Accidental Woodworker

 The sky looked weird here in my part of the universe. They are a sickly grayish color with a yellow tint. I thought there were some thunder boomers coming or maybe even something stupid like a tornado. Turns out there are wild fires in Canada and the smoke is drifting south. I had seen it a few days ago in a couple of Canadian blogs I read. Didn't think it would wander down and shake hands with me.

ta da

Found them by mistake. I wasn't looking for them where I was working at the time. Everything was there along with instructions. I have a a couple of vids on making this, both of them from LAP. I'll be reviewing them again and again. 

needed a box

Still haven't finished cleaning up and organizing the shop. It was while doing it that I needed this box to stow some things I found cleaning up. Quick and easy box to whack out. 

While this was cooking I went to the Frame it Shop and dropped off two more frames for Maria. The one I had left was ready for pick up.

for the son in law

My son in law raises orchids and flesh eating plants. He also likes to dig out/reveal fossils from rocks. And I forgot that he has an aquarium with strange things - colorful creatures and worth the the time to watch. He had told me that he did woodworking as kid mostly making bird houses.

how long......

I threw away a lot of scraps yesterday and today. This spot had a ton and half of scraps that I fought my OCD to shitcan. I tossed a lot that I have had here for a couple years now. Difficult for me to do but I haven't used them so it was time to go.

done

This and arranging the piles in the above pic are what I got done today. I left it on the workbench because I couldn't remember what I wanted to put in it.

I didn't sleep well last night. I woke up before 0400 and couldn't fall back to sleep. I watched You Tube until 0600 when I finally rolled out of the rack. I felt blah - ish all day long. I nodded out at my desk after lunch for a while and I only went back to the shop in the PM to get my camera. Maybe tomorrow I'll finish the clean up/organization. 

Been trying to think of something to make but I keep drawing a blank. My wood supply is a bit on the sparse side too. I was thinking of making a Gurney's sawmill run on saturday but this saturday ain't looking too good weather wise. I think I can work around the weight limit by handling one board at a time.

accidental woodworker 

No new project on the horizon but I have one hanging out in the back of the brain bucket. It is a stick chair - I have the patterns for a LAP stick chair. I don't have the stock for it but it is looking like the #1 project. When I was looking for the patterns/plan that I decided to clean up and organize the shop. At the end of the day I still hadn't found the plans and hadn't cleaned up and organized the shop.

hmm.....

It has been a long time since my workbench was clear. I've been working on one small area around the face vise for over a month. It would be nice to have this down to bare wood before I start new project.

my first half blinds

This is one box of two that I did that day. One box had 1 in 6 dovetails and the other 1 in 8. Not too bad for my first attempt at half blinds.

the other end

I couldn't find the other box and I spent 20 minutes searching for it.

1 in 6 box

!4 years old and it is still together. I don't use this box to stow anything, it is just so I can look back and compare this to what I'm doing now.

working from the left to right side of the shop

I remember being able to walk by this end of the tablesaw. It took me over an hour to clear out all the scraps of wood I had piled up here. 

It was tough working in the shop today. We are in another heat wave but that was manageable. I had problems with all the dust I was kicking up. Even with a mask it difficult for me to work. I was getting short of breath and winded too easily. I spent almost as much time resting and catching my breath as I did cleaning things up.

After a couple of hours I said No Mas. I'm post surgery 6 weeks now but my stamina still isn't 100%. I'm probably only hitting around 70-75%. My wife says my breathing is shit (her words) so I know its serious for her to say it that way. But she also said that yesterday it sounded much better. Not sure if it is the lung surgery or the ILD, which the doctors haven't figured out yet. I'll get back to it tomorrow and do what I can.

the wife's work

This is the reading nook that my wife wanted in the boneyard. I thought it would have taken up half of it but it only took about a 1/4. I'll tackle arranging the other 3/4 once the medical team clears my weight lifting restrictions.

accidental woodworker 

huh?

I played with the centering punch trying to get it back together a bazillion times. I got nowhere with it. After the last attept I set it aside and went to bed. When I got up this AM, it was together. I think the separator disc (between the two springs) got stuck somehow. The way this operates is simple but with this one (bad quality control) it is garbage.

It is a moot point as the striker will go in but there is no spring pressure to cause it to leave a dimple. I tried adjusting the bottom spring and it did nothing. It isn't big enough to be a paperweight but I can't bring myself to shitcan it neither. Another dust collector for the shop.

hmm......

