Front Slots, Curves, & Finishing | Calendar Frame Part 2

Video - December 2, 2011

Looking for Part 1? Go here!

The second and final part of the series focuses on the calendar frame details. We start by creating the front loading slots, then move on to creating the curve in the top rail, and finally we create the small pencil groove in the bottom rail. The frame is then glued up, the back panel is cut and installed and the roundover profile is routed on the perimeter.

The finish for the maple frame is Sherwin Williams CAB Acrylic Lacquer (we’ll discuss the role of flatteners) and the finish for the white oak frame is Watco Teak Oil.

The calendar frame is made to fit calendars that are roughly 13 1/2″ x 24″ when opened.

Download the Free Plans:

Helpful Links

Discussion

karl December 2, 2011 7:42 pm

Congrats on bringing your son home!
Awsome job on the prodject, it a realy good idea.

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John F December 2, 2011 7:57 pm

Those came out very nice. That curly oak seemed pretty wild!

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Jeremy December 2, 2011 8:02 pm

Thanks for this video Marc and congrats on bringing little man home! I know you’ve waited a while for this moment.

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Brian December 2, 2011 8:08 pm

that’s one stupid dog. does he really think he’s going to swim like that?

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- thewoodwhisperer December 3, 2011 6:50 am
  
  I know, right?
  
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VitalBodies December 3, 2011 12:58 am

Another nice video Marc, with some Robo Chiseling at it’s best! Fun to see something done with the right tools by someone that knows how to use them…

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rgdaniel December 3, 2011 9:01 am

LOL, I recently wrestled with a can of Danish oil in a similar way… also had to bring out the big-ass plumbers pliers… and in fact I ended up having to sit the can down in the vise to keep it from turning, while I pressed down with one hand and used the pliers on the lid with the other hand… sheesh…. next time, I swear, I’m just gonna punch a hole in the lid, and tape it closed when I’m done…

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The other other Brian December 3, 2011 9:28 am

Was that a Deadpool T-shirt? Will the calender withstand the gravity once it gets to December and only one page is supporting the weight of the calender?

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- thewoodwhisperer December 3, 2011 12:25 pm
  
  yes and yes. :) Love me some Deadpool!
  The calendar slot is only 1/4″ so there really isn’t anywhere for the calendar to go. It physically can’t buckle regardless of the weight above it (within reason).
  
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George Barry December 3, 2011 11:32 am

Nice job Marc…Happy Holidays to you and your family!

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Christopher P Dyer, thekinlossian December 3, 2011 1:00 pm

Good vid Marc. Just a note about the sketchUp plans; on the sides you have listed notch cut out on left side only. Shouldn’t it be on both sides as in the vid.? This won’t be a problem for those who do the frame now, but will be an issue for those who put it off for now as a honey-do project for later or birthday surprise some other time. (calendar frame some other time of the year?? yeah I know but some of us are different)

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- thewoodwhisperer December 3, 2011 2:38 pm
  
  Yup, that’s a mistake. We’ll have it fixed asap. Just keep in mind the right side is identical to the left, only the mirror image.
  
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Medfloat December 3, 2011 1:59 pm

Project done just in time for the real fun to begin. Enjoy evey second you have with your son, if you blink too long he will be driving the car and you two nuts. Congrats. Quick question, did you change from Titebond to Gorilla glue or is that a promotional bottle for you to try?

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- thewoodwhisperer December 3, 2011 2:40 pm
  
  Honestly, I don’t really have a major preference for PVA glues. I use Titebond mostly because it is easily available in larger bottles. But when I was at Home Depot last time, I decided to get the Gorilla stuff. Honestly, I would just buy whatever brand is cheaper.
  
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John Davidson December 3, 2011 6:41 pm

Great Project! Should be great for years and years. And the calendar frame is nice too.

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jim j December 3, 2011 6:44 pm

Cool calendar — and frame.

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BedrockBob December 3, 2011 8:54 pm

Great video and it looks like a fun project.
So happy to hear your son is coming home, you must be excited.

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Tom Buhl December 3, 2011 9:01 pm

Those long sleeved shirts were so distracting. I suggest you stick with your authorized uniform to lessen the stress on your viewers who don’t handle change so well.

Speaking of change. It will be interesting to follow the changes in your lives over the next 18 years or so. Enjoy it and keep on smiling.

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Vic Hubbard December 4, 2011 8:31 am

Have you noticed and pros or cons of the Bora vs Irwin Qwik Clamps, other than the obvious color coordination problems.

