Compo mouldings

[Timh]

Does anyone know where I can get pre gessoed moulding from?
Frinton don't do it any more and they took it over from compo mouldings

[prospero]

I used to use a lot of pre-gessoed moulding. Wessex did a few at one time but they gradually disco'd them.

I still have some dribs and drabs.

The best option nowadays is the buy cheapo gold moulding and strip the leaf off with acetone which will leave the gesso layers intact.
Bit messy though.

[vintage frames]

Heavens knows where you could get that from.

Anyone could spray on the gesso in lengths, it's the smoothing off whch can't be so easily done.
You would need a spinning abrasive wheel with the moulding being power fed underneath.
Just the sort of thing a moulding manufacturer has.

Maybe use Prospero's suggestion but without needing to strip off the finish.

If it's to be gilded, just wipe on an oil gilding size.

[JFeig]

Pre-gessoed or pre-primed with a paint? There is a definite difference.

If the UK is any different that N. America, the waning demand for this is rapidly decreasing raw wood picture frame mouldings. Home lumber centers still have primed case mouldings in greatly fewer profiles that their raw assortments.

If you are not milling your own moulding in the US, I know of only 2 sources for raw wood for gilders, one on each coast. That is in addition to 2 hard wood mills that supply rather simple shapes that is sold either raw or have prefinished "furniture finishes".

When I started gilding in the late 1980s there were only a couple of vendors that offered pre-gessoed mouldings. They were finished corner manufacturers that also milled their own profiles. I don't think any offer them any more or are no longer in business.

[prospero]

In the past, when dealing with home-grown moulding manufacturers I sometimes managed to cajole them into taking
a quantity 'off the line' in the gesso stage. You have to have a reasonable amount (500ft?). Not sure if this would fly nowadays.

I got some from Frinton (Mouldings) maybe 20 years past and are just getting to the end of it. It was very useful though.

I also got compo'd stock from the Frinton Gallery which they would supply if you spoke to the nicely.

Some timber yards will mill up custom profiles. I remember getting some from Jewsons many years ago and it was good stuff
and not expensive. You have to specify the grade of timber. The basic 'cooking' grades won't do unless you want a rustic finish.
I ordered 50ft and when I went to collect it one length was 21ft long.