Yes this was an extra. I don't see the need to have duplicates, I can confuse myself without help from the peanut gallery. Tossed this one and made a new one.

driver caddy

Decided to keep this and rearrange the drivers. The yellow one is a #1 Robertson driver. I have never seen a #1 square drive screw but it came with the set I bought from Lee Valley.

the fix

I filled in some of the hole for the #1 so it was sticking up above the surface. All the drivers on the back row are L to R #1 to #3 for each type of driver. 

Vix block #3

Three times is the charm and this is the proof. Made this longer L/R and spaced the Vix bits apart a wee bit more.

bottom

I drilled all the holes for the drivers straight through. It is a Royal PAIN in the Arse setting the depth stop on my drill press. Gluing a thin piece on the bottom shuts the holes.

back home again

I like these caddys for stowing things like this. Any empty hole tells me something is MIA.

I had a brain MRI today and it took up my entire PM session. It took almost 2 hours to do and the tech said that I didn't move and he didn't have to redo any of the scans. I have had several MRIs to date and this one was the most uncomfortable one I have had. My back was screaming at me for a while before it calmed down. Don't know why the oncology doc ordered it and I'll ask here about in on my first chemo fill up.

accidental woodworker 

 

hmm.......

This is the little side project. I am going to make a new holder for the new Vix bits I just bought and for the drivers too. 

done

Still haven't found the pics for the big frame on the right. I'm on the fence about the small certificate frame.  The router wobbled while routing the profile and it left a few dips, hollows, and one divot on the top rabbeted edge. They aren't noticeable looking at the frame from a foot away but they are visible up close and personal. I am letting it be for now and if it continues to gnaw at me I'll make another one later on down the line. 

I am rusty routing profiles with a corded router and I don't have a router table that would have eliminated the headaches with this frame. 

hmm......

The hex drive on these bits are a frog hair over a 1/4". A 7mm drill bit leaves enough wiggle room to get the bits in/out of the holes.

huh???

There are doubles of these two Vix bits. Why? I looked at the pic and write up in Amazon and it has the doubles there for all to see. I didn't pay attention to it. I guess I was blinded by the shiny colors. I can't think of any reason to have doubles of these two?

toast

The center punch ain't working. It would punch and then it wouldn't. I took it apart to check it out and found a burr on a headed pin. It was hanging up on a hole it was moving up/down in. I thought I had found cause of the hang up.

the culprit

There was a definite burr on the end and it was dragging in the shaft it rode in when I checked it. It filed off easily and it no longer dragged or hung up in the shaft. The small sliver cylinder above the board is what this pin slides up/down in. 

sigh

Major hiccup happened. I took the center punch that came with the Vix bit set apart but I couldn't put it back together. There isn't much to this and I think I'm reasonably smart but nada. I felt like I didn't have the opposable thumbs required for dealing with this. I took my Starrett center punch apart and I was able to get that one back together again. Both the punches have the same number of parts but the Starrett has much better machining and quality. But the Vix bit center punch won't go back together as it should.

2nd one

The first block I did had a hole for the center punch. I don't have high hopes that it will ever go back together again. I have it on my desk so I can play with it at night. I added the Vix bit from my first set to this one but that may be an extra too. 

my IQ is 129

Still can't figure this out. The top part will not screw down onto the bottom part. I feel like this part should be seated further down in the bottom part but it isn't. Did a part go south on me when I took it apart and missed it? This is putting my OCD into hyper drive and I'm having problems pushing down my urges to smash it flat with my 3lb sledge hammer.

I had to drop my truck off at the garage. My ABS and skid lights won't shut off. The garage mechanic said it was probably the speed sensor. I'm sure that will cost a bazillion dollars plus labor. I'll find out tomorrow hopefully.

accidental woodworker 

 I'm over the hump with the frames that morphed from 2 to 3. Got all the woodworking done on the last two today. All that is left to do with them is to apply shellac. I will easily get the two out to the Frame it Shop on wednesday. A lot of days between now and then with no new project tickling my fancy yet.

ta da

The new Declaration frame has cooked and it is laying flat on the tablesaw.

hmm.......

