# Picture frames



## bostonwindows (Jul 7, 2013)

I am making some rustic frames out of pallets, but Need to make the cut on back for dropping glass, which rabbet bit should I get???


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

By rabbet bit I assume you are referring to a router bit. Any rabbet bit will do, but if you are going to get a rabbet bit for a router I'd get one of the sets with multiple bearings. That way you can change your router width. You could do it with a straight bit and a good fence on your router table too. 

You could do this with hand tool options pretty quickly too. Probably quicker than a rabbet bit in the router and the time that setup takes. Also you'd avoid all the dust and noise.....just saying.


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## bostonwindows (Jul 7, 2013)

How can I do it by hand tool??


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

Either a rabbet plane or a shoulder plane will work. I use a shoulder plane with a straight edge.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

trc65 said:


> Either a rabbet plane or a shoulder plane will work. I use a shoulder plane with a straight edge.


I love my Veritas medium shoulder hand plane.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=48430&cat=1,41182,68490

More expensive than a router bit, but very useful addition to the shop.

You can also cut a rabbet on the table saw. Multiple passes to get the desired width.


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## bostonwindows (Jul 7, 2013)

I treys with a table saw and your right I would have to go back in forth a lot, is there a blade I could put on there to make this


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## wood_chucker (Oct 18, 2012)

You co uld use a dado stack and make the cut in a single pass


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## Gilgaron (Mar 16, 2012)

When I make rabbets for picture frames I use a Stanley 78 I got on ebay. I usually only make small frames and it isn't worth the time to setup the router/router table. You can still buy them new, too, if you don't do eBay.

If you want a more premium plane, I would think this or this would be better than a shoulder plane. You can push a lot harder with a proper tote and peel off nice thick shavings.


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## bostonwindows (Jul 7, 2013)

Seems like a lot of work what if I was going to do about 20 for Christmas whats the best methods and easiest ??


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## bostonwindows (Jul 7, 2013)

I have a small craftsmen router table it will be for only this purpose, never made one and didn't know the best bit for the glass


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## Alan Sweet (Aug 16, 2013)

*If you do not have a router table.*

A 2' x 4' sheet of 3/4" MDF, 2 saw horses, a good plunge router and a good rabbit bit. I like P-C 890 series router. They have a nice kit with interchangeable bases for plunge and fixed. Cut a hole for the router, mount it under neath, a dressed 2 x 4 for a fence (two clamps make it adjustable). I used that for a router table for a couple tears. (But I think P-C has this kit and a small table for less than $250 now).

Then I made a Bob Villa knock off. Which I have used for almost 10 years.


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## Phaedrus (Jan 18, 2012)

I would avoid any operation where you have lots of sawdust from pallets--too many unknowns. Also, you are bound to find a hunk of metal in those pallet boards, or at least your bit or blade will find it and you will become abruptly aware!

Personally, I use two perpendicular cuts to notch stock for picture frames. It makes a lot of dust, but less than routing all of that. Again, pallet wood can be really nasty stuff. There are oodles of threads about it here and elsewhere on the inter webs.

Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX using Woodworking Talk


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

I have a Stanley #78, and it works great for stuff like this. You didn't say how big the frames are, but once you have the depth and width settings dialed in, it shouldn't take more than a minute or two for each side of the frame, at most.


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## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

I use a Veritas skew rabbit plane. Works great for me.


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## bostonwindows (Jul 7, 2013)

I have a small router table just bought an inexpensive bit got it set table, took a few min to do so and ran a few scrap boards works great one swop done!!!


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