Now that you have all of the tools and materials, we can jump right into the project. Let's start by preparing the wood for the project. We started with one leftover piece of rough mahogany and surfaced the faces and edges. If you are using previously surfaced lumber, you won't need to do any surfacing. Next rip the wood into two thin strips about 1/8" (3mm) wide. If the wood you are using is particularly hard (and therefore won't bend easily), you should make slightly narrower strips. Rip a third strip between 1/16" to 3/32" (2 - 3mm).

Next, mark a line right down the entire length of the thinnest strip. Using a bandsaw or a jigsaw, cut it in half, lengthwise as shown in the image on the right. This narrow piece of wood will serve as the central strip and create the bottom of the groove that will eventually hold photographs. It should definitely not exceed 1/8" or (3mm) because it will make your groove too wide to efficiently hold a photograph.