Kingswood Frames
Combining Craft and Code: Creating a Custom CNC Machine for Antique Frame Making
Kingswood Frames is a family-run business based in Welshpool that crafts bespoke, high-quality antique picture frames using time-honoured woodworking techniques. With a client base that includes high-profile individuals and national-level institutions, their handmade frames are valued not only for their aesthetic detail but also for the authenticity of their manufacture, which draws on historical processes dating back centuries.
While their traditional approach is a point of pride and a major selling point, it also presents a bottleneck: hand-powered techniques are time-consuming, physically demanding, and difficult to scale. Recognising the need to modernise without compromising heritage, founder Tim approached CEMET to explore how digital fabrication could support and enhance his craft.
The challenge was clear: how can a centuries-old manufacturing process be modernised to increase efficiency, consistency, and creative variation—without undermining the unique character that defines Kingswood Frames?
Dutch Ripple
The Dutch Ripple frame produced by Kingswood Frames is a modern revival of a style first popularised by 16th- and 17th-century Dutch painters. Constructed from Swiss pear timber, each moulding is passed through the specially designed Flamleisten machine multiple times, during which precision cutters carve the characteristic basket-weave “ripple” pattern. Once carved, the timber is finished with a fine ebonised polish that creates a glass-like sheen, highlighting the undulating surface. Our workshop’s machine—based on German Flammleisten technology likely originating in Nuremberg—can also produce complementary wave patterns, allowing for offset corners or gilded inner slips to add further distinction. In 2019, after three years of research, development, and prototyping, Kingswood Frames succeeded in creating its largest Dutch Ripple to date, complete with unique corner treatments and an inner slip of gold leaf, all while preserving the historic character and craftsmanship of this timeless design.
What Did We Do?
CEMET delivered a two-phase collaboration. Phase One focused on designing a completely bespoke CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine optimised specifically for Kingswood Frames’ signature wave pattern technique. This phase was led by Gareth Evans and aimed to prototype a machine that could replicate Tim’s traditional process using modern technology.
Phase Two, led by Seamus Ballard-Smith, brought this design to life—constructing and assembling the machine, overcoming mechanical and integration challenges, and testing it in a live production environment.
This was not a conventional machine-building task. Off-the-shelf CNC systems were considered early in the process, but quickly dismissed for several reasons: they were too expensive (often exceeding £10,000), not built for the unique form of decorative wave carving used by Kingswood Frames, and lacked the mechanical nuance needed to recreate Tim’s manual craftsmanship.
CEMET’s approach was radically different. By designing the machine from scratch using Autodesk Fusion 360, Gareth produced a machine blueprint optimised entirely for the task at hand. Every component was considered for cost-efficiency, quality, and flexibility. A Python-based tool was developed to allow Tim to generate custom waveforms and automatically convert these into G-Code instructions—effectively giving him digital control over an infinite range of patterns.
Rather than just design the hardware, Gareth provided a complete bill of materials, sourcing strategy, and cost breakdown, which allowed Kingswood Frames to fully understand what it would take to build the prototype themselves. Remarkably, the projected cost came in at a fraction of the cost of buying a ready-made industrial machine.
From CAD to Craft: Building the Machine
With the design finalised, the project moved into its second phase. Seamus took the digital prototype and brought it into the physical world using CEMET’s rapid prototyping workshop.
CEMET’s facility was retooled to accommodate the unique needs of this machine. Custom aluminium components were CNC milled in-house, 3D-printed templates were created to test tolerances and alignments, and off-the-shelf hardware such as motors and control boards were assembled alongside these bespoke parts. The control software was installed and tested on a mini-PC integrated directly into the frame.
This iterative prototyping process was crucial. As with any one-of-a-kind hardware build, challenges emerged during assembly—parts needed realigning, new brackets had to be designed, motors required tuning. In several instances, components had to be redesigned on the fly, tested as 3D prints, and finally milled from aluminium—all within hours. The ability to iterate and solve problems in real time, using CEMET’s software-meets-hardware methodology, was a critical success factor.
The result was a custom-built CNC machine that could recreate Kingswood Frames’ historic process with digital precision, repeatability, and speed.
The Outcome
The collaboration delivered immediate, measurable benefits for Kingswood Frames. With a total projected machine cost of under £1,700, Tim achieved savings of more than 80 percent compared to commercial CNC alternatives. Beyond cost efficiencies, the bespoke waveform generation software now empowers Kingswood Frames with unparalleled creative freedom—Tim can adjust amplitude, frequency and phase to produce an endless variety of patterns without manual carving. Crucially, the working prototype preserves the visual and tactile qualities of his traditional technique, safeguarding the historic character that defines each frame. Perhaps most importantly, CEMET’s methodology ensured that Kingswood Frames retains full ownership of every element—hardware designs, software tools and detailed documentation—so they can continue to refine, expand or commercialise the system as their needs evolve.
Looking Forward: Scaling and Innovation
With the prototype operational, Kingswood Frames plans to integrate the CNC machine into live production, comparing handcrafted and automated results side by side. Success could lead to multiple machines working in parallel and the digital pattern library becoming a new customisation service for clients.
By marrying craft and code, this collaboration has secured the future of a historic art form and empowered Kingswood Frames with the tools to thrive in a modern marketplace. As Gareth puts it, “Our approach has not only honoured tradition but opened the door to endless innovation.
CEMET is proud to continue to support Kingswood Frames through the development or this ongoing project. To find out more about their latest work visit their website or follow them on Instagram.
This project is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and supported by Powys County Council.