Three of the corners had no rocking but this last one has a teeny bit. It isn't much but I don't understand how 3 aren't rocking but this one is. Regardless I'm happy with how this came out.

wife's certificate frame

I got lucky and the outside routed profile didn't play peek-a-boo with  any of the dowel pins. Routed a small chamfer on the inside edge. 

back done

I didn't miter the back frame - used butt joints. The short sides hide the end grain ends on the long sides. The end grain from the short sides faces up and down and won't be visible if viewed from the sides.

final prep

Set the nails and filled them with putty. Used alcohol to remove the layout pencil lines. One more frame to prep and the shellac party commences.

hmm......

Not getting a big warm and fuzzy with the profile. I like the chamfer as they helps to draw the eye into the frame. This profile doesn't match the profile of the first certificate frame I made in june of 2023. It is close and this frame is about the same size as that one. (about a 3/8" longer in the long direction)

came today

I got this set mostly because of the centering punch on the far left. Pretty impressive set for $20. Not sure if I'll keep it in this plastic case or make a stand for it.

I got one coat on the two frames and a 4th coat on the first Declaration frame that is now repurposed for a family pic layout. The plan is to get at least one more coat on the frames after dinner.

I've been sleeping better lately. It is about the same now as it was before surgery. Still getting up for at least one toilet trot race but I able to fall back asleep afterwards. My middle night You Tube surfing has disappeared too. Feeling much better when I finally decide to roll out of the rack.

accidental woodworker

after dinner last night

I went back to the shop and got the 3rd and final coat of shellac on the back. That dried quickly so I got one coat on the front. Went looking for the pics I plan to put in this frame and nada. Couldn't find them and my wife said she didn't know where I had hidden them neither. 

3rd (and final?) Declaration frame

Sawed the short leg miters on the right and the long legs on the left. Probably don't have to do it this way but so far it is working.

done

I think I have figured out the how of the inside and outside lengths. The 3rd frame is spot on with how I want to display the Declaration in the frame. The blue tape denotes the up face of the frame.

hmm.......

The Declaration has irregular edges all the way around. If I mat this they will be hidden and I will lose a part of the look of this reproduction. Instead I will ask Maria to mount it so that the edges will remain visible. I sized the inside of the frame (correctly) so that it is about a 1/2" wider R/L and T/B. There will be a small margin visible on all the edges.

had an oops

The frame, miter wise, went together good. However, this miter was misaligned on the faces by a strong 16th. That is too much to plane and feather out. Filled in the first dowel holes and I'll redrill them after these have cooked.

hmm........

Found the culprit causing the misalignment. While drilling the new dowel pin holes, I saw the jig move backwards a frog hair. The thumb screw was loose and it hadn't occurred to me to check it. Tightened it down with help from the allen wrench. I'll be adding checking that this remains tight in future uses of this jig.

sigh

Found two more corners that were misaligned, not as much as the first one, but more then 3-4 frog hairs. I glued dowels in the holes and redrilled them after waiting 30 minutes for them to cook.

done

All four corners closed up nicely on the dry fit. None of the faces of the miters are off flush more then a frog hair. Worth the calories and rework to get this done right.

clamped and cooking

Clamped it and took it out and laid it flat on the tablesaw. No rocking, Clamped it back up and set it aside to cook until the AM.

3 coats

I am really liking how this frame is popping with the shellac. I think this may turn into a Xmas present this year.

certificate frame

I hate to say it, boys and girls, but I might have to make another frame. The blue tape says this is the up face but I am not sure of that. The dowels I drilled I had offset them so that they were a wee bit below center. I did that to leave more meat above them for the router bit profile to come.

which option

The first option is to just rout a small chamfer on the inside and outside of the frame. Regardless of where the dowels are, I am fairly certain that I could rout the chamfer without any headaches.

The second option is to rout a 3/8x1/4 rabbet. Again I don't think the dowels will interfere with that. Even if they do it will be on the back side and not seen.

The final option is to rout the profiles on the outside and inside edges and use these thin strips to make a back frame. Of the 3 options I'm thinking of, I'm going with #3. I will rout the the outside profile first. Fingers crossed that the dowels don't get exposed. The inside edge will get a small chamfer that I'm not concerned about.

