Making a Picture Frame with Pocket Hole Accents
George VondriskaDescription
How many times have you been asked to make a picture frame for someone? Many, I bet. Here’s a great approach to making picture frames that doesn’t require any mitering, AND creates a cool accent by making pocket pocket holes the main joinery method.
Hiding the pocket holes
Making pocket holes is easy, and pocket holes do a great job of holding the frame together, but we don’t want to leave the holes exposed on the front of the frame. It’s very easy to plug the holes, and this creates a very cool look if you use a contrasting plug material. A new product from Kreg allows you to cut your own pocket hole plugs from any material you have in your shop.
No rabbets
In addition to this frame being miter-free, it’s rabbet free. Instead of cutting rabbets into the frame material, a piece of shop-made molding is applied to create the ledge that captures the glass and picture. And, the applied molding can also be used to create an attractive contrast.
More on screw pockets
Screw pockets (pocket holes) are a very effective way to join woodworking projects. Learn more about screw pockets, and how they’re used, to see how this joinery method will complement what you do in your shop.
For more info:
For more information on the Kreg Custom Pocket Hole Plug Cutter, visit www.kregtool.com, or call (800) 447-8638
I bet people are asking you for picture frames all the time. This picture frame is really simple to make. It's held together with pocket holes, and what I've done is use the pocket holes to create a really cool contrast on the show side, on the front of the frame. In this case, I've got maple for the frame. I had a cool piece of jatoba that I used to create the plugs and to create this little insert right here. Because we can custom cut the plugs, you can use anything you want to get that contrast. It's pretty cool. Let's talk about dimensioning so that you can get set up for this in your shop. Here's what you need to do. Take the item that you want to frame. Measure its width. That number, let's say it's 8 1/2 inches, to that we add the width of our material. I'm using two-inch-wide stock. So my short pieces are gonna be 10 1/2 inches long. Across the bottom, same thing. Measure the length, let's say it's 11 inches, plus the width of our material gives us the overall length of our long pieces. So when we put this together, this is what it's gonna look like, and this is where each piece is sort of chasing the other piece in order to create our design. Now, keep in mind that the screw pockets, the pocket holes, are gonna show when we're done, so we want to drill our pocket holes in what will be the front of our material. I've got a stop block set up so that I can butt against the stop, get my piece in place. Keep in mind, we're only drilling in one end of each piece. That takes care of the drilling part. Next thing we'll do, get the frame put together, and then we'll come back to the jig and look at what we have to do to cut out our plugs. Assembly is easy peasy. All we have to do is secure the work to the bench. That keeps the surfaces level. Make sure your outside edges are lined up. I'm using inch and a quarter fine thread screws to hold everything together. All right, now, next step. What are we gonna do about those holes? Little setup change on our jig, and we'll be ready to cut plugs, and I'll show you what that's gonna look like. For cutting your custom plugs, this is pretty cool. We're using the same jig, but I've replaced the insert here. Notice how large the holes are. Those guides are now gonna accept this cutter, and this is kind of like a coring bit. The outside, of course, is gonna ride through the guide. The inside is gonna cut the plug. Different sizes available depending on which size pocket hole you're using. So, our material has already been cut. The owner's manual for this device tells you what to do there. Let's get this mounted up, and I'll show you what this looks like. What I'm doing, as I look down here, is I'm visual aligning the material with the guide hole that I'm about to use. Get my vacuum connected. And that's our plug. Pretty cool. Now in just a second, I'll show you what we need to do to release that plug from our material. But I'm gonna go through. I'm gonna drill across this face. If the material is thick, this is about a full inch, I can also flip end for end and drill the other face, so that's what I'm gonna do. Little different spacing on that side. Didn't quite leave myself room for a fifth one. So that's what our plugs look like. Now, the way they come out of this board is we measure over 3/16 of an inch from the end, make a line, and this cut is made at 15 degrees. Easiest way to do that is on a bandsaw. I'm gonna get the plugs released from this, and then we'll come back to our picture frame. Next step is easy peasy. We're just gonna put the plugs into the holes. A little glue Little plug. And then, what I like to do, just to make sure that that tail end stays down, here's a little bit of masking tape till the glue dries. Now here's where that's gonna leave us. Notice that the plugs are proud of our work. So, when the glue is dry, sand those flush. Once those are sanded flush, then we'll come back and have a look at getting that retainer installed inside the frame that's gonna actually hold our glass and picture and backing in place. Okey doke, this is set. Gonna watch glue dry and then flush those plugs up. I've got the plugs sanded flush. I love this contrast between the jatoba and the maple, and these retainers are about to go inside here. I've made these 1/4 by 1/4 inch. Did that on the table saw. As an alternative, you