods. Additional techinques such as graining and pickling are covered in useful detail. Chapter 6 Paint Finishes
I will give the author credit where credit is due. All sections in this chapter were informative and full of relevant details. This included a great chart about painting and varnish qualities and uses. I enjoyed reading this book and it certainly inspired me to go out and start building some frames. Although I was a little disappointed over the vague descriptions in some of the sections, I thought the low cost and high production values helped balance the scales. I wouldn't recommend it for absolute beginners, but for everyone else it's a good buy.
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by Kenn Oberrecht
by M. David Logan
by Desmond MacNamara
