Moulding Chevrons wanted

Buying/selling equipment
Situations wanted/vacant
Forum rules
All sellers are required to have a forum profile that identifies them clearly. (Such as - name, surname, location, business name et cetera)
Post Reply
Jag62
Posts: 117
Joined: Thu 07 May, 2020 2:17 pm
Location: Dan Saff
Organisation: ---
Interests: Biscuits

Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Jag62 »

Morning all,

I'm still in start up mode and having spent the past week or so of my life perusing mouldings and placing orders for chevrons I've been thwarted by the lack of availability of chevrons from usual supplers until October at the earliest (due to COVID & furloughs).

Hence wondering if anyone out there who's closing down has sets of relatively recent moulding chevrons I may be able to purchase ?

This isn't the way I wanted to kick things off but I at least need some basic chevrons to enable me to have some sort of demo/consultation with customers.

Many thanks,

Neil
huntvambo
Posts: 279
Joined: Tue 28 Jul, 2009 4:31 pm
Location: Worcestershire
Organisation: Framed
Interests: Music, cycling, drinking, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
Contact:

Re: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by huntvambo »

Have you spoken to Lion?
Jag62
Posts: 117
Joined: Thu 07 May, 2020 2:17 pm
Location: Dan Saff
Organisation: ---
Interests: Biscuits

Re: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Jag62 »

Lion were my 3rd attempt at ordering some and to be fair to them I have't had a response to my order yet.
User avatar
Steve N
Posts: 2992
Joined: Sat 21 Jul, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: Somewhere Staple Hill Bristol
Organisation: Frontier Picture Frames ltd
Interests: Walking our retired Greyhound,art, falling asleep on sofa in front of the telly
Location: Now in Bristol
Contact:

Re: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Steve N »

I don't rely on moulding chevrons from supplies, just order 1 length of each of the mouldings you want to use, then make your own chevrons,

A. you can make them whatever size you want

B you can see how that moulding cut, is it okay or a pain to cut :head:

C you can see if it's easy to join or a pain to join :swear: :angry:

You need to knwo B & C before taking orders from customers, as you don't want to have to ring a customers and tell them you couldn't cut or join the frame :head: :sweating:
Steve CEO GCF (020)
Believed in Time Travel since 2035

Proud to sell Ready Made Frames
http://www.frontierpictureframes.com
http://www.designerpicturemounts.com/
Jag62
Posts: 117
Joined: Thu 07 May, 2020 2:17 pm
Location: Dan Saff
Organisation: ---
Interests: Biscuits

Re: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Jag62 »

Thanks Steve,

Appreciate the advice, makes sense.

Regards,

Neil
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: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Not your average framer »

I mainly do what Steve has said concerning moulding chevrons. When I got started you had to make your own chevrons, there simply was no other choice. To a large extent you hoped that someone would choose one of your left over bit of moulding, to get back the cost of the legth of moulding that you've needed to buy to make the chevron.

Simon's used to supply 12 inches of moullding to make your own chevrons. With larger profile moulding, 12 inches often is not enough for a usable chevron. Some suppliers expected you to pay for the short lengths needed for chevrons. Making chevrons with really skinny moulding is far from easy, because getting the strength to stand up to handling is a real problem.

Mouldings with an embossed pattern, often need a bit more length to enable cutting and joining at the best place to get a really neat join. I'm always careful to be picking which chevrons I display and to avoid showing any mouldings, that don't cut and join well. I do a lot of my own hand finished mouldings, which is good because my competitors can't easily copy hand finished moulding, so they are on a hiding to nothing trying to undercut me on the exact same item.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
Jag62
Posts: 117
Joined: Thu 07 May, 2020 2:17 pm
Location: Dan Saff
Organisation: ---
Interests: Biscuits

Re: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Jag62 »

Thanks Mark, really helpful. Is there a certain type of moulding that tends to be difficult to cut/join ?

Neil
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: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Not your average framer »

Yes, there can be! That's why it is so helpful to make your own display chevrons. If you have trouble cutting, joining and tidying up the join, when making the chevron, maybe that's not a good moulding to want to work with in the future. Some mouldings are great on a double mitre saw, but don't cut and join well on a morso.

