DIY Network

Gilded Three-Panel Screen: Frame Assembly From "Wood Works" episode WWK-610

A rabbet cut along the inside edge of each frame piece, and beaded stops, hold the gilded panels securely in the frame.

In this episode of DIY Wood Works, host David Marks builds an elegant and stunning three-panel screen. With the rails, stiles, mortises, tenons and rabbets cut for the frame of the screen, assembly of the frame can begin. Beaded stops are also made for holding each panel in place.

A dry-fit of the frame ensures that all of the parts fit together properly. Some sanding of the tenons may be required to adjust the fit.

Materials:

Mahogany stock
Masonite panel
Table saw
Table router
Miter jig
Dead-blow hammer
Straight-edge
Carpenter's pencil
Carpenter's tape
Hand scraper
Hand-plane
220-grit sandpaper; sanding block
Paint sprayer
White-pigmented shellac
Red Japan-paint
Clear, de-waxed shellac
Yellow woodworker's glue
Clamps
Safety glasses or goggles
Protective gloves
Respirator mask

Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses, and follow proper safety precautions, when working with wood, power-tools, saws, drills, routers, etc.

Safety Alert: Always wear protective gloves, and ensure adequate ventilation, when working with wood stains, solvents and other toxic solutions. When working with some sprays and chemicals, a respirator mask may be required.

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	Figure A
	Figure B

Frame Assembly

Note: Each of the three panels is identical. This demonstration only shows the construction of a single panel. Build the other two by following the same procedures.

• This glue-up is relatively simple. Yellow glue is sufficient. Tape the edges of the frame-pieces with blue carpenter's tape to catch glue squeeze-out and make cleanup easier. Assemble the frame on its side so that gravity works in your favor.

• Apply glue to the mortises (figure A) and tenons.

• Join the top and bottom rails, then add the final side and tap it gently into position (figure B).
  

  
  
  

• Pull the joints together tightly with clamps (figure C).

• As the frame dries, you can begin work on the stops that will hold the panels. Each stop is 7/16" wide with a 5/16" bead. You'll need two long and two short pieces for each of the three frames. As seen on the prototype, the ends are mitered where the stops come together at the corners (figure D).

  Figure C

  Figure D

  
  

  
  

• Mill two pieces of mahogany to 1-1/8" wide. Each strip will yield two stops. You'll simply need to bead both edges on each strip, and cut the strips in half.

• At the router table, use a 5/16" beading bit to round over the edge of both sides of the mahogany stock (figure E). It's safer to bead both edges while the stock is still wide.

• At the band saw, rip the stock in half to make two stops from each strip (figure F), then trim each panel-stop again to get them to their final dimension of 7/16" wide.

  Figure E

  Figure F

  
  

  
  

• Using the miter-jig, cut 45-degree angles on the ends of the short stops (figure G), using a stop-block to ensure that the stops are cut to the same length.

• Use the same technique, with the stop-block readjusted, to cut the long stops (figure H).

  Figure G

  Figure H

  
  

  
  
  

• Before installing the stops, you'll need to prepare the frame. Use a hand scraper to remove any excess hardened glue and to level the joints flat (figure I).

• Use a sharp chisel to square up the corners where the stop-rabbet meets the through-rabbet (figure J).

• Chamfer all the edges using a hand plane, then sand the entire frame surface with 220-grit sandpaper.

  Figure I

  Figure J

  
  

  
  
  

• With the frame fully assembled and prepped, you can now attach the panel stops. Apply yellow glue to the rabbets, then set in the panel stops (figure K).

• Use carpenter's tape to secure the stops in place as the glue dries (figure L). The tape will hold these thin strips securely, and is easier to use in this instance than bulky cauls and clamps.

  Figure K

  Figure L

  
  

  	Figure M
  	Figure N

  
  

With the frame, including the stops, complete, you can now begin work on the panels. We made ours from masonite. This material provides a smooth surface for the gilding, and there's no reason to use expensive wood for the panels since they'll be covered in copper leaf. Each panel should be 61-1/2" long by 17-1/2" wide by 1/8" thick, and smooth on both sides.

Safety Alert: Always take proper safety precautions and work in a ventilated area when working with spray paints, solvents and other toxic chemicals. Application of some spray chemicals requires use of a respirator mask. For this job, David wore a respirator mask and performed the spray-painting in a well ventilated finishing room.

• Lightly sand the masonite panel, then spray on a primer coat of white-pigmented shellac (figure M). Spray on three coats on both sides. Between applications, sand each dried coat with 220-grit sandpaper. The objective is to have a very smooth surface.

• Once the primer application was complete, we opted to paint our panels using red Japan-paint. This made a nice backing color for the copper leaf. Much like the veins of color in marble, the rich, red color of the paint would later shine through the natural cracks and gaps in the copper leaf. In the finishing room, evenly spray the Japan paint (figure N).

• After spraying the Japan paint, spray on two coats of clear, de-waxed shellac to protect the red color.
  

  
  

RESOURCES :

Woodworking Techniques: Best Methods for Building Furniture from Fine Woodworking
Author: Editors of Fine Woodworking magazine
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561583456

David Marks Website
David Marks, DIY's Wood Works host, is a master woodworker. For more information on cut sizes and project details, please contact him via his Website at www.djmarks.com

Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com