Making frames

[matt_kime]

I've completed a project where i shot landscapes of wisconsin through the fall and

winter. now i'm looking at framing my color prints. i want to make wooden frames

that echo the feel of the time of year. i think a weathered look would work well. alas, i

have no idea how to accomplish this. any tips?

 

true, this isn't specifically a LF question, but i'm not aware of a better place to ask the

question. :)

[ralph_barker]

I guess the first question, Matt, is whether you have a woodworking shop to build the frames yourself. If you buy picture-frame moulding, you'd need at least a good miter saw to cut the corners accurately. If you're thinking using plain stock, the a shaper would also be needed to create your own moulding.

 

If you're thinking of using pre-made wood frames, you may be able to find suitable "weathered" moulding. There are tons of styles available from commercial frame suppliers. Or you could "weather" a plain frame using a combination of a stiff wire brush wheel mounted in an electric hand drill, and perhaps some small wood carving chisels. Another technique is to lay the wood or frame on a flat surface and beat it (seriously) with a length of chain. The size and shape of the chain's links will determine the look of the "weathering". Commercial cabinet makers often use this technique for kitchen cabinetry or even furniture.

[matt_kime]

I do have access to a shop, so i can make the frames if that is the best solution.

 

I have checked with commercial frame suppliers. i feel their weathered options look a

bit overdone.

 

So far it seems my best option may be simply leaving the wood outside for a while.

I've tried stains, but they tend to emphasize the grain too much. Some sort of acid

treatment may be interesting, but i've found little info about this option.

[john_kasaian1]

Matt, FWIW, I saw some interesting frames awhile back made from recycled wood from old buildings, most had been painted at one time, all were severely weathered. ........Cheers!

[Jeremy Stein]

An addition to the wire brush technique involves the use of a propane torch: apply the torch to anywhere you like on the frame and scorch it to some degree. Once you have done that, the wire brush will remove scorched material faster than unscorched material and you get more relief of the wood grain. If you have a sandblaster, using that on the scorched areas gives really nice control of material removal.

 

Have a good time "destroying" the frames. I find that a liberal application of Guinness helps with distressing both the frames and my wife!

[www.graemehird.com]

Matt,<p>

 

I was looking at doing something similar a while ago and found liquid pool chlorine (AKA bleach or sodium hyperchlorite) quickly gave wood a weathered texture and colour. I soaked the wood in it for a couple of days and had a texture of drift wood by the end of it. You might coat the back of the wood in petroleum jelly to prevent that being weathered.<p>

 

I never made the frame out of it, but it looked promising.<p>

 

Graeme Hird<br>