Also, I don't much like finger jointed mouldings and no one tells you that a moulding is a finger jointed moulding, You usually end up finding that out for your self. I used to use a particular moulding quite a lot, but then it was changed to a finger jointed moulding, later the manufacturer started to mix rubbish wood in with the other finger jointed bits and it was hit and miss, whether you could get both ends of each end of length of moulding to cut without the wood crumbling instead of cutting. I wished that I had never bought the stuff.

Everything was so nicely finished that it looked o.k., until you tried to cut it on a morso. I have no doubts that it would cut, just fine on a double mitre saw, but on a morso, forget it! Spending ages just trying to find four bits of wood, that will cut cleanly on both ends with drive you mad. Not only that, but any profitability that there should have been in that job, also disappears into a waste bin full of useless bits of that particular moulding and lots of wasted time producing nothing saleable. Best to find this out, making the display chevron, before buying stock quantities of useless moulding.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
Jag62
Posts: 117
Joined: Thu 07 May, 2020 2:17 pm
Location: Dan Saff
Organisation: ---
Interests: Biscuits

Re: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Jag62 »

Thanks. I've hated finger jointing ever since I bought a cheap finger jointed kitchen worktop which fell apart within a couple of years.
User avatar
Steve N
Posts: 2992
Joined: Sat 21 Jul, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: Somewhere Staple Hill Bristol
Organisation: Frontier Picture Frames ltd
Interests: Walking our retired Greyhound,art, falling asleep on sofa in front of the telly
Location: Now in Bristol
Contact:

Re: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Steve N »

I echo Mark's remarks about finger jointed pine, it's normally off cuts from the mill as I have had joints less than 6" apart, it has really hard grain, which when you join it can make the v-nails follow the hard grain and shoot out the back edge of the frame, normally on the last corner to be joined :head:
When I first came across this, I had ordered some lengths to make chevrons, and the v-nails kept coming out the back edge of the moulding, so I sent the chevrons off to the supplier, their answer was to use 'Hard Wood V-Nails' I told them if it's good wood, then you should not have to use Hard wood V-Nails on PINE!
Steve CEO GCF (020)
Believed in Time Travel since 2035

Proud to sell Ready Made Frames
http://www.frontierpictureframes.com
http://www.designerpicturemounts.com/
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: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Not your average framer »

I tried to order one particular bare pin moulding last week and was told that the number had changed and that they had added an F to the end of the moulding code and it was explained to me that it was exactly the same moulding, apart from the fact that it has changed to finger joined pine. Needless to say that I chose not to order it.

I am amazed that a bare wood moulding is now being made from finger jointed pine. To me, this sounds just crazy. Why does anyone think that anyone who hand finishes frames and mouldings, would want finger jointed pine mouldings, Not only is this stuff rubbish, but if it needed for a stained finish , the wood grain is going to change at every finger joint and it's going to look terrible.

What on earth is this supplier thinking of? I used to like this moulding. Do they honestly expect anyone to still want to buy it? What use is this moulding to anyone now? I suspect not a lot! Is this now what we have to expect for the future? Oh, dear oh dear! Are we honestly expected to have a future as producers of quality frames with rubbish like this?
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
Justintime
Posts: 1868
Joined: Sat 26 Sep, 2015 8:48 am
Location: West Wales
Organisation: George The Framer LLP
Interests: Gardening, design, electronic music, good food and beverages.
Contact:

Re: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Justintime »

If you're looking for barewood samples for hand finishing, Rose and Hollis will sell 12" lengths of their mouldings for you to cut and join. Simple waxed Oak and Ash were a staple when i started a few years ago and are still very popular here.
Justin George GCF(APF)
Insta: georgetheframer
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: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Not your average framer »

Justin is riight! Simple waxed Oak and Ash is still good now, it's also very quick and easy. Both woods are very easy to stain to give you a few exra options. I like to stain Oak with a nice strong teak stain, which is really striking. I sell lots of Oak, it's easily my best seller. Customers love it!
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
User avatar
pramsay13
Posts: 1375
Joined: Tue 27 Sep, 2011 11:46 am
Location: Stonehouse, Lanarkshire
Organisation: Picture Framer (ML)
Interests: picture framing (no, really!) sport, music
Contact:

Re: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by pramsay13 »

I get my samples free of charge from Centrado, and Holroyd before that.
I normally get 1 metre length then I can cut them and join them to see how they cut.
Have you tried Centrado?
Jag62
Posts: 117
Joined: Thu 07 May, 2020 2:17 pm
Location: Dan Saff
Organisation: ---
Interests: Biscuits

Re: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Jag62 »

Thanks all,

Chevrons turned up from Lion yesterday so can now make some progress. The 50 I now have look quite minimal, although I do have more on the way plus am now making some of my own from moulding stock.

