Very weird frame joinery... (w/pics)

[David Eisan]

Hello everyone,

My Dad called me on the phone and asked me to make him a frame this weekend. He said he had a sample and wanted me to make one just like it. What I expected and what he had were two very different things. I expected some odd profile he wanted reproduced on the router table, but instead what he wanted was a very specific method of joinery.

I have no idea what this joint is called. It is a non-glued frame that you drive wedges into to expand.

I wasn't exactly sure how to make it, but I was up for the challenge. This is my first one, and he wants a couple more.

Check out the pics,







Can you guess what it is for?

Thanks for looking,

David.

Every Neighbourhood has one, in Mine I'm Him

[Jim Becker]

Stretcher for a painting? Or Needlepoint? Or Quilting?

[John Gornall]

Standard stretcher bar frame for oil paintings on canvas. The canvas is stretched over the bars and stapled into place. There are special canvas pliers for stretching. The little wedges are driven into slots on the inside to tighten the stretch. Can buy these at any art store. On large ones there are sometimes intermediate cross bars called strainers which are usually toenailed in place but I prefer pocket screws.

[John Gornall]

Also - when you make these there should be a bead on one outer edge so the stretched canvas doesn't contact the frame except on this bead. Without the bead you may see the inside edge of the frame through the canvas.