The Framers Forum

I'm planning on making more of an effort in selling ready made frames. For some time, I have felt that this is something I could make more of, hence the subject for this thread.

Anyone got any pearls of wisdom?

Hi John,

Nice!

I like the addition of the eyelets. Not everyone would think of doing it like that. As usual another superb job!

Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't think that offering tips will help you make much impact, or generate any major amount of new business. The only time that customers want to know the technical stuff is when they are deciding how their job should be framed. If they are not in the process of gettin...

Has anyone else ordered samples of the new additions to the Simons WRAP range? Normally my instincts are to completely avoid wrap mouldings. However the new additions don't look like your normally boring and naff looking wrap mouldings and some of the finishes look really nice. They also look good f...

Besides picking the right sizes, how about presentation? If you are selling them with mounts included in the frame, then Kev had a great suggestion (in a previous thread) of using a mountboard off-cut of contrasting colour behind the mount. This also works well with ready made mounts too! Alternativ...

Hi John,

Was the thread getting that boring already?

Carcasm on the forum....Surely not!

Roboframer][color=#008040]Ooooh - Mark, didn't you know that you have to leave the glue go off overnight? Plus doing stuff while customers wait alters their perception of framing - it shouldn't be quick and easy.[/color] :roll: .[/quote] Come on John, don't tell me you don't do it, you've said as much on other threads. My frames are well joined, so what's the big deal. All that needs doing is to tell them that the glue needs to harden overnight. [quote= wrote:.

Some frames sell themselves, others take a bit more selling. Experience has taught me to price the slow movers to shift them!

I find 5" x 7"'s almost impossible to sell at all, so I try not to go smaller that 6" x 8"'s. However I find that 5" x 5"'s will sell, especially if it's a classy wide moulding. I try not to stock too many sizes, so the main ones are 6" x 8", 8" x 10"...

I don't use the technique all that often, but it has it's advantages as it can be very much faster to do than a watercolour wash panel. I have used this method on cotton museum boards, but not on normal boards and it's not that difficult to do! If you are planning on crunching up soft pastels, I rec...

Discounts never worked for me, but I do special offers on mirrors to try and entice customers into the shop. Results can vary, but sometimes it works.

Hi Dan,

If you are planning on poping over my way at an appropiate time, I am happy to show you how I finish black mouldings.
Cheers,
Mark

Foamex is made from foamed PVC and is not as rigid as you might expect in such a large size application. I think I would contact Robert Horne and see if they stock something suitable, which is more rigid.

True! I just like the idea that if the frame needed to be opened at a later date that it looks better, than if it is no longer still all stuck in place.

The spots of glue take so little time to do, so I just do it anyway.

I prefer foamboard too! It's much quicker to work with, but there are cases where the thickness required is an ackward one and then I will use mountboard or foamboard and mountboard in combination. Digital calipers are often a great help at such times. It is all too easy to spend too much time packi...

I'm told that the addition of glycerine can help reduce cracking. I've never tried it, so I don't know how much you would need to add.

I had a good look at the substantial range of new mouldings on the Simons stand. Many of these will fit well in my plans for 2010. I liked the new Sardinia, Driftwood, Regent, Seville and Picadilly ranges. There's additions to their Wrap range with very realistic looking wood grain finishes and the ...

Odems wrote:Is England for sale now?

No, but you can have our Prime Minister. Some might even be willing to compensate you for taking him.

I wonder where Prudence was while he was selling our gold reserves!

The velvet look sticky back plastic also helps to keep it all in place and sturdy. Hi John, Something else I did not know until this thread. The only sticky back velvet stuff stocked locally is black, so I did not know about other colours and assumed you had been glueing normal fabric into the tray...

Mark - (NYAF) Ref Simons Ash - do you know the PHOE (Phoenix) range? Hi John, Yes, It's one of the moulding ranges that I am planning to use as a core stock item in future. Both the Ash and the plain Obeche in this range are completely un-finished and will therefore take any type of finish. Recentl...

Hi John, I used to do that sort of thing and it was very popular too! I don't know how, but I just got out of the habit, or more likely spent to much time doing other things. As it happens, your post is a very timely reminder for me. I have a mountain of ash off-cuts and added to that I'm changing s...