Copper Work: A Text Book for Teachers and Students in the Manual Arts

by Augustus F. Rose

PICTURE FRAME.

This object is made as follows: Take a piece of metal quite a little larger than the outline of the frame that is to be made. Draw on this piece of metal the outline of the frame and also the extensions which are folded back to give the thickness necessary for the reception of the picture, glass, and back, as shown at B. Have the side opposite to that on which the drawing is done free from scratches as it is to serve later as the front. Any decoration that is used must be of the simplest sort. This decoration may be pierced or in repousse. The frame here illustrated and the plate of designs were intended for repousse as more satisfactory results have been obtained by this process. After the design for the decoration of the front of the frame has been transferred to the same side of the metal as the outline, it must be prepared for the repousse process. This is done by placing it on a pitch pot. The pitch is softened enough so that the metal will stick to it. After placing the metal on the pitch, work a little of the pitch over the edges as this will hold it more securely. It is then allowed to cool or harden before working. With a suitable tool and hammer, after the pitch is hard, follow the lines which make up the design or decorative part of the frame. The lines should be gone over lightly, slowly, and carefully at first until the design is fairly well started; then they may be gone over again, sinking them a little deeper each time until they have been carried deep enough to give the design the required relief on the face of the frame. For this part of the work the tool should not be used as a punch, driving the metal down in one place and then moving it to another and so on, but it should be kept moving all the time and should at the same time receive a repeated number of light blows from the hammer. By so doing the face of the work will be smooth, otherwise each blow from the hammer will show.

Plate 32.

If there is doubt as to the depth to which the lines should be carried, the work may be taken off the pitch occasionally, so that the face may be seen. It is not an easy thing to reduce relief in this work, therefore it is better to go carefully working it up slowly. After the repousse part of the frame is done, clean it with kerosene and pickle.

The corners may then be cut out as at B, filed up square, and beveled as in the box. The sides are then bent back over a block of wood or metal, bringing the corners well together. They are then soldered. A metal saw is used to make the opening, A, the edges of which are then filed up square.

The back for this frame is made in the same way as the front except that it is left perfectly plain. This should be made to fit inside of the frame tight enough so that no fastening will be needed to hold it in place.

A frame of this size and kind may be made to hang or to stand. If it is to hang, a small ring may be made and fastened to the back as shown at C. If it is to stand, a support of some kind such as is shown at D is needed. This is made of the same thickness metal as the frame and may be made in many outlines. This support may be made stationary by riveting it to the back, or hinged, which is much better, as is shown at E and F. The hinge is made by taking a piece of about 1/8" tubing and cutting three pieces, making one of the pieces equal in width to the other two and having the three equal in width to the top of the support. The two short pieces are soldered to the back and the long piece to the support. A piece of wire equal in diameter to the hole in the tube is then cut and put in place which hinges the back and support together.

The method of making the tubing used for the above is described on page [110].

Plate 33.