I'm now a month post op. I still have some fluid build up over my left side. I get winded more then I like but that is getting better each day. My stamina is improving a wee bit each day. I still can't lift anything heavier then a gallon of milk. If I do I feel a tugging in my left lung which tells me to put it down, whatever it is.  My heart seems to have settled out - still higher then what it was pre surgery but it is cycling and fluctuating like crazy. Still don't know what the long term holds for me. Like AA, I'll take it one day at a time.

accidental woodworker

 One step forward and then slam into reverse and go backwards at 80mph. Ran face first into a a huge boo boo, me-steak, brain fart extraordinary loud and stinky. Survivable and recoverable but it certainly let the wind out of my sails. It is upcoming.

certificate frame

Flushing the corners with my #3. Cherry is such a sweet wood to plane until you run into squirrely, reversing grain. 

happy face on

No rocking from any corner. I expected it to be so but confirmation left me with a good feeling.

Declaration frame

Routed a shouldered round over on the outside edge and a small chamfer on the inside edge. Penciled the corners square and chiseled the round square.

sigh (the boo boo etc etc)

This didn't make me go postal or want to give the frame free flying lessons. I got the offset correct on the R/L but not on the top/bottom. I didn't add 3" to the inside measurement, I put it on the outside. That made it almost exactly the same as the T/B measurement of the Declaration. 

It sucked pond scum to be this close to the end and come up $1.27 short. I'm sure that Maria could have made a mat for it but it would have been off on the on the R/L. There was no way to make it even that I could think of.

hmm......

This might have worked. I could remove the back upright and the frame would fit flat on the jig. Nixed doing it and decided to suck it up and make a 3rd Declaration frame. I have a use for this frame already. I'll use to make a family picture frame - the grandkids and their parents.

first coat of shellac

I planed a small chamfer on the outside edge of the back frame. Set the nails and filled them and the gaps in the miters with mahogany putty.

finally dawned on me

Most of my headaches and problems with miters are with the miters themselves. Looks like I have to add determining the inside and outside lengths too. This measurement told what I had missed on figuring out my lengths.

hmm.......

Broken vix bit that I found replacements for on Lee Valley. They had replacement drill bits in more sizes then I have vix bits.

5/64"

This is the size of the bit in my #3 vix bit. I searched on line for my 'vix bits' and nada. I found a bazillion different vix bit sets and individual bits. However, none of them looked even remotely close to what I have. Given that these are over 40 years old I found a 10 piece set on Amazon for $20 that I am waiting to pull the trigger on. I'll add the 5/64" drill bit on my next Lee Valley order - S/H is more the cost of just the drill bit.

yikes

This can leaks, it is a slow leak that left a big puddle of shellac on the cupboard shelf. So far the paper towel has worked at keeping it contained. Got the 2nd coat on the frame and I'll get the 3rd one on after dinner.

hmm......

The outside edges of this cherry board has straight grain. I can get a long and short side out of both sides and still have a good length off cut.

3rd frame parts

All four of these laid flat without rocking on the tablesaw. I will let them sticker here over night and in the AM I'll make the frame.

off cuts

If need be I can get two long or two short frame parts from this.

I spent a couple of hours in the AM session in the shop but not in the PM session. After lunch I just vegged out at my desk. I had absolutely zero desire to do nothing except suck in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. I did that well until I dragged my butt down to the shop at 1400 and sawed out the 3rd frame. 

The Frame it Shop is closed until the 15th so there is no rush to get this or the certificate frame done. I'm thinking now of routing a 3/8x1/4 rabbet in the certificate frame as that is what I did on the other certificate frame. I'll have to wait and see which way the wind blows me in the AM.

accidental woodworker 

shaker knobs

I got these quick. The top bag on the left has the largest knobs and they are ones that I don't use often. The top right bag has the size I use the most and they are cherry. I didn't realize that until I checked on the delivery and saw they were cherry. The bottom bag has small knobs with 1/4" tenons. After I eyeballed it, I think they are something I probably won't use much of. 

I will check the site off and on to replace the cherry ones. I prefer maple or birch over cherry.

certificate frame

Laid out the position of the dowels and drilled them.

dry fit

No rocking which put a happy face on me. All the miters looked good dry fitted. 

glued and cooking

I did two dry clamps runs first before I glued it up. One corner froze on me and there were a few anxious moments before the clamps pulled it tight. There was a slight misalignment on two miters but they will flush up easily. I anticipate zero problems with them.

Declaration frame

Got the back frame on the Declaration frame. I like this method because the framed object is set back from the front of the frame. It draws your eye into the frame to look at what is framed. I'll wash, rinse, and repeat this with the certificate frame in the AM.

Spent another day making multiple trips to the shop not spending more than 20 minutes a session. Yesterday was tough because I spent most of the afternoon having coughing fits that drained me of my strength. No fits today so far and I have my fingers and toes crossed.

