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Arched Mirror Routing Project

An elegant arched mirror frame constructed using a series of short wood lengths and butterfly insert joints.

This Arched Mirror frame has been constructed using a series of short wood lengths, with each joint featuring two timber butterfly inserts that have been dovetailed into the end of each section. As well as being decorative, the butterfly inserts are functional and can significantly increase the strength of a butt joint.

Made from Walnut the butterfly inserts stood out well against the oak, with an eye-catching contrast of the two timbers,  enhanced when oiled during the finishing stages. Various other combinations of contrasting timber would work well for this project as an alternative to oak and walnut, or this combination could be reversed. This project includes how to make these butterfly joints using a router.

After working out the size of the frame, its thickness needed to be calculated. The thickness of the lipped inner front edge, the mirror, backboard and fixing area to secure them needed to be considered, so that a deep enough rebate could be made in the back of the frame.


2. I made the butterfly inserts from Walnut. These inserts stood out well against the oak, with an eye-catching contrast of the two timbers enhanced when oiled during the finishing stages. Various other combinations of contrasting timber would work well for this project as an alternative to oak and walnut, or this combination could be reversed. This project includes how to make these butterfly joints using a router.

After working out the size of the frame, its thickness needed to be calculated. The thickness of the lipped inner front edge, the mirror, backboard and fixing area to secure them needed to be considered, so that a deep enough rebate could be made in the back of the frame.

2. I made the butterfly inserts from Walnut. These inserts stood out well against the oak, with an eye-catching contrast of the two timbers enhanced when oiled during the finishing stages. Various other combinations of contrasting timber would work well for this project as an alternative to oak and walnut, or this combination could be reversed. This project includes how to make these butterfly joints using a router.

After working out the size of the frame, its thickness needed to be calculated. The thickness of the lipped inner front edge, the mirror, backboard and fixing area to secure them needed to be considered, so that a deep enough rebate could be made in the back of the frame.


2. I made the butterfly inserts from Walnut. These inserts stood out well against the oak, with an eye-catching contrast of the two timbers enhanced when oiled during the finishing stages. Various other combinations of contrasting timber would work well for this project as an alternative to oak and walnut, or this combination could be reversed. This project includes how to make these butterfly joints using a router.

After working out the size of the frame, its thickness needed to be calculated. The thickness of the lipped inner front edge, the mirror, backboard and fixing area to secure them needed to be considered, so that a deep enough rebate could be made in the back of the frame.

2. I made the butterfly inserts from Walnut. These inserts stood out well against the oak, with an eye-catching contrast of the two timbers enhanced when oiled during the finishing stages. Various other combinations of contrasting timber would work well for this project as an alternative to oak and walnut, or this combination could be reversed. This project includes how to make these butterfly joints using a router.

After working out the size of the frame, its thickness needed to be calculated. The thickness of the lipped inner front edge, the mirror, backboard and fixing area to secure them needed to be considered, so that a deep enough rebate could be made in the back of the frame.


2. I made the butterfly inserts from Walnut. These inserts stood out well against the oak, with an eye-catching contrast of the two timbers enhanced when oiled during the finishing stages. Various other combinations of contrasting timber would work well for this project as an alternative to oak and walnut, or this combination could be reversed. This project includes how to make these butterfly joints using a router.

After working out the size of the frame, its thickness needed to be calculated. The thickness of the lipped inner front edge, the mirror, backboard and fixing area to secure them needed to be considered, so that a deep enough rebate could be made in the back of the frame.

2. I made the butterfly inserts from Walnut. These inserts stood out well against the oak, with an eye-catching contrast of the two timbers enhanced when oiled during the finishing stages. Various other combinations of contrasting timber would work well for this project as an alternative to oak and walnut, or this combination could be reversed. This project includes how to make these butterfly joints using a router.

After working out the size of the frame, its thickness needed to be calculated. The thickness of the lipped inner front edge, the mirror, backboard and fixing area to secure them needed to be considered, so that a deep enough rebate could be made in the back of the frame.

2. I made the butterfly inserts from Walnut. These inserts stood out well against the oak, with an eye-catching contrast of the two timbers enhanced when oiled during the finishing stages. Various other combinations of contrasting timber would work well for this project as an alternative to oak and walnut, or this combination could be reversed. This project includes how to make these butterfly joints using a router.

After working out the size of the frame, its thickness needed to be calculated. The thickness of the lipped inner front edge, the mirror, backboard and fixing area to secure them needed to be considered, so that a deep enough rebate could be made in the back of the frame.


2. I made the butterfly inserts from Walnut. These inserts stood out well against the oak, with an eye-catching contrast of the two timbers enhanced when oiled during the finishing stages. Various other combinations of contrasting timber would work well for this project as an alternative to oak and walnut, or this combination could be reversed. This project includes how to make these butterfly joints using a router.

After working out the size of the frame, its thickness needed to be calculated. The thickness of the lipped inner front edge, the mirror, backboard and fixing area to secure them needed to be considered, so that a deep enough rebate could be made in the back of the frame.

2. I made the butterfly inserts from Walnut. These inserts stood out well against the oak, with an eye-catching contrast of the two timbers enhanced when oiled during the finishing stages. Various other combinations of contrasting timber would work well for this project as an alternative to oak and walnut, or this combination could be reversed. This project includes how to make these butterfly joints using a router.

After working out the size of the frame, its thickness needed to be calculated. The thickness of the lipped inner front edge, the mirror, backboard and fixing area to secure them needed to be considered, so that a deep enough rebate could be made in the back of the frame.

2. I made the butterfly inserts from Walnut. These inserts stood out well against the oak, with an eye-catching contrast of the two timbers enhanced when oiled during the finishing stages. Various other combinations of contrasting timber would work well for this project as an alternative to oak and walnut, or this combination could be reversed. This project includes how to make these butterfly joints using a router.

After working out the size of the frame, its thickness needed to be calculated. The thickness of the lipped inner front edge, the mirror, backboard and fixing area to secure them needed to be considered, so that a deep enough rebate could be made in the back of the frame.

2. I made the butterfly inserts from Walnut. These inserts stood out well against the oak, with an eye-catching contrast of the two timbers enhanced when oiled during the finishing stages. Various other combinations of contrasting timber would work well for this project as an alternative to oak and walnut, or this combination could be reversed. This project includes how to make these butterfly joints using a router.

After working out the size of the frame, its thickness needed to be calculated. The thickness of the lipped inner front edge, the mirror, backboard and fixing area to secure them needed to be considered, so that a deep enough rebate could be made in the back of the frame.


3. template for making the arched sections was made from some 6mm MDF sheet material. This template enabled me to copy and repeat the arched segment pattern into the work-piece material, with the assistance of a bearing guided cutter.

To make the template, the inner and outer diameters of the arch were marked out onto the template material. The semi-circle was then divided into 3 equal segments through the centre point. The number of segments could be varied, depending on the size of the frame you wish to produce.

I then attached a router to a Router Compass (Trend Ref. T5EK & R/COMPASS/A) and set the jigÕs radius to that of the frameÕs outer profile. An arc was routed with a 4mm diameter TCT cutter. (Although I routed a semi-circle, only the template area need be routed unless more than one template is being made) Using a small diameter router bit helped to keep the MDF dust to a minimum.

The radius of the Router Compass was then reduced to the frameÕs inner profile, and another arc was routed. A section was cut out, cutting the ends slightly longer than the segment lines so that a bearing guided cutter would have a smooth run up when trimming the work-piece.