Build idea
Picture frame with splined miters
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A red oak frame for an 8 x 10 picture, with contrasting walnut keys crossing the mitered corners. The key slots are cut after glue-up with a shop-made jig that rides the table-saw fence.
- Rough size
- About 11 3/8 in wide x 13 3/8 in tall x 3/4 in thick
- Wood
- Red oak, Walnut for the keys
Tools you might use
- Table saw
- Miter saw
- Router
- ClampsOur picks
- Hand saw
- Drill and bits
- Sanding
- Table saw with blade guard, riving knife, and push sticks
- Saw blade with flat-top-grind teeth and a full 1/8" kerf, such as a rip blade, so the key slots have flat bottoms
- Miter saw or table-saw miter sled
- Router table
- Shop-made spline jig
- Band clamp or strap clamp with corner blocks
- Flush-cut saw, block plane or sanding block, and utility knife
- Accurate 45° and 90° squares, combination square, and tape measure
- Drill
- Random-orbit sander or sanding block, 120–220 grit
Our tool picks for this idea: Wood glue
Right tool for the job: Which push stick or push block should you use on a table saw?
Choosing a sander? Read our sander for cutting boards guide.
Need a block plane? See our block plane picks.
Need a miter saw? See our miter saw picks.
Key techniques
