Picture frames

[Crazyraceguy]

I had some free time at work today. The job I had intended to do got put on hold, so I stayed and put together a couple of frames for 8 x 10 photos. I buy the cheap, boring frames for whatever store has them on sale, throw the frame away and keep the glass, matt, and backing board. It costs less than buying the glass alone. Then I make frames from whatever off-cuts I happen to have laying around. \
White Oak QS and Walnut. The fluting is "reversed" from the usual. Instead of a cove with a core-box bit, I did it with an un-piloted round-over. The result kind of looks like gear teeth.

 

[TSO_Products]

I had some free time at work today. The job I had intended to do got put on hold, so I stayed and put together a couple of frames for 8 x 10 photos. I buy the cheap, boring frames for whatever store has them on sale, throw the frame away and keep the glass, matt, and backing board. It costs less than buying the glass alone. Then I make frames from whatever off-cuts I happen to have laying around. \
White Oak QS and Walnut. The fluting is "reversed" from the usual. Instead of a cove with a core-box bit, I did it with an un-piloted round-over. The result kind of looks like gear teeth.

Inspiring approach to get to picture frames with glass [smile].
Just imagine what your frames would be priced at in a store.

thansk for sharing!
Hans

 

[mrFinpgh]

I buy the cheap, boring frames for whatever store has them on sale, throw the frame away and keep the glass, matt, and backing board

I just did this last week.  [laughing]. 11x14 frame for $5..  I'd spend 4x that much just on shipping from the framing suppliers.

I really like that profile on the walnut.  I'm having a hard time imaging how you did that with the roundover bit, though. Any chance you have a photo of the technique?

 

[Packard]

I was a picture framer for many years.  And while the width of the molding is what everyone sees, especially from a distance, it is the depth of the molding (thickness) and the mats that add the visual interest in the image.

The wider and deeper the mat board, the more it reflects on the importance of the image.

Also, modern custom framing generally feature uniform width mat borders. 

My personal preference calls for this:

Image size: 5” x 7”  Mat border:  1-1/2”.  Finish size:  8” x 10”

Image size:  8” x 10”  Mat border:  1-3/4” - 2”.  Finish size 11-1/2” x 13-1/2” or 10” x 12”.

Larger sizes: Mat border 2-1/2” to 3”.

You can still buy ready made frames but you would buy the next size larger.  You will have to get custom mats cut (inexpensive options online).

Double mats add importance to the image. 

Thicker molding also.

But, a nice job on your frames.

I also will buy ready made frames and I harvest the molding.  Lately the plastic molding is convincing enough that picking out ones with wood molding is getting difficult.

I usually buy a frame two sizes larger than what I need.  Disassemble and cut the pieces to size and then reassemble.

About 25 years ago CNC mat cutters became available to picture framers.  Selling them to the frame shops was difficult because of the cost.  But leasing them was not.  I am out of the business for a long time, but I suspect that they are still leasing these.

When a framer leased one of these, they generally held onto the manual mat cutter “just in case”. 

My guess is that most of them have not used the manual mat cutter for many many years (And maybe forgot how to use it).

I would write to all the local and not-so-local frame shops and see if they are willing to part with their old mat cutters.  That would give you custom mat cutting capability.

I used that approach when I was setting up my shop.

I got my dedicated sliding table miter saw and my wall mounted glass cutter/backing board cutter (Fletcher), and my underpinner.  All in perfect working order and all very cheap.

I just checked, a professional Fletcher-Terry mat cutter costs about $2,400.00

Back in the 1980s, about $1,100.00.  I think $300.00 would be a good bargaining point.

Note:  When you write, make sure you indicate that they are not equipping you to compete directly against them.  I wrote to places outside my immediate area for that reason.

 

[Cheese]

Just to add my  [2cents]  to what Packard is saying, I own and still use a very simple Logan mat cutter. I think everything came to $50-$100. That way you can do as you please depending upon the picture you're framing and the color of mats is endless. One of the mats I really like, especially for black pen & ink drawings is a white/off-white mat with a black core/center. 

 

[Michael Kellough]

I bought a used Fletcher 2000 a year ago for $500, a little below the average price for comparable units. Using it is a huge upgrade from my previous process.

I used to make frames for my wife’s artwork but sometimes schedules didn’t work and she started buying frames from American Frame. The prices are much lower than I would charge for my perfectionist process. The joints on wood frames are often far from perfect but if you buy them far enough ahead of when they’re actually needed you can get the bad ones replaced. Or do as Packard suggested and order larger and cut them down to assemble yourself.

American Frames pricing on cut mats and glazing is better than buying the materials to cut down yourself. And the packaging is first rate. We’ve never had a frame damaged in shipping.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I really like that profile on the walnut.  I'm having a hard time imaging how you did that with the roundover bit, though. Any chance you have a photo of the technique?

It was just a "plunge" style roundover bit and I did it with the router table. I marked the center of the stock and then 10mm offset. These bits don't like taking full depth cuts, so I did about half-way, brushed out the chips, flipped the piece around and ran the opposite edge. Then I raised the bit and ran both again. After that I moved the fence to center the bit and repeated the process.
The whole thing was done with the same stick and cut up after.
The oak has a 22.5 degree bevel on the inside edge, done with the piece standing up against the fence. I left it plain to show the qs ray fleck, though I may engrave something on one face with the Shaper Origin?

[member=74278]Packard[/member] I have thought about buying a manual matt cutter and getting into doing more frames.
These were the first I have done in years.

 

[Michael Kellough]

CRG, that’s s some spectacular qs white oak! Or is it red?

 

[Crazyraceguy]

CRG, that’s s some spectacular qs white oak! Or is it red?

It's white. That's actually an off-cut from a job. It was on the end of a longer piece that was much more straight-grained (rift), so I cut this out to not clash with the rest of it.