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- thewoodwhisperer December 4, 2011 1:41 pm
  
  I actually like the Bora clamps better. They seem to have more power than the Quick Grips. Now the Quick Grips 2 (the big blue ones) are definitely stronger, but they also weigh about twice as much and are bulky. So for the smaller class of quick clamps, I think Bora has the edge. Although I’d be curious to see actual numbers on the clamping power.
  
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Dan Drabek December 4, 2011 7:51 pm

Nice project for the holidays, and well presented as usual.
For those who are not confident about the squareness of their joints, it’s not a bad idea to measure diagonally from corner to corner in both directions to verify that both measurements are the same, and adjust your clamping accordingly.

DD

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Mark Loughran December 5, 2011 7:39 am

Another great video Marc!!, I really like the design of the frame, really nice idea, looks like a great holiday project!! Congratulations on getting little Mateo home!!

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Rick December 5, 2011 11:54 am

Great video (again) I would like to know what kind of blade is on your bandsaw.
Thanks

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- thewoodwhisperer December 5, 2011 12:01 pm
  
  Hey Rick. I am using a Laguna Resaw King: http://www.lagunatools.com/accessories/resawking
  
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cassel adams jr. December 5, 2011 6:02 pm

congrats on bringing your son home. you and your wife must be proud. As allways good video

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Jay December 5, 2011 8:52 pm

Tool question…I have about 4 of the old standby rubber sanding blocks that hold a 1/4 sheet of paper. I have each grit commonly used in my shop in a block. They’re relatively cheap compared to the sanding block you used… Can you describe what makes the sanding block you used worth the 3.5 to 4 times the cost of the rubber sanding block? I’m still in the process of upgrading my shop from serious amateur to pro and am noting tools you’re using that I have on my wishlist already. Thanks in advance for your input!

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- thewoodwhisperer December 5, 2011 10:30 pm
  
  Sure Jay. The sanding block i use has two clamps, one on each side. The clamps not only grip the paper but pull it tight. The rubber blocks always seem to fit rather loose and get looser over time as they use little pins to pierce and hold the paper. So while it does cost more, i find the convenience and performance to be worth it. Especially on something i use on every project.
  
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Jay Hilgenberg/Drirot December 6, 2011 8:26 am

Great project. You had mentioned that you aren’t crazy about keyhole slots. Neither am I, bu I don’t make 2 vertical slots I make one horizontal slot that goes across the top piece. I just drop the piece on my router table slide it across, and lift up. Don’t make the slot too deep, but close to the edge, and you can use 2 picture hangers and it fits nice and snug to the wall, the only drawback is that you may see the the top of the hanger. I like using a couple of brads of the hangers that are basically a dread nail with a round backer. They fit work great, because the nails fit right into the slots, and allow the side movement for aligning on a wall. If you have ever tried aligning a frame with something, this makes it a snap.

I may have to make a few of these for gifts.

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Vels December 7, 2011 9:45 am

That curly white oak looks very much like the 12/4 stuff I picked up last year and had a bear of a time dealing with tear-out. I’ll need to send you some pics when I get done the current project I have with the stuff.

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Kevin December 7, 2011 11:58 am

I’m glad I’m not the only one that needs to use pliers to open cans after I close them :) Enjoy the time with your expanded family!!!

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Mike O’Brien December 8, 2011 7:07 pm

Marc,
Congratulations to you and your wife on the birth of your son. Thanks for the excellent calendar frame project video.I will start one very soon.
Question. I noticed that while you were sanding on your Festool Table, there was a large, rectangular cut-out in it. Can you explain if that is for a ?router and how do you use it ?. I have the same table. Thanks.

Best wishes and Happy Holidays, Mike

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- thewoodwhisperer December 9, 2011 5:24 am
  
  Thanks Mike and happy holidays to you as well. You are correct about the hole. It is intended for a router lift. Specifically, it is a product called FesTop. But i think it has since been discontinued. Wanna buy mine? :) Free if you can come pick it up! :)
  
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  - Mike O’Brien December 12, 2011 4:45 pm
    
    Thanks Marc for the offer, but AZ would be quite a trip for me from AL. That answers my question so much appreciated. Mike
    
    Reply
jose December 9, 2011 12:41 pm

A very good project, never
Happened a frame for a calendar, very sharp.

What I want to ask is if the sargentas that you use to stick the frame, are good for delicate things, where they can be obtained for that here in Spain like that I never saw them, thank you.

