Does anyone make their own basic standard strut backs.

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Not your average framer
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Does anyone make their own basic standard strut backs.

Post by Not your average framer »

I've got a big box, which when full would have contained 1,000 press fit strut back hinges and after looking at the prices of a whole pack of 3 foot by 4 foot 2mm MDF from Simons, I've been thinking that I might think about making some of my own low cost strut backs usually framers who do this have special assembly press to do this, but these are not cheap. Has anyone found another' cheaper way of doing this? If I can find an easy and cheap way of doing this, it might be something helpful for me to be doing. I have a CS-88 manual underpinner and was thinking that with a little bit of thinking, that I might be able to press fit the hinges using the underpinner as a press.
Thanks for any suggestions,
Mark.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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Re: Does anyone make their own basic standard strut backs.

Post by vintage frames »

As always, there is a simple way of doing this.

I know- I used to make many hundreds of strut backs!

What we used was a square of 1" thick steel plate and a heavy lump hammer.
Position the strut over the backing board with the hinge held between and lay them onto the steel plate.

Now give the hinged assembly two good thumps with the hammer.
What you get is a perfect and secure joint.

1" steel is expensive now but an alternative is a small anvil off E-bay.
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Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Does anyone make their own basic standard strut backs.

Post by Not your average framer »

Thanks Dermot,

I have been speaking to Joe in Simons machinery department and now you have told me how you have been able to do this, I am thinking that this will be possinle for me to do. My plan is to press the hinges in place using my Cassesse CS-88 manual underpinner to act as a press. I will probably construct a plywood tray, with interchangable side spacers to accommodate different sizes of backing board and a single spacer at the rear of the tray. I am intending the backing board to fit in place all the way against the back of the tray and for the spacer to set the distance down from thee backing board top to the hinge and the strut.

Hopefully pressing down the pedal on my underpinner will produce a perfect result. This also has the added advantage that I can paint the two pieces of MDF before joining them, producing a really professional looking job. There are 25 sheets of 2mm MDF in a pack from Simons are they will save me lots of money, compared to buying factory made strut backs. Being able to affordably add strut backs to quite a lot of my own ready made frames with help me to easily display the in my shop window as well. I would have like to have thicker MDF than 2mm, but for smaller frames I guess that this will do.

I also have a large qualtity of clip and bars and the necessary split rivets, so I can make stronger strut backs for larger frames. It will take me a little time to get properly organised to do this, but at least, I now feel that I know what I am doing! I've got a big container of relatively thick red oxide acrlic paint for external use (which is sitting around not doing much), so maybe I can mix some paint for maroon strut backs, which hpoefully might look a bit special!
Thanks,
Mark.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Does anyone make their own basic standard strut backs.

Post by Not your average framer »

I'm really happy about this, as it has solved a lot of problems which have been thinkig about for quite a long time. I sometimes produce fairly basic box frames with a separate moulding inserted into the rear of the front frame, but these don't easily sand up on a flat suface by themselves! Now I can produce strut backs for these box frames with the strut leg at the right height for these frames to stand on flat surfaces at a good anhle. They will also be much easier to display from sale in my shop window and at the same time, they will really look just right!

Now very happy! :P :P :P
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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