Just realized I was building my frames all WRONG after 6 months of woodworking

I was at my bench last Tuesday staring at a picture frame I just glued up and something felt OFF about it. The corners kept having tiny gaps no matter how much I clamped them. Then my buddy Dave stopped by and asked why I wasn't using a shooting board to square up the miters BEFORE glue. I told him I just sanded them down after and he LAUGHED at me. Turns out I was fighting the wood the whole time instead of getting perfect cuts right off the saw. I checked all the frames I made in the last 6 months and like half of them have that same little wobble on the corners. I spent two hours watching videos on shooting boards and built one out of scrap plywood and 60 grit sandpaper. First miter I ran through came out so clean I felt like an idiot for not figuring this out sooner. Has anyone else had a moment where a simple jig completely changed how you work?

2 comments

2 Comments

dakota1604d ago

Wait hold on, you sanded miters AFTER gluing? That's wild man. I mean I've done some dumb stuff but that feels like trying to fix a haircut by shaving your whole head. A shooting board is a game changer though, built one last month with a piece of mdf and some 80 grit and now my corners actually touch without fighting them.

carr.blake3d ago

Isn't that how everything goes? You fight the wrong thing forever til someone shows you the easy way.