Dowelling small softwood picture frames.

[oakmitre]

Hello - I've lurked for ages on the forum and found it very helpful, but this is my first post

I have been making small picture frames using white wood and a mitre trimmer. The whitewood is planed all round 12mm * 32mm from the local DIY store. The outside edge of the frames are roughly 15.5 mm in length. Sometimes the wood is not quite 12mm - more like 10.5mm.

I have made a small jig using straight notched pieces and clamped across the four corners, making sure the clamping pressure is fairly high. I apply the glue to both surfaces and leave for two minutes before clamping up, to avoid a dry glue joint between the end grain.

Weeks later - I still cannot pull the frames apart - so I presume it's a decent enough joint for indoor use - despite being end grain to end grain.

However I would like to make sure and add a single dowel to each mitre joint. I think I need a fluted dowel @ 4mm, but I can only find smooth dowel at that size. I would prefer not to cut my own.

Can anyone offer advice I were I can find them. Or are there and recommendations to strengthen in a different way.

Thanks Matt.

 

[MMUK]

Smooth dowel will be fine. Personally I'd buy it in 8' lengths and cut to required length using snips. Much cheaper than buying them in bags of 100.

 

[oakmitre]

Thanks for replying so quickly

I did wonder that if the 'walls' of the dowel hole are quite thin, will the hydraulic pressure cause the wood to split.

Do I need to use a larger size hole for smooth vs fluted. I know 5mm fluted are available - but are they too thick ??

Thanks Matt.

 

[MMUK]

A 4.2mm hole should be fine if you're using normal PVA glue

 

[Normancb]

Fluted dowels are a modern invention and you don't need them. Assuming you are planning to dowel both pieces before assembly, put a small countersink in each hole, chamfer the ends of the dowel with a pencil sharpener, run a single saw cut along the length of the dowel to let glue out, and don't use too much glue - a thin smear is plenty. Also, don't cut the dowels too long. If the plan is to glue the mitres then add a dowel ( much easier but the end grain will be exposed) then jus remember to put a single groove in the dowel.

But if the frame is flat, you could also use underpinner nails (Lion framing supplies sell them). They are intended for use in a special machine, but can easily be pressed or tapped into a flat frame from the back, and are what the professionals use.

 

[oakmitre]

Thanks for the advice !

I'll get the rods ordered.

 

[Billy Flitch]

An easy way to turn smooth dowels into fluted dowels is with a set of pliers with the round serrated grip in the middle.Just go along the dowel squeezing it with the middle part of the pliers and then you`ve got a fluted dowel.
Easy peezy lemon squeeze.

 

[Racers]

I have used bamboo skewers to reinforce things they are very strong and the smaller diameter might make things easier for you.

99p for 100 in Dunelm mill.

Pete

 

[JimB]

Like Pete I've used bamboo skewers but there is always the old standby of thin slips glued into saw cuts at the corners.

 

[Silas Gull]

You would do well to check out veneer- keyed mitres.
They are strong and pleasing to the eye.