could make a retainer that looks like this and fastens to the face. It gives you the opportunity to cut a little bit larger stick of wood. What I'm gonna do with this is kiss it up against that side, and then I'm gonna mark this side. And I'm very intentionally doing the long one first 'cause if I mess up that cut, I could use it as a short. Then, I've got a little jig here, and this'll simplify the cutting for me. The mark I just made, I'm gonna put that right against the edge of this piece, like that. And then I'm using just a handsaw, a Japanese pull saw, letting the blade ride right down the end grain of this piece. It's just a very simple, low tech way to get these tiny pieces cut to length. That's the sound of a good fit. Don't really need any glue in there. I'm gonna use a 23-gauge pinner to fasten that in place. And then, second, third and fourth verse, same as the first. So I'm just gonna repeat the process, and then we'll come back and have a look at what it takes to wrap this up and get your picture mounted in here. I think this frame just keeps getting better and better looking. The contrast between the jatoba and the maple with the plugs and with our insert, our retainer, is very cool. So here's where we're at. I got the rest of the retainers in, I used a roundover bit on the outside just to ease that corner. Now to finish this off, you'll take either a piece of glass or a piece of plexiglass, drop that in there, after you take the plastic off of it, put your image in there. Piece of hardboard is a great way to finish that. How to hold everything in place? Let me show you on this one 'cause this one's already got finish on it. I don't want to actually put anything in that frame until it's ready. Glazing points are a great way to wrap up your picture frames. So with my glazing point, which is actually designed to hold glass into a window sash, we can slide that against the material, against the frame, and then what I like to do is put some down pressure on the putty knife, like that. That's pressing everything against the glass or the acrylic, and then just kind of walk that in to the material. And that's all it takes. If you ever need to change the picture, you can pop that out and you'll be all set. So, no miter picture frame held together with pocket holes or pocket holes covered with custom plugs that really add a nice detail to the project. Get one of these done. People are gonna see 'em, and you're gonna be making bunches of 'em in no time.
Cool picture frame can't wait to do it
This project is under "beginner projects". Why would a beginner have a $70 - $240 piece of equipment that is only used for a specific type of joinery. Beginners have the challenge of not a lot of equipment- no table saw or router table, I have a jig saw, a router, drill, level, t and speed squares, tape measure, clamps.. Give me a project that I can make on my kitchen table!
Love the info & videos - very helpful. Suggestion for us newbies: It would be helpful to give cut sizes in the description. EX: Post-haste project: no miter picture frame - length of each piece so picture fits correctly. Better yet, explain how to figure the cuts on different sized pictures so the picture fits inside. George is a great teacher and entertaining as well as educational.
That looks very nice and so simple! Thank you WWGOA!
What is the border around the picture is it an inlay? Also, what size of wood do I start with when cutting the 1/4" x 1/4" border. Thanks. Ray.
your hand made plugs fit flush and it looks like minimal amount of sanding is needed. I just bought a Kreg and the premade plugs are not sitting flush. Is the issue with the premade plugs or the users?
When making the pocket holes, I have prosblems with the screws sticking out the backs of the piece receiving the screws. I set my Kreag jig to the settings for 3/4" wood and the collar on the drill bit to 3/4" wood. What am I doing wrong? Do you have an instructional video on how to set up a pocket jig?
I have come up with a simple way to make plugs out of dowels, the same diameter of the hole. I wish I could send pictures, but if you are interested, let me know.
Packing was good.. The bit comes in a protective container which will allow the stop collar to remain in place when stored.My first use produced a cut with some chipping at the top and right side of the plug. Part of this was caused by drilling to fast (SLOW THE CUT SPEED WAY DOWN) and the second cause was not using the vacuum attachment.(MUST USE THE VACUUM ATTACHMENT) When this was done, the quality of the cut was much improved, There was still a small burr on the the top and right edge of the plug. This burr will stand proud when inserted into the pocket whole and be gone when sanded flush. PROBLEM... When the work piece was clamped into my K5 jig, and I started drilling I noticed that the left side of the work piece would rise up. I made several pressure adjustments to the K5 until it stopped. I deemed the pressure required was far to excessive and the jig began to creak under the pressure. The problem was determined to be that there was insufficient surface area on the plug cutter to keep the work piece secured when fighting against the torque of the drilling. SOLUTION... I cut a piece of 100 grit sandpaper and glued it onto the outside of the plug cutter. When the work piece was now clamped against the plug cutter, the work piece remained secure. I was able to reduce the clamping pressure on the K5. HAPPY HAPPY ..With those problems and procedures behind me, the plug cutter is now a 5 star ***** Roger Klein
What a rip-off WWGOA is!!! Got an email to watch a free video, but the video wont load. Nothing about wwgoa works well.