newbie frame joining questions

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gbonawitz

Grumbler in Training
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Jan 20, 2007
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Hi. I am a potential home-hobby framer in the making, and an investigating what tools I should have. At this point, I am looking at joiners and to be honest my head is starting to spin at all the stuff I'm reading here and elsewhere. I'm hoping someone can give me some guidance.

I am looking to just be able to frame my own pictures, likely up to 40x40 frames MAX (that's about the biggest framed picture that I already have and that I think I'd ever get a picture that big).

So, it's very easy to find out about the Logan Pro Jointer but I have read some bad reviews in this forum; should I avoid them? I am willing to spend a few hundred $$$ to get good equipment that will last me (in my personal use) for a long time but that's about it. I see a lot of references to jointers that could be used in a shop but I think I will never need a heavy duty piece of equipment for home use.

I will note that I have some pneumatic nailers for some of the woodworking I do...should I just get some clamps and drive brads into the corners?

Thanks
 
My thoughts

First welcome. With Logan, I think you get what you pay for, but are you ready to expend a few thousand to get what you want. Don't cut back on the mat cutter. If you are looking for an economical way to join corners, consider this: Get a couple GOOD clamps. Since you are a woodworker, make your rough cuts on a radial arm saw and then, as I do, trim the corners with a heavy duty miter trimmer .. or get a sander for corners. Glue, set in the clamps and I bought a new pneumatic pin driver. Almost no head. If you want to get a real strong corner, use a small bisquit cutter, cut across the finished corner (on the bottom) insert the bisquit and glue. All this join stuff goes by the wayside if you order chops.

Bisquit cutter about $100.
Pin driver about 100-$200.
heavy duty miter trimmer $200.
Misc $200

Mat cutter you can try to find on the used market, or bite the bullet. If you are doing for yourself, buy the Logan, if trying to be commercial .. move on up.
 
gbonawitz,
First let me just say welcome. We have a broad spectrum of people on this forum from real honest to gosh hard working, scrambling for each and every dollar that they can gather to keep the door open and food in their childrens mouths, to retired [read in here worn-out, or just resting for before the next shop], to moved on to next career, to "we have no idea what that person is doing this week"; so a you'll kind of fit right in if you stick around.

Next, as a framer, here is what I heard you say:

"I really respect you guys, but I personally think you are so expensive that I can spend hundreds of dollars doing my own framing and still come out ahead. So in light of that, can you share all of your hard learned knowledge so I don't make the same expensive lessons/mistakes you all did?"

And, you may understand why some of what you will be told, may be good, may be needs a little salt.

Lastly, as a woodworker, what I heard was:

"I'm a woodworker who is used to making my own things. I have a few pneumatic nailers and other woodworking equipment, but am thinking that I might want to invest in an under pinner, is there one out there that can be had for just a few hundred dollars, because, afterall, I really don't want to spend to much because that would defeat the idea of why I'm doing it instead of becoming friends with my local framer."

40 years ago, and occationally other shops, I joined frames by pre-drilling, then nailing in a 4" mechanic's vise. As a home hobbiest, I wouldn't advise you to spend any more of your hard earned $$ on anthing else. You can build several hundred frames a year with that set-up and I know a couple of small shops that still do; professionally.

Now for the grain of salt, or the "take it for what it is".... if you really want to learn how to make frames right, get a second job working for a framer. You might find you like it, and you might find it saves you some more beer money than you would have with a Logan.

Now, when you want to get serious, put some stuff in your bio and come to Vegas. :beer:
 
Howdy and welcome to the group.

Your questions hit home as I am also wanting to go into framing, however, I want to do it as a career and not a hobby. Months ago when I first started looking into equipment, the sticker shock surprised me. I've read everything I can get my eyes on and learned a lot.

More importantly, however, was joining the Grumble and learning from the pros. These folks know their stuff because they do it every day. I also feel like they would like to see you succeed (at least that's the way they've treated me). Take their information to heart.

The hardest part for me is to not run out and buy stuff. By taking my time, I found that it's better to do 99% research and 1% doing. OK, here's a story you can snicker at . . . a few months ago (way before I was ready) I wanted to try to put some mats and frames together with a cheap mat cutter I had. I knew that I needed a special kind of tape to use but didn't know what I needed. Being the stubborn "do it now" person I am, I went to a local supplier and bought a roll of tape . . . a roll of $18.00 tape that I thought I needed. Wrong tape - and I'll probably never use it. BUT . . . it sits on my desk next to my computer to remind me to slow down.

GREAT! . . . my bride just walked in and read this over my shoulder. Now I gotta explain $18.00 for a roll of TAPE!! :faintthud:

Gotta go . . . good luck!

Jerry S.
 
gbonawitz said:
Hi. I am a potential home-hobby framer in the making, and an investigating what tools I should have.
Click to expand...

Logan tools are in general, over engineered, overpriced and difficult to use.

Take a look at the "Frameco" site. They specialise in tools for the hobby framer that work well at that level.You will also find a lot of basic information there.
 
... and FAIR WARNING! When your friends find out that you can frame, you will be in the business at least a little, whether you want to or not... and you will definitely lose money on THOSE jobs!

And as a warning, there is a lot you don't know that you don't know. It is OK to screw up replaceable stuff, but not OK to screw others' stuff up nor anything that is irreplaceable, from family photos to heirlooms.

Other than that? It ain't rocket science, but it ain't four sticks of wood and a piece of paper, either.
 
Welcome to the Grumble
If you have woodworking experience I would think the last thing you would be asking is how to make a mitered corner! There is a lot more to it than that.
I would suggest reading any info you can get about the FRAMING PROFESSION, take classes, read, take classes and learn about proper methods, then you would be able to make a more educated decision(and understand better what we are talking about) as to what you need or want.
Good luck we are here to help
 
If you are simply wanting to join a frame occasionally why not buy 2 of the miter vises and join with your brad or pin nailer. You have to fill the holes with nail hole filler but so what??? We all had to fill holes at one time or at least those of us who have been framing for a few years.

Check out this link and buy from UMS, one of our sponsors.

http://www.papercatalogsonline.com/dev/unitedmfrssupplies/508/lg_display.cfm?page_number=64

They are $55 plus shipping and will do what you want to do.

You can glue and nail 2 corners at a time and, if you buy a faster set PVA glue, you can have the frame assembled in less than a half hour.
 
All - thanks for all of your replies. I appreciate suggestions (and criticisms).
Please note that while I aspire to do this myself, I am under no dilusions that my quality will be putting anyone who does this as a profession out of business. I guess it's a question of how much can I do/how good is it to me, which inevitably will come from trial and error experience (ideally from a decent starting point rather than completely blind (hence my posting).
Even if I don't do this in any significant volume or save a lot of money, if any, I may still have fun doing it!
 
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