Hi all-- I had some fun this week with a co-worker that asked if he could commission me to make a simple frame for a piece of carpet as a backdrop for a dartboard. I told him, "no, but if you come over to the house we can design and make whatever you'd like"
This was the result. His (very nice) dart board will be hung in the middle.
The frame is a piece of mesquite and is 39ish inches on each side. We literally used every splinter of the mesquite board he bought for the project... no room at all for error. The corners are half-laps. As mesquite is incredibly stable and the pieces are narrow, seasonal movement should not be a problem.
He/we designed the carvings. He was simply amazed that it was so easy and he was able to manipulate things and actually place them where/how he wanted to. Then we carved them on my carvewright and highlighted the lettering and carvings with Minwax onyx stain, which was followed by an oil/poly mix. The carpet is simply contact cemented onto a piece of 1/4 MDF and put into a rebate on the back of the frame. The sides have keyhole slots in the back and the whole assembly will be hung in his garage/mancave. Needless to say, a great time was had (and a few frosty beverages drunk)