What is the best Tape

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Forkbeard
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What is the best Tape

Post by Forkbeard »

Hi Guys, I have just joined this forum so Hi Everybody, and here is my first post. I am a hobby framer and have just purchased two quite expensive limited edition prints which I am going to frame using conservation materials. What would you say would be the best quality conservation grade frame backing tape to use? Thanks in advance :D
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by Justintime »

Welcome to the forum Sweyn!
As far as I am aware, the Fine Art Trade Guild do not specify a Conservation quality backing tape (I may be wrong.) I'm assuming you mean the tape that's fixed to the back of the frame and the backing board? Gummed brown tape, rather than self adhesive is the preferred tape to use.
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by Forkbeard »

Thanks George, that's what I was thinking,
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prospero
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by prospero »

The backing tape has little or no relevance as far as conservation goes, except to itself. Pressure sensitive tapes
will fail in a relatively short time. They either go very gooey or dry up and drop off. Wet tape is far more enduring.
I have had pictures back in after 30 years with wet gum tape on and they look as though they were done the day before. :D

It's also a lot cheaper. :ninja:
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by poliopete »

Hello Forkbeard :D and welcome to the FF.

That sounds like a great hobby.

Peter.
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by Steve N »

We recently took apart over 40 pictures frames by a local framer (Darling of the Guild) all of them had gummed tape on the back, all of them had rusty staples / pins holding the backs on.
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by Not your average framer »

I must admit that I don't much like the use of staples for securing backs into the frame. I did briefly try it once for items I was selling through local auctions and any saving was pointless and came to the conclusion that it was an extremely low quality way of doing things and if as is the practice of some, the staples are fire through the edge of the backing board, this practice is also creating debris which can at some time end up inside the frame, causing visible annoyance and potential acid related damage to the artwork, or mount. It's also true that these staple are commonly found to rust very easily.

Using staples for fixing backs into the frame is the normal method used by contract framers, who's main objective is the cheaper end of the market, so why is it that some many framers who are pursuing the quality end of the market doing this as well? Of course Guild members can stick a guild membership sticker on the back and say that it conforms to guild standards, which it does. Oh, well.....
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by Justintime »

I'd love some of those stickers Mark, if you can tell me where to get them?
Personally, as a Guild Member, if I have to use staples, I only use stainless steel for obvious reasons.
40 frames sounds like a contract frame job to me, maybe he/she was a contract framer when this job was done.
Perhaps he/she, this "darling of the Guild" (I'm assuming this was meant sarcastically and isn't the name of the framing business in question??), joined and became a certified framer after completing this job?
Some of us here have managed to run successful businesses for many years without the Guild's help and others, like myself, are just starting out and need every advantage in a competitive market place to get our businesses off the ground.
Just sounds like Guild bashing to me...
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by Steve N »

No he was not a contract framer, these frames were done over some 10 to 15 years, the framer in question was one of three first to become a GCF,
I use staples, and I'm not contract framer and I became a GCFin the second round of exams to be held, as can be seen in my signature, yes I use staples, when fired through the backing into the frame, it really lock the whole package together
You will find contact framers mainly use bendable tabs (as used o R/Ms), so that if any dust or dirt I s showing in the frame the back can be quickly be taken out and dirt got rid of in super quick time

Getting a bit fed up of if it's not done in a certain way, then it's WRONG, that has started to raise it's head on here, thought we had got rid of that Brigade

You are totally wrong about Guild bashing, what I meant if you have a look through the Guilds magazine back issues, you will see a certain framer in a certain location appeared in it a lot of times, as if he was the Darling of the Guild, as he could do no wrong.

Rant over :sweating:
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by Not your average framer »

I'm sorry, I was wrong and willingly stand corrected.

Mark
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by cleaver »

[From Steve.N.]
.......Getting a bit fed up of if it's not done in a certain way, then it's WRONG, that has started to raise it's head on here, thought we had got rid of that Brigade


Yes, I used to look in on the forum a few years ago, and those characters were a REAL turn off.