Can I ask typically how many chevrons you all have on display ?

Regards,

Neil
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: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Not your average framer »

There is no magic amount. I don't have that many, but I have plenty of bits and pieces lying around that I can quickly grab.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
User avatar
Steve N
Posts: 2992
Joined: Sat 21 Jul, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: Somewhere Staple Hill Bristol
Organisation: Frontier Picture Frames ltd
Interests: Walking our retired Greyhound,art, falling asleep on sofa in front of the telly
Location: Now in Bristol
Contact:

Re: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Steve N »

Too many :giggle: :Slap:



I started with about 50 from Lion as well, plus I cut my own, but over the years I would think I have about 250 to 300 on show, but I have taken down a load if not selling, but end up choosing new mouldings to replace them, sometimes (or a lot of the time) you can see the customer's eyes glaze over with the choice on offer.
You will, hopefully find your own 'House Style' over time, some of it will be customer lead, some it will lead by you, , most of mine is modern style , simple flat / square , some cushons, black , white and some colours, F&B style painted colours, not much ornate gold/silver , do have some Brown and gold traditional style. It's hard to advise you on what to stock, each shop, location will be different, the only advise I would say, when getting moulding in to cut you own (my way of doing it) is to only get a length in, or maybe 2 at the most, if it doesn't sell, turn it into ready made frames, where you will easly get your material cost back, :sweating:
Steve CEO GCF (020)
Believed in Time Travel since 2035

Proud to sell Ready Made Frames
http://www.frontierpictureframes.com
http://www.designerpicturemounts.com/
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: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Not your average framer »

Steve is right! I agree 100%. Also learn to do some basic finishes on some nicely priced bare wood moulding, obeche is good to start with, but don't go mad buying much until you have a good feel for what ou are doing and even then , don't go wild. These are difficult times and money may not always come so easy.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
User avatar
Rainbow
Posts: 891
Joined: Tue 23 Jun, 2015 8:51 am
Location: See my name, I'm somewhere over it
Organisation: Picture sales and framing
Interests: varied

Re: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by Rainbow »

I have somewhere between 200-250 (haven't counted them for a while, and some get discontinued whilst others are added) but they're not on display. I talk to the customer about what colours might suit, where it will hang, any particular preferences they've got etc, and then I pick a selection of chevrons and show the customer how the picture looks with different combinations of mounts and mouldings. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times in 5 years ( :shock: is it really that long!) that nothing has suited, in which case I offer to source something that I think the customer may be happy with. At that point, they usually decide that one of the (dozens of!) mouldings they've discounted is fine after all :D

When putting together my first stock of chevrons, I tried to get a good range of colours, styles and widths, and in the case of white and black, a reasonable mix of gloss and matt, plain and grained. Browns seem to be popular with my customers so over a period of time, I've built up as many browns as black. Gilts are not popular at all with my customers but yours might be different.

A tip I would give to someone starting out is to show the customer what they think they want, but if you think something completely different will suit the picture, by all means show them it. I had a customer recently who had in mind a grey mount and a grey frame. It did absolutely nothing for the picture so I showed them how stunning it would look with a red mount and a multi-coloured frame which also had red in it. They said they would never have thought of that combination but they loved it. Take some of your own pictures and just play about with different mouldings and mounts (including single and double mounts) to see what effects can be achieved.

I agree with others about getting lengths rather than ready-made chevrons. You need to know if any are difficult or fragile to cut or join so that you don't cause later problems for yourself with a customer.
User avatar
pramsay13
Posts: 1375
Joined: Tue 27 Sep, 2011 11:46 am
Location: Stonehouse, Lanarkshire
Organisation: Picture Framer (ML)
Interests: picture framing (no, really!) sport, music
Contact:

Re: Moulding Chevrons wanted

Post by pramsay13 »

I have around 100 samples and that's enough for nearly every job.
Every so often we will look through the book if the ones I have don't suit or I've to match a previous frame.
Post Reply