Complex Mitred Frames

Today we cut the joints for four mitred frames which will form part of the coffee table.  Any woodworker will tell you that mitres can be tricky - there is a need for extreme accuracy and it is easy to make a mistake with angles.  The coffee table is visually very simple, which often means a lot of complexity behind the scenes!  These frames were particularly difficult because on the inside of the bookspace the frame butts up against a divider, yet I wanted them to look symmetrical from both the outside and the inside. 

 

In order to achieve this we needed to invent a new joint.  I say invent - it's probably been done before but I've never come across one!  The accuracy needed to cut these, plus the added complexity of having different angled mitres at the the top and bottom of the frame and the fact that we had no spare timber and could not afford a mistake, meant that I was shattered by the end of the day.  In fact I realise to my surprise that this was the most mentally challenging day I have ever had in the workshop!