Making Album Cover Frames

Select a straight grained wood such as poplar, which takes paint well. Poplar is available at most home centers, is relatively knot free and inexpensive. Made from 1 ½ inch wide x ¾ inch thick stock, a five foot long section of poplar is enough wood to make an album cover frame and costs less than $5.

Things You Need:
1 ½ x ¾ inch straight grained wood

13 x 13 inch piece of 1/8 inch Plexiglas

Basic woodworking tools and skillRough cut the 1 ½ x ¾ inch stock into 15 inch lengths.

To hold the glass and album cover, the frame requires cutting a groove known as a rabbet and this is cut easily using a table saw. Position the fence ½ inch from the blade, and raise the blade 1 inch above the surface of the table. Using a push stick, position a piece on wood on its narrow edge and then run it through the saw. This will create a narrow, 1 inch deep slot. Run all four pieces through the saw, making sure each section is run through on its narrow edge.

Adjust the fence ½ inch from the blade, and lower the blade to just ¼ inch above the table. Lay the stock flat on its wide edge, with the slot facing the table and positioned closest to the fence. Running the piece through the blade cuts away the waste piece, leaving a rabbet or groove for the album covers

Cut a 45 degree miter on one end of each piece, positioning the stock on its narrow edge. Carefully measure to make the second miter cut on the opposite end. The finished piece measures 13 1/16 inches long on the short side, and 14 1/16 inches on the long side. Cut correctly, all four piece will fit together to make a perfect square.

Use glue and brads or small finishing nails to tack the corners together. Repeat on all four corners to complete the frame.

Cut a backer board from a thin piece of plywood, Masonite or heavy cardboard. The back needs to fit snugly against the frame. Cut a matching piece of clear Plexiglas.

Fill in the small nail holes with wood putty and lightly sand the frame smooth. Be sure to ease all of the corners with light passes of fine sandpaper. Spray several light coats of paint, allowing the final coat to dry thoroughly overnight.

Assemble the album cover frame by placing the frame on its face and insert the clear Plexiglas panel. Position the album cover against the Plexiglas, and then insert the backer board. Use small strips of wood as "stops" to hold the album cover in place, tacking the filler strips to the frame. The new album cover frame is ready for display.

To play the album, simply remove the small wooden stop blocks and remove the album from the album cover frame.

Things You Need:

1 ½ x ¾ inch straight grained wood

13 x 13 inch piece of 1/8 inch Plexiglas

Basic woodworking tools and skill
Just like the larger LP albums, the record companies packaged 45 RPM records in decorative sleeves featuring artwork and photos to promote sales. Today, many of these record sleeves are very valuable and highly collectible -- and they just look great! Get these picture sleeves out of the closest and hang them on the wall along with your favorite album covers.

To make a display frame for 45 RPM records, cut your stock to the dimensions listed in the following 'Things You Need' section. Then, go back up to the 'Make an Album Cover Frame' section of this article and follow the instructions to make the album frame.

Use a clear, straight-grained wood such as maple, pine or poplar to construct the frames. Each side of the frame uses a piece 1 ½ inch wide x ¾ inch thick stock. Cut the 1 ½ x ¾ inch stock into 12 inch lengths.

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