# How to Make a Mirror Frame



## learnexperience (Jul 20, 2011)

In episode 201, Rick and Bob Rosendahl show us how to make a frame for a floor length mirror. A nice frame can complement anything, including mirrors and can make an attractive addition to your home. 

Set Up

Place a 3/8-spiral bit in the router and tighten with wrenches. Then put in a 5/8 guide around the bit, and you are ready to get started. For the external routing that you will do, you will need a fixture that will hold down and secure your wood into place. The proper fixture will have a strong piece of backing material, with strips of wood on screwed on the back and sides of the piece, and clamps to hold down the piece you are working on. 

Step One

Place your long piece of wood into the fixture and lock into place. Raise the bit high enough to do the cutting. Feed your piece into the rotation, so it will not rip the piece all over your workshop. There is no need to go too fast, so that you can control the cut. Go only half the length of the wood, flip the piece around and start again. Go until you meet the place where you stopped, smooth over the mid-spot, and you are complete with that piece. Repeat this process with the other piece of the frame.

Step Two

Take out the guide and bit of the table router. Now you will use a hand-held router. Place the same bit and guide into the hand held machine. Get out another fixture that has an indentation in it. Clamp the fixture to your table so you can cut without your piece moving. Slide in one of your pieces you cut and lock into place with the clamps. Set the depth of your router and you are ready to go. Lead into the material clockwise and cut out the groove that the rail will fit into. Clean it up and repeat on the other side, as well as the other piece. 

Step Three

Using a round-over bit, round off the end of the rail to fit into the groove. Repeat for both rails and fit inside. Glue and screw into place. Then, when fully assembled, you need to rabbet out the back with a 3/8-inch rabbet bit and a ¼-inch guide, so the mirror frame can fit inside nicely. Work on the right inner side and run the entire frame through the bit. Your frame is ready to place a floor length mirror inside. You can stain the wood and add any decorative touches you want, making your mirror a great show-piece!

Click here to join the Router Workshop!!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI

Has anyone notice the posted has "First Name: N/a " it sounds like it should be Rick R. ,,,,,, or is it just me.. 

Most put the old man 1st.
" Rick and Bob Rosendahl show "

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learnexperience said:


> In episode 201, Rick and Bob Rosendahl show us how to make a frame for a floor length mirror. A nice frame can complement anything, including mirrors and can make an attractive addition to your home.
> 
> Set Up
> 
> ...


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

I also find it strange that this person seems to only post a precis of some of the router workshop episodes. (not that there's anything wrong with that) .

You would think, with all this learning, we might see some project (box??).

However the information is a great source of Bob and Rick's methods. I only wish he/she posted a picture or two as sometimes I get confused with the syntax...


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

You're right James, I got lost on the setup.. have no idea what this fixture looks like, several of what it could look like but I doubt any of those would work.:no:


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

201 - Full Length Mirror:

Bob and Rick demonstrate just how easy it is to make a wooden-framed, full length mirror. 
Produce perfectly matched taper cuts and mortise joints with the help of some shop-made fixtures and the router. 
Taper the mirror sides and mortise the rails into the sides. 
Pay attention to the wood grain to reduce tear out. 


Router Workshop: Series 200


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## BobandRick (Aug 4, 2004)

Hey guys,

Harish is his name and he is a true beginner when it comes to woodworking but he is a writer. I am doing this experiment with the beginner watching then explaining how to use the router with the help of the Router Workshop video library.

I have decided to give everyone the beginner's perspective of TRW with Harish writing 4 new posts a month. I will have him add a note to his signature explaining this and we will continue writing about a new show per post. 

Rick


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

BobandRick said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Harish is his name and he is a true beginner when it comes to woodworking but he is a writer. I am doing this experiment with the beginner watching then explaining how to use the router with the help of the Router Workshop video library.
> 
> ...



Thanks for making that clear, Rick

However, for those that have not seen the videos, the descriptions are vague with the forum members trying to visualize the setups.....

There were a couple of posts where I was lost and I had previously seen the videos.......


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## BobandRick (Aug 4, 2004)

Hummm....Yes writing about an operation is one thing and watching is quite another thing, as they say the picture is worth 1,000 words...these posts are not here to replace the videos they are here to enhance the videos and give the forum a beginner's perspective to TRW.

The point is to have a woodworking beginner write about what he has seen and then these posts might spark interest with hopefully the experts jumping in and clarifying some of the foggy points that the beginner might miss on...I don't see or edit the posts as I want them to come from the truly beginner's perspective.


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