help mirror frame

[radicalwood]

Hi everyone, my name is Neil. I am new to this site and fairly new to woodworking.
I have been asked to do a mirror frame from pine. The spec is its has to be chunky, the frame is going to be made from 5" x 2"
overall length (height) 52" total width 25" giving a mirror area of 42" x 15".
The question is would you use brindle joints at the corners or just biscuit joint the thing together, the crosspieces will only be 15 long if biscuit jointed. Not sure what is the best thing to do or joint to use, all advise and held accepted.

Thanks Neil

 

[Vormulac]

Hello Neil and welcome to the forum!

I'm by no means anywhere near the most experienced bod here, but as a matter of personal preference I would go with bridle joints (I like bridle joints). Wait for a few more replies before making a decision though!

Vormulac.

 

[Chris Knight]

A bridle joint would be very strong but would also expose end grain on the sides of the frame. Biscuits would be strong enough ( I would use two rows per joint to make sure that a heavy mirror glass was adequately supported). Biscuits will expose end grain on the top and bottom of the frame.

A mitred joint would not expose end grain and could easily be biscuited in the size you are contemplating. Also mortice and tenon joinery could be used and similarly hide end grain.

It rather depends on the look you want.

 

[SimonA]

You could also use dowels to peg the joint.

I finished an Oak mirror some weeks ago and have yet to post the finished pics, but I just mitred corners with biscuits.


SimonA

 

[gidon]

Hi Neil

I made an oak mirror frame recently. I used a mitred joint with biscuits too. But as Chris says depends how you want it to look. I think a bridle joint could like quite nice for a large mirror frame if cut neatly.

Cheers

Gidon

 

[GEPPETTO]

Hi Neil,
welcome to the forum. I am new-entry too and a novice woodworker.
Good woodwork.

 

[Anonymous]

Last frame I made was a picture frame, to hold an A3 sized portrait - I mitred the corners, but was concerned about joint strength, so I made some loose-tongues out of ebony (the main frame was, like yours, pine), and grooved the mitres to hold the spline. Nice contrast between the pale pine and the dark ebony, combined with the extra glue area for strength.

Kinda like the original biscuits, in fact