miserable tale - and a warning!

[kev@frames]

I never mind helping out collegues in the same line of work.
I seldom mind helping out someone starting out in the business.
.
.
.
.
BUT
sometmes I wonder why I bother.
Sit down comfortably, then I'll begin....

Matey comes in the shop.
Can we cut him some mounts and glass to fit.

He's putting them in frames which he will make himself.

Do you want backs? Liners? No

this carries on happily for a few weeks, matey brings his measurements, we cut mounts and glass he puts his frames round them.

Then he brings in some photos he's framed. Can we help! they are horribly cockled.
He leaves them with us, we take them apart to find that they have been stuck down all the way round with masking tape, with a hardboard backing, no liner or undermount. A horrible job, all in all.

matey comes back. We tell him the correct way to mount pictures. Turns out this was a framing job for one of his "customers". Matey is masquerading as a picture framer and taking customers work in.

Can we sort it out for him, help, please, etc?

Not really, they are B*ggered, that is not our expertise. Sorry.
Suggest you try and replace the photos, and tell the customer that you accidenlty damaged tham. Hold you hands up, step into the spotlight, admit everything and generally the customer will be very understanding.

... or We can let our restorer have a look (but thats too expensive for him) or we can sell you some self adhesive dry mount board, But it will be a bodge, and it is a risk. Its up to you. You know the customer, you know if you can replace the photos, your call matey.

No problem, matey says, nothing to lose, they are no good as they are.

Then he comes back.... can we dry mount them onto the adhesive board for him, in case he mucks it up, and reasemle the frames, with theb proper backing and undermount etc....

So we do, and repeat it is on the understanding that he says they are no good as they are, and he doesn't want the restorer to see what he can do and he accepts the risks....

Lovely job, nice and flat. You know what the stuff is like, most of the time it works well, We've done it as a favour. Now please clear off, we have a living to make, we've helped you out of a fix, goodbye. go away and learn your alleged job. I think sue also hinted that there were training courses available....

Then three weeks later, matey writes this letter..... demands 100 great british pounds because he has had to replace the photographs which he ruined in the first place with his "framing techniques", and then they have been hung over a hot radiator and the adhesive has misbehaved on the board.

At the end of the day, I wish we'd never taken his order for mounts and pieces of glass, never tried helping him out of his predicament....

So the moral is- if someone comes in to buy a mount and a piece of glass, just sell them the mount and a piece of glass, and dont get involved.

Sigh....

ps. his chances of getting his hundred quid - slim to none. Over my dead body. Replied to the letter? better things to do with my life. CoCo the clown had the decency to wear a red nose....

[markw]

Some people do like to take the p***. Dont let it stop you being a nice chap.
I think I might have told him to sling his hook about the time I realised he was framing as a business - dont fix other peoples cock ups unless you can start from scratch.

[foxyframer]

Never had one quite as bad as yours. Bl**dy cheek! You must have the patience of a saint.

[norymags]

Kev, That story could and probably does happen to some framers in their life but many go untold due to the embarrassment of being criticised.

Me I had the same thing some years ago the prat came in and said he was going to start framing and he just wanted a wee chat. He also told me this was a snitch to do and he was going to do it his way and that it was easy money.

He was sent away with some good old fashioned scottish phrases and told to go and do it his way, he tried to but failed miserably, so they are out there, but they shouldn`t get a minute. Norrie

[kev@frames]

Yeah you are right Nory. But we see them come, and we see them go, dont we!

[frmhouse]

we have hade some of the same horor........customers that do the same. Wanting legnth of molding for mirrors that they want to cut then they incorectly put together then mirror goes.....well booooom in the floor they same molding is cheap grade and that it would not hold...well sorry not the case should not have tried to save a buck......use Vnails not brads fired up from bottom edge of frame. So we try not to do these what we call Crap work jobs if we can help.

www.framehousegallery.net