Picture frame foot

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  • LCHIEN
    Internet Fact Checker
    • Dec 2002
    • 20913
    • Katy, TX, USA.
    • BT3000 vintage 1999

    Picture frame foot

    This took me an embarrassingly long time to work out so I'll post it.

    The problem I solved is self supporting a small picture frame on a tabletop or desk.

    First I determined the angle. 17° is what my photo frame is set at, also my Google Home hub, and about what I had on other similarly placed desktop items.

    I had this idea for a single foot as shown:

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    It can work in both the vertical and horizontal.

    I decided a 3/16" dowel would be sufficiently strong for a small frame. At first I was going to go larger but it runs too close to the opening on narrow frames.
    It has to be long enough... the center of mass of the frame has to be within the length of the foot or it will tip back too easily.
    My frame was 8" x 5" rough dimensions and I wanted to make holes for both vertical and horizontal foot.

    The frame leans back 2" when portrait mode... so the foot had to be at least 2".

    Here's the dimensions I use to make the frame mounting hole:

    3/16" brad point drill, 3/8" deep to the flat part. A drill press with a depth stop is recommended to set the depth.
    The hole center should be 21/32" from the outside edge of the frame and centered in the width. Like I said I made two holes on adjacent sides to provide portrait and landscape modes.

    The 3/16" dowel should be cut to 2.30 " or 2-5/16" if you prefer, long. I chamfer the end slightly to let it enter the frame hole more easily.

    Usually a snug fit is achieved and I don't bother to glue the dowel in place, so it can be reassigned if you change the picture or decide to hang the frame.

    If you have a larger frame you have to scale it... this is for a 4x6 print. A frame for a 8x10 would need about a four inch foot and you'd have to place the hole twice as far in requiring a sufficiently wide frame edge.

    I love trigonometry.
    Last edited by LCHIEN; 02-20-2021, 03:50 PM.
    Loring in Katy, TX USA
    If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
    BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions
  • cwsmith
    Veteran Member
    • Dec 2005
    • 2737
    • NY Southern Tier, USA.
    • BT3100-1

    #2
    Nice idea Loring. Come spring, I'm considering making a few small picture frames from scrap red oak that I have (or from maple, that I've cut and had drying). I have one of those Canon Selphy CP1300 die-sub printers that makes a terrific print, but I don't have frames to put anything special in, and the frames in the stores aren't worth the expense. Problem of course is making a stand, and you've got a very nice solution here.

    Thanks for the post,

    CWS
    Last edited by cwsmith; 02-20-2021, 04:09 PM. Reason: Spelling correction on printer model
    Think it Through Before You Do!

    Comment

    • LCHIEN
      Internet Fact Checker
      • Dec 2002
      • 20913
      • Katy, TX, USA.
      • BT3000 vintage 1999

      #3
      Here are a summary of the calculations so you can modify at will for any angle, length and height.
      The math calculations are simple; multiply and add. Illustrated.

      Dowel frame foot calculations.pdf

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      Note: H2 (drill location) = H+(D/2) = Sin(A) x L +D/2
      Attached Files
      Last edited by LCHIEN; 05-15-2021, 02:52 AM.
      Loring in Katy, TX USA
      If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
      BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

      Comment

      • LCHIEN
        Internet Fact Checker
        • Dec 2002
        • 20913
        • Katy, TX, USA.
        • BT3000 vintage 1999

        #4
        Originally posted by cwsmith
        Nice idea Loring. Come spring, I'm considering making a few small picture frames from scrap red oak that I have (or from maple, that I've cut and had drying). I have one of those Canon Selphie die-sub printers that makes a terrific print, but I don't have frames to put anything special in, and the frames in the stores aren't worth the expense. Problem of course is making a stand, and you've got a very nice solution here.

        Thanks for the post,

        CWS
        I made this particular frame of a piece of red oak I got from Lowes. Actually four frames (two of them triples) came out of it.
        Note the pocket screws on the back... after I made it the darn oak was so brittle it just split on its own. I had to repair it with the pocket screws and you can see the crack on the side edge view.

