The Framers Forum

I've had very nice 'big name' gesso/plaster coated mouldings that have been absolutely fine, then suddenly they change and it's noticeable the moment I pick a length up, it's heavier.

The reason is that the wood has been changed from something 'nice' (and I couldn't tell you what it was if it wasn't ash, oak, beech or pine ..... possibly maple too) to finger-jointed pine .... and the coating is different too. So maybe the supplier has got a different manufacturer to rip it off or the manufacturer, once the line has got established, has reduced material cost but not price, to increase profit?

So now the Morso blades have to deal with a nasty brittle coating and different grain type/direction all at the same time and the truth is that even uncoated, the moulding itself would be 'Morso-unfriendly'

I've just taken on a couple of new mouldings from a supplier (I won't big them up here but their initials are A&T) - when the rep showed me the samples I said "Uh-Oh - gesso-coated" - he showed me the mitred ends - the gesso is keyed in to the moulding like this - uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu - they cut like a dream.

Never have a problem with coated stuff in Nielsen's 'Exclusive' range either.

kev@frames wrote:there are so many moulding choices available that you shouldn't need to "make do" and bodge up standard frame shop equipment to cut it. Most of the time you can find an alternative that will cut OK.

Its a good idea to shell out and buy a length or two rather than just scrounge chevron samples, and put a frame together from it and see how it is before offering it on your board to customers. I have had a few this year that looked really great by the stick, but turned into pretty second rate corners by the time they had been put together from the actual mouldings the suppliers sent.
You even get some where the finish cracks under the pressure of the underpinner clamp.

I totally agree, most of us just don't have the time bodge up, we need to get onto the next job and make money, so vote with your feet, if it's carp, don't buy it and tell them.

Steve N wrote:I totally agree, most of us just don't have the time bodge up, we need to get onto the next job and make money, so vote with your feet, if it's carp, don't buy it and tell them.

I agree with you except there are times when you have to use them, usually because of cost (no suprises that the moulding is cap) or when it is a moulding you have used for 5 yrs week in week out and that is what the client expects. And I am not just talking about the odd few frames, the moulding I was talking about I was using 1000ft a month, and to change required approval from my client, their client and eventually the brand manager of a major Pubco, who by this point probably thought it was better to change supplier.

So if I buy a length of moulding I expect it to do what it was made for, to cut into four pieces with 45 degree angles on the ends without breaking into a thousand pieces.

I know we do have a few reps and people from moulding suppliers lurking about, perhaps it is about time that they start speaking up.

I have had this problem with some mouldings so I have simply taken them off display and used the remaing stock for ready mades but one range in particular I stocked up with matching mount slips which I guess will sit on the rack forever now. I also had another batch of samples that did not make it as far as the display as they failed the quality requirements when I first cut them.

To be fair these were both cheap ranges so if people want cheap they now get plastic (Lion Minerva) which tends to be more reliable quality.

My problem has always been when I use a moulding for contract work which is great and then overtime the quality drops but as i have explained above you then have dificulty in switching, clients don't understand and more to the point don't want to understand the problems you may be experiencing this just want the frame that they have always had.

I don't think you should blame the Morso either. And it's easy to eliminate it as a culprit: slip a timber spacer off cut behind the moulding and see what happens.

Here's my input for what it's worth.
I was getting quite bad chunks coming off. I spent a while having a good look at what was happening and my conclusions are that some were worse than others.
There was also a bit of a problem with a slight gap between the blade and the base (someone else mentioned that) so I moved the base as close as I could until the blades just clear it, which again helps with the issue.
Finally I make the last cut as small and as quick as possible, which reduces the raggedness / chunks falling off.
This was just a day or two ago, so I'll keep an eye on it and see what happens.