The Framers Forum

I have passed the initial stage of a business grant application, with potential funding to fit out my new workshop with some storage, signage and IT equipment.

Getting into the nitty-gritty of the paperwork, there is now scope to ask for funding for additional equipment. Probably £3-400, or more if I can match-fund it. It is a great opportunity but I need to choose wisely and specify the items with costs.

I cannot spend funds on consumables.

So I wondered what extra tools or equipment you have found invaluable that I could consider while I have the chance?

I can buy new or used. But there is a limited time period to make the purchases, so I can’t spend a long time waiting for something elusive to appear on eBay.

I have the basics - Morso, mount cutter, underpinnner, Excalibur, tab guns, micro stitch gun. Also a manual roller press.

So I’m thinking things like decent rulers, a larger cutting mat, that kind of thing. Things to make work just that little bit easier. Things I didn’t know I needed.

Any ideas for my virtual shopping list?

Edit: I’ve just thought of a microwave for when I start using wheat paste in future.

An ATG gun, they look cool.

Starting a small wish list

Have you got a decent glass cutter? And a glass nibbler? And a diamond file? The latter two items haven't been in daily use, but I've found them invaluable from time to time.

You might find one of these useful, although you can make your own if you didn't want to buy one.

https://www.lionpic.co.uk/p/39419/Glass ... mm-x-600mm

I'd have a look through some of the framing suppliers' online catalogues, see what takes your fancy, and then ask back here if it's worth getting.

What a nice position to be in

There's maybe not much demand for oval mounts these days, but they do crop up from time to time. So you could consider getting an oval mount cutter.

I would definitely have a compressor...

I would approach this question a different way. Depending on the type of work you do.

Look carefully at what the steps you regularly go through, and which bits could be speeded up with another piece of kit.

I have a ruler, Stanley knife, pencil, tape measure etc for each bench to avoid walking backwards and forwards (each morning I pick them all up from the same bench, and spread them out again!)

Simple jobs like taping up the back of pictures, fitting the D rings etc can be speeded up by a few seconds with
Licky sticky tape dispenser
Cordless Electric screwdriver
Cordless Electric pilot drill
Assembly can be speeded up with a cordless vacuum cleaner to ensure the bench is clean, and an air gun/compressor to blow the frame clean.

As already said, - a compressor.
£150 should do it.

I’d go with compressor too, and the first tool to attach to it, which could be within your budget too, would be an Omer 53 point driver. If fires flexi and semi-rigid points; the flexis won’t drop out after removing a frame back more than twice and the semi rigids are ten times more effective than manually fired rigids!

I had a small Bambi compressor running one of those, an underpinner and a CMC.

Google both compressor and gun and click “shopping “ - don’t just look at framing suppliers. I got my compressor from a dedicated eBay store and my suppliers couldn’t get near the price.

You have not mention how you want to store your tools and supplies beside your work bench. A good rolling tool chest would be a good investment such as used by mechanics. That also keeps your bench work area free of clutter.

Dust extractor.

If the underpinner isn't pneumatic upgrade it, to go with the compressor.
A good air staple gun.
Two cordless drills one with a drill bit the other with a 'Philips' head so you're not constantly changing them. I use Makita very reliable get a spare battery too.
Decent vacuum, I use a Dyson, again very reliable and it's on/off all day long.
Extra work bench if you have room.
Review your lighting, LED's? Extra lighting over equipment/benches.
Good luck hope it goes well.

Thank you all, some really good suggestions and things that I wouldn't have thought of, really appreciate it.
I have to match-fund anything I ask for hence the £3-400 as I would then only need to find £150-200 but I am willing to go higher if it is worthwhile. I did look at some bigger ticket items like a hot press, but they are are a stretch too far right now.

These are covered with items I already have or have been gathering over the last few weeks:
Office desk/chair (Freecycle )
Second work bench/board storage
Vacuum (battered but functional)
Underpinner - CS88 and spare CS79, and I have just stocked up with some spares to future-proof.
Glass nibbler/cutter/file.
Sticky licky A wonderfully kind framer gave me one and it is awesome! You know who you are.

Storage - covered elsewhere within the grant and I am also pinching some units from around our house.
Lighting - I will need to see the set up once I get the keys but I have to seek permission to make changes so that is for the future probably.
Dust extractor - I'm not really that dusty tbh. Messy, chaotic yes. Is that the same thing?

