Hi All! I need a compo recipe and 1 more thing (:

[briton]

Hello everyone !!!

I first want to say that this forum is amazing!!! People in here helped me a lot about the ornate frames issue.
WELL DONE (:


1. I need a good compo recipe without lots of materials so i can use it for my first time.

2. In the picture that i have added, you can see the in one picture the edges of the frame are straight, and in the other frame it curls. I have seen in youtube a video of a person who makes those ornate frame and i have seen that he cut from the wood the shape that he wanted and than applied on the compo ornaments.
I can see it also in the frames that i have, can anyone tell me please what is the easiest way to do that?

Thank u and God Bless !!!

[JFeig]

COMPO - JONATHAN THORTON - Univ of NY @ Buffalo
1. 15gm. R. S. G. ; 75gm. hide glue; 40gm. raw linseed oil
2. 130ml. water
3. 500gm. whiting



The comp is worked while warm - pressed into a mold coated with oil as a release agent with a wood board pressing the compo in a book press. The ornament is removed from the board with a thin bladed knife.

It is steamed over a pot of water to reactivate the glue, and pressed onto the frame.

[prospero]

Hi briton.

I don't know for certain the way the curves on the sides are formed, but I always assumed they were done with a drum sander. You can only do them on a certain moulding profile called 'Swept'. It looks like a breaking wave in profile. Hence the term 'Swept Frame'. *This has become a generic term for almost any frame with corner ornaments, but it refers to the profile of the moulding. You can have a swept frame with no ornaments on at all. I'm pretty sure that the curves are cut in after the corner/centre ornaments are applied. Could be wrong.... But it makes sense to me to do it this way as you can't tell where the curves will be unless you know where the ornaments start and stop. Sometimes an extra rope pattern (straight of twisty) is applied along the ridge of the curve.

Of course, once upon a time these frames would all be carved by hand. Ornaments and all.

Hoping some a bit more knowledable will chip in as this is a subject of great interest to me.

[briton]

Hi again!!!

Thank u so much for your super fast response!

Well, i know what is RSG, the linseed oil, and water. But what is it HIDE GLUE and WHITING ?


This is the like that will show you PROSPERO that they cut the frame before they apply the ornaments.
He also cut out a part from the cornerand the center, don't know why.




Thank's

[briton]

???


Please don't for get to answer my last reply!


Thank u (:

[standenfineart]

http://theframersforum.com/viewtopic.ph ... ing#p39135

[prospero]

Only just seen the video. (It wouldn't play yesterday. )

It does seem the curves were formed before the ornaments were applied. I assume the notch in the centre is to provide a better key for the centre ornament.

btw. Hide Glue (sometimes called Animal Glue) is made from various bits of animals (skins, hooves....) The stuff used in gilding is called Rabbit Skin Glue, which would fall into this category. Whiting (Gilder's Whiting) is just finely ground chalk dust.

[SPF]

With any swept frame the process is straightforward. The composition is applied and then the frame is carved up to the applied ornament. Any overhanging ornament is then 'backed up' to strengthen and meet the wooden frame profile. If the frame is to be 'double swept' the frame is initially carved to shape, the ornament is then applied and the final carving is done afterward.

[framemaker]

But what is it HIDE GLUE and WHITING ?

Hide glue is sold as pearl glue, and as Prospero says, it is a form of animal glue.

Whiting is calcium carbonate or chalk.

I don't think it matters if you cut away the excess wood before or after you apply the compo ornament, some do it before, some after.

I would cut the rail curves after applying the ornament, with a flush cut Japanese saw. I reckon anything which can cut wood in a slight curve from a fret saw to a laminate trimmer would do the job.

1. I need a good compo recipe without lots of materials so i can use it for my first time.

I don't think this exists, JFeig has given you as straight forward recipe as possible, although I would add pine rosin to this mixture.

[JFeig]

I have accumulated about 6 different styles of recipes for compo over the last 20 years. True, I just posted the most basic.

One thing to remember about compo ----- It was developed to eliminate labor costs (wood carving the details). It was preceded with paper mache in the 1700's.



COMPO - LOEFFLER - 2.7 kg
300 gm. hide glue; 246 gm rosin; 118 ml linseed oil; 5 ml glycerin; 1516 gm whiting
soften in water
melt rosin in linseed oil - double boiler
mix wet ingredients with whiting

[AineAF]

Hello there,
Could someone please give me guidance on how to make composition ornament. I have made the mould of the frames missing pieces and I’m unsure on mixing the ingredients for the compo.
Hugely grateful for anyone there who can help.
Ann

[vintage frames]

Hi Ann

There are two ways to make compo.
One is to buy it ready-made from Gold Leaf Supplies.
The other way is as below -

Soak 250gm of Pearl Glue in 125ml water, overnight.
Heat in a bain-marie untill melted and add
20ml glycerine.

Melt 100gm of Rosin (colophony) in a dry saucepan and then add
60ml of Linseed Oil (not boiled oil) and
20ml Venice Turpentine - Get this from Great Art and heat the bottle in hot water in order to get it to pour.

Tip the melted Rosin mix into the hot glue and stir.

Wearing vinyl gloves and smothered in Talcum Powder (buy 1kg to have handy), tip the hot mixture into a mixing bowl containing
500gm Whiting.

Knead it all together until it has the consistency of glaziers putty.
Divide it into 5 or 6 small cakes and wrap each in cling film. It will keep for years in the freezer.

The quickest way to re-heat for use is in a microwave.
Look up Ruth Tappin's Youtube videos as to how to use it or come back here.
I'd be delighted to discuss it further.

[AineAF]

Thank you very much. I’m delighted to get your support and instructions.
I will let you know how it goes!
Huge thanks
Ann