It is looking like this is going to be my shop schedule for the foreseeable future. The coughing fits yesterday blew up the fluid to close the size it was when I left the hospital. I am also getting winded quick. Going up the stairs is not easy and once I'm up in the living room I have to sit and catch my breath and recover. 

accidental woodworker

 

much rejoicing in Mudville

The Declaration frame has cooked and it is laying flat on the tablesaw. No rocking from any corner tapping.

new home

This is where the hardware dresser will live for the time being. The empty hole to the right of is for the sanding block box.

sigh

The lid for the sanding block box went south on me. I couldn't believe that I had done this because the screws hardly any purchase at all in the lid. I'll have to put new hinges on this.

stop hinges

I like these hinges because they have a built in 90° stop. They will be surface mounted to the lid and the back of the box.

hmm.....

Found an immediate use for the first Declaration frame. Dug the sapele frame out of the shitcan to serve as patterns.

wee bit long

There isn't that much waste using these to make the certificate frame for my wife. Initially I was going to use a 5/4 cherry board but I'll use these instead. For some reason I thought that these were sapele.

couldn't wait

I had to see how this frame looked after a quick clean up. Flushed the corners, front and back, and did a light sanding with 120. Happy with how it looks. The plan is to keep it simple looking with just chamfers on the inside and outside edges.

kept going

This frame has some birds eye figure but not on each side. This face has 3 and the other has only two. IMO it is a crap shoot as to which one faces out. Most likely I'll go with the face that has 3 if I remember it. 

temporary home

I need a couple of more thin strips to make the back frame for the Declaration, the glass, and the mat. That will probably get done in the AM.

dutchmen

I glued in shims to flush the mortises - I had to do that before I could screw through the hinge into the box/lid.

sigh

The drill bit for my #3 Vix bit broke. I can't complain because I've had my Vix bit set for about 40 years. I got my money's worth plus more. I wonder if replacement bits are still available? 

certificate frame

I did some rearranging of the parts. One long side had cathedral grain while the other 3 are mostly straight grained. I want this frame to be seamless grain wise 360.

Had my oncology appointment where the RN explained to me what to expect with each treatment. There weren't too many surprises and everything looks to be manageable. She explained to me how important my white blood count and red blood count is before each treatment. If it goes too low I can't get the treatment. I'll deal with it as it comes - first treatment is on the 21st.

accidental woodworker 

 

sigh

Didn't get a pic of it but this frame was toast, as in burnt toast. The frame was badly twisted - 3 of the corners rocked. First time I had seen that. I was pissed and whacked the frame on the tablesaw and one corner opened up. Kept whacking it until all the corners came undone. 

nope

My first thought as to why the frame was so twisted was the miters weren't square to the face. They weren't all perfectly dead nuts but nowhere near being the cause of the twist. 
 

yikes

Checked the first one for twist and there was a ton of it. The thought to check the board before ripping out the frame never lit a bulb in the brain bucket. 

1 for 4

The three on the left are twisted, with the longest one the worse. The lone one on the right is twist free. I know understand how and why the frame was toast. The miters were all dead nuts 45 but 3 sides were twisted. When I glued it up I compounded the twist by gluing the sides into 90° corners.

2nd sapele board

The twist in this board is horrendous. It is beyond the 4 lines on the back stick. It didn't look like it was twisted - I thought it was cupped but not twisted. The board I ripped the frame out of must have been twisted too. I didn't feel any binding or the saw blade stalling when I ripped them out. Doesn't matter as the frame was tossed into the burn pile.

needs one more

Never got the 4th and final coat of shellac on the dresser yesterday. Wasn't sure if I would get it today neither. I had already been to the shop twice, staying for less than 30 minutes before heading topside again. The swelling/fluid build up is driving me nutso. My wife thinks I am doing too much and I should be more sedentary and even spend time in the afternoons laying in bed. I'm trying the sedentary part but not the afternoon part.

Declaration frame

Got the frame dry fitted and it isn't rocking. I checked each side of the frame for twist and there was none. I had to cut the dowel pins again, they were too long.

success

On the 4th trip to the shop I glued up the Declaration frame. After I glued it up I took it out of the clamps and checked it laying flat again - it passed with flying colors. Clamped it back up again and left it to cook until the AM.