That expanding glass stand thingy I made myself from some pound shop trellis and plastic bumpers . I forgot I had it until you said!

Added to the shopping list:
Drill/driver - good shout! Currently just use manual tools or pinch our house one.
Cordless vacuum for the desk
Extra rulers/measures
Iron Is that silly?

Seriously considering:
Oval mount - interesting idea I am tempted by. Somebody enquired about oval glass recentl.. We have an annual Victorian Festival here so maybe something to tap into style-wise.

[Compressor This I am very interested in. I am only low volume around my day-job so I've never looked at these. I don't think I (yet) need pneumatic tools, but I am loving the blower idea and being able to add as I grow. Bambi was mentioned, but if I look at Toolstation (I have a business account and 5% discount) an Einhell version start at £139. I will go away and research, but - quality aside - are compressors generally universal to fit all tools? Or do I need to stick with one brand from the outset?

I have just thought of sorting out my Morso. I have no guards at all (but still 10 fingers ) and I'd like a waste chute and the bolt that locks the blade height. I could also do with a couple of bits to service my excalibur. I wonder if they count as consumables?

It is a lovely position to be in. The grant isn't yet guaranteed but I have been asked to submit my full application so I'm hopeful. I've always funded everything myself so this is quite exciting! Even better once I can move in and start making use of everything (not long now hopefully).

Off to browse catalogues......

When looking at compressors I would consider how noisy they are, if you are in a small workspace and talking to a customer and the compressor kicks in that's annoying.
You will need pipes, fittings, blow off gun maybe a moisture trap

A cheap basic compressor like the one you mentioned on Toolstation will give you lots of compressed air but will rattle like hell when running.
You could put it in the loo, out of the way and that could help. All compressor fittings are universal and you can run the air hose as long a distance as you like, a bit like the long lead on your vacuum cleaner.

A much better idea would be to buy the Einhell silent compressor for an extra £60, again from Toolstation.
However, if you want to stay within a reasonable budget, I'd sacrifice the silence for a compressor with a 50litre tank and stick it in the loo.
There's one on Toolstation for £223.
Why the 50litre tank?
Because that's a big 50litre reserve of compressed air which will take you a while to use up. That means the compressor only kicks in occasionally. And that means the compressor will have a much longer life.
The small compressors have only 6litre tanks and will fire up almost as soon as you start using the air.
Compressed air is a bit like electricity. You'll wonder how you ever managed without it.

Thank you both, very useful information and definitely getting me thinking!

I am of the opinion 'buy once, buy right' so I'm not necessarily out to spend as little as possible. If a better model is worth it in the long run I consider it money well spent.

The grant also has claw-back clauses if I dispose or sell any equipment within a certain timeframe, so there is no point getting something that I would soon want to upgrade.

A seriously big rubbish bin.

prospero wrote: ↑Fri 26 Jan, 2024 10:53 am A seriously big rubbish bin.

I have two wheelie bins - does that count?
Just an update. Thank you for all your input but I didn't get the grant in the end. Boo.

The feedback was that a new fund is now being offered that would be more appropriate. Fair enough. The other issue is that I didn't ask for enough funding (!) and was below the minimum threshold. I asked for £500, the minimum is £1000. I've been advised to increase my request and apply for the new fund. Which sounds great on the surface (free money), but as any award is match-funded means I would need to find £1000 to start with, which I simply do not have.

As well as some fairly strict clawback clauses spanning 5 years, it makes what sounded a good deal potentially becoming a bit of a millstone. So I will probably just carry on as I am in terms of my outfit and focus instead on trying to bring in more business. At the same time keeping an eye on here and ebay for 2nd-hand bargains.

I will keep that wish-list to hand just in case though!

Ah that's a shame but it sounds like a double edged sword. It did sound a bit like Christmas! Most of the fun is buying the tools as and when you need them. It probably explains why many of us don't actually make any money for the first few years, as we've spent it all on building up our tools and materials as we need them.

Pray tell, what is this “money” of which you speak?

Small and very affordable piece of kit that I wouldn't be without. A thread counter magnifier.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw= ... 6736c64448

Useful to get "up close and personal" with bits in the surface of mountboard, checking customer work to see if that fleck/speck is actually on the surface and removable or not, looking at overcuts etc etc etc.

We in the trade, called that a linen tester.

Here’s a thing I shoplifted from that side of our shop, extremely useful, especially for splinters!