PROJECT PLAN - MARINE MIRROR FRAME
By Alastair Mitchell

I had a lot of fun conceiving and making this marine theme wall mirror. Probably because it needed a number of different skills. These included joining and shaping the frame surround, turning the light house and harbour bollards, sawing the harbour wall stone work, carving the anchors, sea horses and medallion, and shaping the boat hull and rocks.

Introduction

The marine mirror frame concept is not an original one as the half boat model was very popular in Victorian times. My version came from seeing a single boat hull glued to a mirror frame in a local woodwork gallery. I embroidered the idea by adding other marine theme objects all of which I could see a hundred meters from our cottage near Tramore in South East Ireland.

Don't limit yourself to a marine theme! Perhaps you can create a 'wooden scene' that has personal significance and these carvings could also be arranged around the functional benefit of a wall
mirror.

Method

1. Make a pine mirror frame by butt jointing four sections of 5" x 2" pine with biscuit joints (see shaded area of Figure 1).

2. Glue four sections of 4" x 3" Pine onto the original frame using White PVA glue (as shown in Figure 1, numbers 1 & 2 & 3).

Next shape the external curving profile on all sides as well as the shelf as shown in Figure 1. Now attach the shelf using biscuits to the bottom edge of the mirror frame (number 5). This shelf is necessary to sit the harbour wall and bollards onto as well as the rocks and lighthouse. Lastly attach the bottom board as shown in Figure 1, number 4.

3. Next, cut the mirror rebate into the back of the frame to accommodate the glass. I used a 3 HP router which did not take long to do in pine. If you have an adjustable depth cut and a reliable fence, you can use your bench saw to cut the rebate before assembly.

4. To create interest, I shaped various profiles into the front face of the outer frame using an Industrial Woodcarver (4" blade). Such profiles help to create shadow lines and thus more interest. This is difficult to see in the photograph and I mention this only to give you some idea as to how creative you can be with the frame using Arbortech tools.

5. With the mirror frame complete you can now set about carving the different elements or props which are attached to the mirror.

Half Boat

Select a pine block off-cut and pencil in the side view of the hull, then the plan view, and lastly the stern view. Depending on the size of the half model I was able to use both the 4" Industrial Woodcarver and the Mini-Grinder. Into the finished shape I used the Mini-Sanders to form the hull planking. If it had been hard wood I probably would have cut them in with the blade.

Light House

This is simply a section of 3" x 3" x 12" pine which I turned on the lathe to the shape seen and then punched in the brick work effect with a lathe parting tool and mallet!

The Bollards

The bollards are turned from Western Myall which is a very hard and dense desert wood. I wanted a natural cast iron look without having to colour the wood. I confess to 'scraping' from start to finish!

Harbour Wall

The Harbour Wall is simply a piece of Jarrah into which I 'scratched' the brick or block patterning using the tip of the Mini Grinder blade.

The Rocks are simply chunks of hard wood (Jarrah) which are shaped with the Mini-Grinder.

The Sea Horses which are about 5" long, were shaped from She Oak. I did not have a scroll or band saw but used a (hand) fret saw to relieve the profile shape and then I used the Mini-Grinder as well as sandpaper wrapped round a wooden dowel to finish.

The Two Anchors are also made from She Oak using the same method and tools as the Sea Horses.

The Cartouche or lozenge at the centre top was shaped and given a pie crust edge with the Mini-Grinder. The lettering was done using the Power Chisel with the V tool fitted.

The Scallop shell is made from She Oak using the Mini-Grinder then sanded using sandpaper wrapped round different sized wooden dowels. The Scallop Shell is then attached to the bottom board.

I finished the frame and light house in a liming compound and except for the stain on the light house dome roof, all the colours are natural and are finished with Arborwax. I did put a fine blue paint line at the junction of the mirror glass to the frame just to emphasis the deep blue sea! All the components are doweled in place.

This mirror is hung immediately over my fire place which I also made from shaped and limed pine against a green marble. as previously said you do not need to copy this particular mirror frame and motifs but if you wish something from your past or present or even the elements from a Shakespeare play - the important thing is to have fun!