With the usual suspects consisting of some type of weathered fence board, it seems at first glance that I've deviated from my standard procedure by including non-fence stock for this project, a picture frame. The new wood is chestnut (I think), and it would be a deviation from the distressed wood theme of my furniture, except that it's wormy chestnut....
....And the chestnut would provide something that the fence boards could not: Dimensional consistency. It is difficult enough making furniture out of cupped, bowed, crooked, kinked and/or twisted fence boards, but a picture frame demands straight lines, right angles, and glass insetting rabbets perfectly lying in the same plane. I was basically forced to incorporate the chestnut.
The chestnut would hold the glass and give support for the cedar fence boards.
The entire frame had to be assembled using clamps and then partially unassembled in order to join certain pieces with pocket hole screws.
The entire frame had to be assembled using clamps and then partially unassembled in order to join certain pieces with pocket hole screws.
Not only does the end result have no nails or glue in it, there are no screws or undistressed cut surfaces visible from the front. This is the frame completely built, but unfinished.
Here, the chestnut "skeleton" has been removed to join the fence board pieces....
....And now it is reinserted and itself joined to the outside of the fence board "cap."
I took it to Michael's to have the mat, glass, and artwork professionally mounted. Emily did the honors.
Looks great!
The internet may not depict the artist's accuracy well, but I tell you, the dog in this portrait is nobody else's dog except mine exactly....