Mouldings/mountboard to practice on...

[cleaver]

Evening all,

Right, got the Morso and a mountcutter (mountcutter thread coming, no doubt!). Just wondering where you good folk got your mountboard & moulding to practice on?

I've got some moulding - and I always keep an eye out for cheap/discarded frames I can butcher(!).

Mountboard feels trickier to come by. Of course, I don't need pristine boards - far from it. Would it be a waste of time to contact suppliers (I'm not too far from a Wessex branch) and ask about scuffed/unsellable boards they might be chucking?

I really don't want to approach local framers, as (someday) I'll be competition....and it just doesn't feel right to ask them.

Or is there something cheaper than mountboard that's same thickness and cheaper....but fine to practice on?

Ta

[poliopete]

PM me with your address and I will send a few off cuts to be going on with.

Peter.

[cleaver]

God bless you Pete, but it's far too heavy to post....I won't hear of it.

Plus I don't want to become the forum freeloader.....Dave has already very kindly sent me a few 'trial' wedges for the Morso underpinner I'm getting.

If it comes to it, I'll have to break into my wallet and get some el cheapo from Wessex or wherever.

I just wondered if suppliers would oblige with unsellable boards, if I'm spending a bit (got to get the usual starter stuff; tapes, D rings etc). And is there anything, like strawboard, that'd be fine to practice on?

Thanks so much for offering, mate. The generosity of spirit in this place knocks me out.

[BeatnikFraming]

This company sell seconds mount board, might be water your looking for

https://www.4-frames.co.uk/index.php/ba ... board-x-20

[BeatnikFraming]

Obviously that should say what your looking for

[poliopete]

Sending a few offcuts up to a quarter of a sheet size is no big deal

I have a few disco' colors that are ideal for what you want In fact, you will be doing me a favor

Peter.

[YPF]

Some of the companies I deal with sell mountboard seconds. The prices vary and supply can be intermittent, it might not be cost effective to order just order 10 mountboard seconds but could be worth your while collecting some.

Most suppliers also run their own range of boards that are generally cheaper than the big names (but probably produced in the same factory.

Alternatively, whilst you don’t want to freeload from other local framers some of them may be willing to sell off cuts/dropouts.

Practice moulding is not quite as easy unless you stumble across a business closing down and wants to offload moulding. Try the main suppliers for discontinued moulding they have in stock - they quite often sell it at big discounts.

[cleaver]

Thanks Steve and Beatnik - great advice.

Pete, if I can't get any off suppliers, I may darken your inbox (so to speak ). Thanks again, mate.

[prospero]

I have a shedload (Literally) of old moulding. It's better quality than what you would buy new nowadays just not in fashion.

Bring a big van and I'll fill it for you.

Unfortunately I can't move the shed any nearer to you.

I had stacks of mountboard offcuts last year but most of them are now price labels at the local Greengrocer.

[cleaver]

Thanks prospero.....I trust my monster frame is finished!

I got a decent amount of moulding with the Morso (seller was kind).

Let's see how I get on with the suppliers for the mountboard....I'll go down their bins if needs-be.

Anyway, might be a good thing if I have to pay for the mountboard; it'll concentrate my mind!

[kuduframes]

Hi Cleaver
Whereabouts in Surrey are you?
I'm just north of Farnham and can let you have a selection of various board off cuts in a size which is big enough to practice on, like from A4 ish to i/4 sheet.
Please feel free to give me a call, numbers on my web site.
Colin

[David McCormack]

Hey cleaver,

just sent you a full pack of brand new lovely mountboard.... posted to your address in Kearny, New Jersey.... keep an eye out for it

And is there anything, like strawboard, that'd be fine to practice on?

I would practice on proper mountboard. Apart from all the generous offers on here you could get some of Wessex's own brand board which is very competitively priced. A single full sheet will go a long way in setting up your mount cutter.

Cut the sheet in half and then cut one of the halves on all four sides to check your machine is square. Getting your machine square is very important.

Once square you then need to check blade depth and over/under cuts at the start of cut and end of cut. Start with a board say 400 x 400mm and set your margins to 150mm and cut a window which will be 100mm square. If you need to make adjustments cut another window this time setting your margins smaller all round by 10mm which will cut a window 120mm sq. Keep adjusting and cutting new windows in the same board. You can easily cut 10 windows in the same piece

Don't forget to use a slip mat when cutting windows... this is just another piece of board.

Which mount cutter do you have?

[Justintime]

Nice one David! The framing community is awesome!!

[cleaver]

Great stuff, everyone

Thanks, David. I got the pack of mountboard, thanks...minus Phil Leotardo's 'taste'

Seriously, your post has been cut and pasted into my ongoing word doc. of 'gold dust' tips & advice... thank you so much for that.

Mountcutter is a 40 inch Bainbridge 4060A Super Deluxe. Like my other gear, it is in the holding area for now, while I wait for my workshop area to become available (next few weeks, hopefully). But I will be referring to what you wrote (little Ern!) as soon as I get to grips with it.

Luckily, I have also found an old Youtube film of how to check Bainbridge mountcutters for square etc (see link below, if anyone needs it)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRCFOOheX4I