        Loring in Katy, TX USA
        If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
        BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

        Comment


        • cwsmith
          cwsmith commented
          Editing a comment
          Thanks for the calculation illustration. I forgot to mention that the Canon Selphy only prints 4 x 6, but it's fast and portable. The die-sub process is great, exactly like what you'd get from a commercial place, and they're archival, and inexpensive. (The printer was around $130 and a pkg of new print paper and ink cartridge around $35 for 108 prints).

          I've had that trouble with red oak. It is so porous that you can blow air threw it and if slimmed down it can split fairly easily.

          CWS
      • atgcpaul
        Veteran Member
        • Aug 2003
        • 4055
        • Maryland
        • Grizzly 1023SLX

        #5
        I'm glad you found a solution.

        Not to burst your bubble, though, but that's how IKEA sold/sells their small desktop picture frames. I still have one from over 20 years ago with my wife's picture in it. I lost the dowel a long time ago, though.

        Comment

        • LCHIEN
          Internet Fact Checker
          • Dec 2002
          • 20913
          • Katy, TX, USA.
          • BT3000 vintage 1999

          #6
          Originally posted by atgcpaul
          I'm glad you found a solution.

          Not to burst your bubble, though, but that's how IKEA sold/sells their small desktop picture frames. I still have one from over 20 years ago with my wife's picture in it. I lost the dowel a long time ago, though.
          I'm not saying its original. I got the idea from a digital picture frame I have.
          What I am doing is saving you the trouble of doing the trigonometry to calculate it, or paying Ikea for them calculating it for you.

          Once you have the calculations, its a 3 minute or less job to fix your frame.
          Of course you could always do trial and error.
          You know, where I cut it three times and its still too short.
          Loring in Katy, TX USA
          If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
          BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

          Comment

          • cwsmith
            Veteran Member
            • Dec 2005
            • 2737
            • NY Southern Tier, USA.
            • BT3100-1

            #7
            I most always will draw it first, figure the particulars from there and then proceed to make it. I don't have the knack of just holding it 'in my head' and then make sawdust and expect the results to be what I imagined. Illustrating my thoughts works best for me.

            CWS
            Think it Through Before You Do!

            Comment

            • LCHIEN
              Internet Fact Checker
              • Dec 2002
              • 20913
              • Katy, TX, USA.
              • BT3000 vintage 1999

              #8
              I like to calculate the problem and make the project to the calculations and see that my solution matches the calculations. Very gratifying.
              As an engineer I don't like to start cutting stuff before I do any calculations.
              Last edited by LCHIEN; 02-22-2021, 10:13 PM.
              Loring in Katy, TX USA
              If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
              BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

              Comment

              • cwsmith
                Veteran Member
                • Dec 2005
                • 2737
                • NY Southern Tier, USA.
                • BT3100-1

                #9
                I'm with you there.

                But, I'm not an Engineer. My brain works through graphics, and honestly I'm a bit math challenged. So, I draw and I've had a pretty good career working with engineers, and their creations and then writing, illustrating, and photographing those creations for others.

                Given even a simple challenge, my avenue to solution is to illustrate it and then take the dimensions, angles, etc. from there and like you, I don't cut anything until my layout is finished. I guess solutions whether they be discovered through mathematic calculation or by graphic layout, is gratifying.

                CWS


                Think it Through Before You Do!

                Comment

                • LCHIEN
                  Internet Fact Checker
                  • Dec 2002
                  • 20913
                  • Katy, TX, USA.
                  • BT3000 vintage 1999

                  #10
                  I used this frame footing again this week... made an Excel file to calculate it. Attached below.
                  The shaded area is the user input, I have left some examples I used to pick the best solution, you can clear the area and enter your own values and compare multiple rows. See the figure below the calculations in the spreadsheet for what the measures are for. There are some hidden columns with calculations for you who are curious; you can unhide them and follow the calculations,

                  I added some calculations and an estimation of stability, how likely it is to tip over. based on the height of the frame. if your foot is too short!

                  You can use two or more feet with the same measures together.

                  Here is the Excel file
                  Dowel frame foot 3.xlsx


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                  Attached Files
                  Last edited by LCHIEN; 05-17-2021, 02:04 AM.
                  Loring in Katy, TX USA
                  If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                  BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                  Comment

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