Some Stained Glass Frames

[Stew Hagerty]

For the last year I have been making frames for a friend of mine that creates beautiful stained glass pieces. I work with her to come up with a wood species/color that compliments her color choices and a style that enhances her overall idea/theme. I don't remember if I have posted any of these before so I figured it was about time. It has been fun making them, if a bit of a challenge. See, they are not like a picture frame, the glass does not go in from the "back". That's because on most of these there is no real front or back. Therefore any film finish cannot be applied until after the glass is in place. For this reason, most have been mortise & tenon assemblies. I can apply finish to the components (after carefully covering all glue points) and then assemble everything. Or, I have had to completely mask off both sides of the glass prior to finishing. I just finished my last one for her for a bit, the next one she does is actually a piece for me to give to my son for his birthday. I think I'm going to put it in a light box so that he doesn't have to keep it in a window.
Anyway, Let me know what you think...

This was my first one. I used Mahogany with through mortise & tenons which, although they aren't yet in in this picture, I pinned with some ebony dowels.
Duck SMC 01.jpeg

This had mitered corners so it had to be assembled before finishing. I added the curly maple bowties for strength. The frame is walnut.
Cardinals SMC 01.jpg Cardinals SMC 02.jpg

I tried something a little different with this one. I pulled out my cope & stick door set and used the router table for all of it. It is obviously white oak. I was going to do a Greene & Greene style single cloud lift but she said she preferred a double.
Butterfly SMC 01.jpg Butterfly SMC 02.jpg

Now this one is really cool. It's geometric and modern, so I pulled out some sweet tiger maple, wiped it down with GF Ebony WB Dye then sealed the pieces with some shellac before assembly then finished off with several coats of gloss lacquer. I put in some hidden splines at the mitered corners for reinforcement.
Squares SMC 01.jpg Squares SMC 02.jpg Squares SMC 04.jpg

[Stew Hagerty]

And here is the most recent one:

I again started out with some nice walnut. Then I cut a Celtic Cross out of butternut and recessed it into the the top rail, after which I carved all of the over & unders and rounded it all over. I made it too "nice" at first, so I went back and put in a gouge or two and roughed it up a bit. It's another mortise & tenon assembly. I used the old oil/wax/turpentine (I always substitute odorless mineral spirits) finish, putting on two coats before giving it a good buff with a waxing brush. The final touch were some cast iron pieces I picked up from Old West Iron.

Dragon SMC 01.jpg Dragon SMC 02.jpg Dragon SMC 03.jpg Dragon SMC 04.jpg[/URL]

[Stew Hagerty]

I figured I had better add the link to Old West Iron just in case anyone is looking for some genuine blacksmith-made hardware.
https://www.oldwestiron.com/

[James Pallas]

Very nice work Stew. The glass and frame work compliment one and other for spectacular results. How does that finish hold up to perils of being in a window?
Jim

[Stew Hagerty]

Very nice work Stew. The glass and frame work compliment one and other for spectacular results. How does that finish hold up to perils of being in a window?
Jim

Thanks Jim.
I assume you are referring to the oil/wax/spirits one. My answer is "good question". Seriously I have no real world experience with that particular situation. I have, however successfully used that finish in many other applications. Furniture, the mahogany rocking horse I made for my granddaughter, decorative items, etc. I also know it has been in use for hundreds of years. As for direct sunlight in a window? I'm going to guess that it will hold up as well as most other finishes would in the same situation. Since ethereal wax is dissolved in the oil it actually gets carried deeper into the wood that if it is just applied to the surface (or so I have been told). I guess we shall see. I will keep the board posted.