5th and final trip

Got the 4th and final coat on. I looked around the shop for a hole for this and nada. The only spot that looks promising is the sharpening bench. I'll have to rearrange some things but I might be able to squeeze it in.

accidental woodworker 

 

fixing a missed step

I didn't plane a reference edge before I ripped the cherry frame to width. All four of them were uneven - they had humps that didn't line up. Went back to square one and planed one edge flat, straight, and square to the reference face. Still making me-steaks that bite me on the arse.

sigh

This was the 4th attempt to make the frame for the Declaration. I kept missing getting the length of the sides correct. I kept screwing up the inside and outside lengths. This frame is ok - ish but not correct. The mat would be less than 1" all the way around and I want it to be a minimum of 1 1/2".

I got the reference edge and ripped all the parts to the same width. I like the look of a thinner frame. One miter was off when I checked it with Mr Starrett. I had to redone both of the two short sides to fix the errant miter.

last one

Made a command decision and put the current frame aside and ripped out 4 new frame parts (with reference edges). I did two miters on the left and the other two on the right. All 8 miters were dead on 45 according to Mr Starrett.

shoulda, woulda, coulda, but didn't

This is how I should have measured the frame from the git go. The inside measurement for the short leg was 15 3/8" plus 3 1/2" for the mat. No me-steaks this time. I thought of doing this but I was concerned about it getting dirty. Turned out that wasn't a problem.

hmm.......

I've always been curious of this kind of mitered returns. My 4" Starrett said the two outside corners were dead on 90°.

the certificate frame

Got the dowels drilled - made sure that I set the dowel jig the same at each miter. I had set it so the dowel holes were slightly off center.

nope

The bar clamps drew up the miters tight. All the toes and heels aligned but I couldn't get the clamps to lay flat on the tablesaw. As I tightened them, it would pull it off the table. I didn't want a twisted frame. 

laying flat now

Switched to the besseys and the frame is laying flat. The frame is tight to the clamp bars and it is laying flat on the tablesaw. It doesn't seem to have the twist that the bar clamps had.

cooler today

The four day heat wave is gone and the highest temp in the shop hit 81F - 27C. A lot better than the living room which hovered in the low 90's F for the past 4 days. Today it got up to 85F and with a fan blowing it wasn't that bad. Not perfect but tolerable.

Declaration frame

I will glue up this frame in the AM. I only have 5 bessey clamps so I have to wait until the other frame has cooked. I plan to keep this frame simple - I am putting a small chamfer on the outside and inside edges only. 

hmm......

The two first cherry frames won't be wasted. I can use them to make two more frames. I think I'll leave them as is until I need to make one.

I'm post op now about month and I am feeling ok. Still not up to what I was before but getting a little better each day. I tend to get winded easier but the cough is way better. The bubble of fluid however, hasn't gotten the memo on healing yet. In the morning it is almost nothing. Within ten minutes of getting out of the rack and moving, it starts to fill up and grow. 

accidental woodworker 

 Had a major brain fart tonight. I thought I had written up my post but I hadn't. I deleted all the pics I would have used to write it up. I went and snapped a few after the fact pics to use. The heat wave continues and it sapped me. I didn't get a lot done today but maybe tomorrow I'll double it. The heat wave is supposed to break?

done - ish

Filled up the rest of the compartments I could. I have two coats on the dresser and the drawer fronts. When I find a new hole to stick this in I'll have to move it sans the drawers. I tried picking it up with all the drawers and my body said no way moose breath. Two more coats and this will be 100% complete.

frame for the wife

I had plans to gett this one glued and cooking but it didn't happen boys and girls. Maybe in the AM.

hmm......

This is the frame for the Declaration. Two of the miters are toast - Mr Starrett said they weren't 45. It is smaller then I wanted it to be but still doable. Nobody will ever know any difference.  

I'll redo the the two errant 45s which make the frame even a little bit more smaller. I noticed when sawing the 45s on the sled that I had to clamp them down on to the jig. I think I missed clamping the two errant 45s.

test miter

I made this one to test/check that the dowels I used won't interfere with routing that I plan to do on the outside and inside edges of the frame. To help out further I used two, one inch dowels. I didn't have problems closing up the miter when I clamped it. 

I don't know the name of the profile I plan to use on the outside but it is about 7/8" wide and 3/8" deep. The inside molding will be a shallow chamfer. The test miter sides are the same width as the Declaration frame. I don't think I'll need to make a test miter for the wife's frame. There is only an 1/8" difference in the width between the two.

accidental woodworker