I'm a new framer (as people know), and will endeavour to be as 'conservation' as I can. Aside from all else, it doesn't cost that much more than cutting corners, and I like to have the peace of mind that the job will last and that I have done right by people (and their artwork/item).

But I refuse to obsess and become a framing bore to my customers (when I get any :lol: ), and those characters Steve alludes came across as precisely that.

IMO, there are real no-no's in framing techniques, but a fair few disciplines that have various (perfectly sound) ways of going about them.

I didn't find those self-professed experts' pontificating and dogmatism attractive in the least.

As a customer, I'd bring my stuff to Steve, Prospero, Mark, Justin, and all the other good people on here who I KNOW would treat me with respect and as a valued customer (not an idiot to be pitied and patronised).
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by cleaver »

And another thing!.....there are many arts involved in framing, but there's also one to contributing to a framing forum.

What I mean is I marvel at how the vastly experienced framers here give so much help to people like me, WITHOUT coming across as know-it-alls.

Although these modest folk would say they are 'still learning every day', etc, they do pretty much know everything about this craft. So imparting that knowledge with such a light touch is a real art form - and hallmark of a classy person, IMO.

It does sadden me when people bob up with questions, but neglect to thank people for taking the trouble to provide (quite often lengthy) answers and help. Happily, the majority on here do acknowledge and thank people for their help. :clap:

I've said this before, but how many other industries would give all this help, trade secrets, hard-won knowledge, & moral support.....and all for for zilch?
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by Not your average framer »

Getting back to the choice of tape, Gummed brown paper tape is the one that has stood the test of time. Is has a bit of initial slip if you are quick enough lining it up and some local packaging suppliers are happy to supply just one roll if they don't have to deliver it. I like gummed brown paper tape, but I also use Kikisui self adhesive tape just because it quick and easy when I'm in a hurry, which is quite often the case.
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by Forkbeard »

Thanks for all your replies, I seem to have started a debate here which i think is always a good thing! I have been a hobby framer for about 20 years now and luckily have access to professional framing equipment through my local art centre (Morso, Keencut, Cassese etc.) I have always used a bendy tab gun to secure the backing onto the frame, is this not the recommended way of securing things?
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by Justintime »

"Bendy tabs"/Flexi Points or the stiffer Framers Points are both fine.
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by Forkbeard »

Thanks Justin :D
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by prospero »

The only time I use self-adhesive tape is on mouldings that the lick-sticky won't stick to. Plastic mouldings and
frames that are to be re-sealed that have gunk from the previous tape on them. It's a major PITA to clean it off
and that's another reason to go 'wet'. Wet tape is easy(ish) to remove - just damp it with a sponge and leave to
soak. Although most times I just slap a new layer on top. :lol:

My preferred s/a tape is the Scapa 'B' tape which is black. Lasts a bit longer than the browns I've used in the past.
Very nice for stand-up photoframes. On the wall it needs bumpers or it can mark the paint/wallpaper. :wink:
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by Steve N »

Forkbeard Wrote
" I have always used a bendy tab gun to secure the backing onto the frame, is this not the recommended way of securing things?"


Bendy tabs I only use for Ready Made frames, or if I doing a Charcoal / Pastel, that is when I will put every thing in the frame , but not the artwork, then fire in the bendy tabs, take everything out, put the artwork in the mount, then pop everything back in, that way you don't get the shockwave from the gun firing shaking the charcoal / pastel partials lose from the artwork

Another reason when only using bendy tabs, if on anything big, say a narrow to medium width moulding, customers seem to like to carry the frame by it's top rail, thus bending it and the glass popping out, that is why we fire staples through the backing board, but each to their own.
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by cleaver »

Great tip about charcoals/pastels, Steve :clap:
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Re: What is the best Tape

Post by Steve N »

Aww. get away with you Paul :bow:
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