Congratulations for his son, and happy holidays for you and all theirs.

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thewoodwhisperer December 9, 2011 6:34 pm

Thanks very much Jose for the kind words.

Are you referring to the hanging clips on the back? If so, I picked mine up from Rockler.com. The link is in the writeup above. Not sure if they ship international. And I really have no clue what vendors are available in Spain. Sorry I can’t be more help!

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Chocolyle December 13, 2011 8:15 pm

Holy bandsaw blade Batman!!! Got fingers, not anymore!

That curly white oak is beautiful! I will have to see if the sawmill I buy my wood from has seen it.

Congrats the “fun” begins.

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Rob Cottle December 14, 2011 10:48 am

Nice Project – Just right for beginners – Thanks. And again congratulations on the little one being home. Hopefully sleeping through the night will tops on the agenda!!

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Rob Cottle December 14, 2011 10:51 am

I forgot to ask – How easy is it to get the calendar out – would it make sense to put a small round in the back at the bottom to help in changing the months?

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- thewoodwhisperer December 15, 2011 9:59 am
  
  I guess a hole might help, but I dont really have any issues getting the calendar out.
  
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David in KC December 15, 2011 9:29 am

Marc,

I just found your website a couple of weeks ago and love it.

Since I am just a part time hobby guy, I go several weeks at a time without being in the shop. If I mill up parts and will not get to assemble them for several weeks (months) how is the best way to store the parts? I thought about stacking them flat and then wrapping them into bundles using a little shrink wrap to try to keep them from warping. Will that work or is there something better?

Thanks

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- thewoodwhisperer December 15, 2011 9:59 am
  
  Yeah that is always a big challenge for the weekend woodworker. You might have some success by simply stacking the milled stock with stickers, so that they get even air circulation, and then cover them with a blanket. The blanket should help slow down the moisture loss/gain that could occur until you’re ready to work with the stock. I have never tried this but it seems to make sense….at least to me after 4 hours sleep. :)
  
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karl January 4, 2012 10:24 pm

Good job Mark! Funny dog calendar man.

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Brandon January 5, 2012 5:13 pm

Cool calendar frame. I am new to woodworking and think your site is awesome. I just finished the anarchist tool Chest book a few weeks ago and itching to get started on small projects. Although I did build a workbench last week.

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Jonathan January 9, 2012 4:23 pm

I know you said that you didn’t have time to give details on the finishing (for obvious and awsome reasons), but can you elaborate on the qswo? How many coats of the teak oil finish, any prep between? Thanks!

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- thewoodwhisperer January 9, 2012 5:18 pm
  
  Hey Jonathan. I just did about three coats with a light 320 grit sanding between coats. Final coat is lightly buffed with a 1000 grit pad. Pretty simple process.
  
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Kevin January 13, 2012 5:55 am

Marc, I thought you had Bow Clamps? Wouldn’t those have worked nicely for clamping down that bowed plywood backer?

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- thewoodwhisperer January 13, 2012 7:58 am
  
  not really. would have been overkill. there is no support in the middle of the panel so a bowclamp would cause it to cave in the center.
  
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Jim January 22, 2012 1:38 pm

Marc,

A little late but congrats on bringing your son home. I like this frame and am planning on a couple for my wife. One question. You mention not having to account for wood movement with the plywood back and just glue it all the way around. But don’t you have to account for movement of the wood around the frame? While there is not a lot of width there it seems it would move some. Thanks.

Jim

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- thewoodwhisperer January 22, 2012 4:43 pm
  
  Thanks! Appreciate the kind words.
  Any movement on a frame that narrow would be minimal. And really, the frame can still expand outward freely. But again, the actual amount of movement would so small i don’t think it will ever make itself known.
  
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Wade Wilson January 25, 2012 7:34 am

!

I’m an avid follower of mere mortals..

Your deadpool shirt won me over though.

I think I shall watch both.

Chimmichangas and Bea Arthur would approve.

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kristen from france March 9, 2012 6:56 am

Great video(s)! Great news about the witto one. I hope you manage to get enough sleep.

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Bob March 28, 2012 1:25 pm

Where do you get your band saw blades? The one you show the close up of when cutting the curve on the top of your calendar frame.

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Richard December 13, 2012 2:28 pm

Reviewed both parts of making calendars. Out to the shop now to do one in maple and another in oak!

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Front Slots, Curves, & Finishing | Calendar Frame Part 2

Download the Free Plans:

Helpful Links

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