Repairing frames, dents, chips and knocks

[birdman]

I read in an earlier thread someone mention that moulding comes so well packed these days that it is rarely damaged and that back in "ye olden days" a framer had to be adept at repairing damage.

This is still something that is useful to know and repairing chipped gesso and getting a match for the suppliers finish can be a test of a framers knowledge and skill. We have struggled on, learning as we go, mainly by our mistakes and I wondered if there was anywhere that provides training in this sort of thing. The Forum and the Grumble are good sources of information and suggestions but there is nothing like some hands-on tutoring.

Anyone have any recommendations?

Rolf

[markw]

Arm yourself with an array of fillers and waxes as well as a little knowledge.

damage to mouldings doesn't just occur in transit - the odd slip in production can often lead to an embarrassing dent that makes the job unpresentable. Dents can often be persuaded to disappear by swelling them out - boiling water on a cotton wool swab works wonders - if the moulding has a lacquered finish use a pin to puncture the surface.

Waxes - a mid brown - black patinating and liming wax are all useful - as are some of the more specific colours, gold silvers etc. On most surfaces waxes can be used to disguise blemishes - be careful on waxed finishes. the best applicator is a standard issue digit - with waxes dabbed not rubbed. allow time for finishers to dry. Fillers of various colours can be mixed - when you dont have the right colour wood can be sanded off and mixed with a little pva to make a perfect match.

[Roboframer]

I've never heard of a course in frame repair - not as in a newly made frame that has self inflicted damage
(If it's not self inflicted - send it back!)

Plenty on restoration though - but that's for frames WORTH restoring.

Frankly, for the time it takes to fill in and match up a little annoying (but still glaring) dink - I'd rather, for most mouldings, just take a deep breath and give it 'Long sides in to short sides - new long sides'

If you are in to hand finishing though, you will have plenty of stuff about to have a pot at it - but still you have to think about how much time it is going to add to the job - how much would you be charging someone that brought in a frame for this type of repair, and is that more than it would cost to replace it?

[markw]

Self inflicted is the correct term in most cases John. Had a customer damage a frame by shutting his car door on it the other day - even through bubble wrap he managed to inflict a nasty little dent. quick application of very hot cotton wool swab swelled the wood enough to fix the problem. I would also agree that if its more than a quick touch up your wasting time.

[framemaker]

I agree with Roboframer, in my experience repairs to factory finished mouldings are time consuming, and it is very difficult to match finishes to a reasonable standard.

I get lots of frames brought to me by galleries or artists with minor chips and scuffs, these have usually done the rounds and been to various different galleries, where the idea of careful handling of framed paintings does not exist!

If the damaged frame is a standard finished moulding it is usually just replaced, and sometimes it is upgraded with a hand made frame which is more expensive but more likely to sell if presented very well.

If the frame is a solid painted finish we usually sand back and paint the whole frame. I find that water gilded frames (where the cost of repair is considerably less than a new frame) with chips to the gesso/gilding are a hell of alot easier to repair and perfectly match than a factory finish with foil or metal leaf.

With a chip on a suppliers finished frame such as GAL/7 or similar flat profile with metal leaf or foil you can fill the chip with wood filler and then match with gilt creams or fillers but to my eye the area would still stick out, gold touch up creams reflect light differently to leaf/foil and are always going to stand out.

Plain profiles are just not worth the hassle, but more ornate profiles, often with heavy washes and distressing are much easier to repair to a reasonable standard and within an acceptable time. The variation in the surface textures and colours on ornate frames are very forgiving and make it easy to blend a repair in.

[gesso]

If the moulding comes damaged from the supplier Its straight on the phone and get them to send a replacement. I've spent hours repairing damaged mouldings and I am a very experienced (22 yrs) HFer. anyone bringing me a manufactured frame for repair are asked if they have an blank cheque, as it will be charged at what it takes with no guarantees (I'm not a charity) Its hard enough to repair (to a good standard) a HF frame let alone the carp that passes as manufactured now a days.

so usually its a 'start again from new' or sometimes its best to just say no!

as to your question on learning if you can get hold of good books on gilding, french polishing and wood/furniture restoration you'll have all the info there to manage anything that comes your way

[prospero]

It was flaws in factory-finished moulding that drove me to hand-finishing. After all, what is hand-finishing but touching-up taken to the nth degree. Some factory moulding touch-up very nicely. Others are near impossible, or at least unfeasable from an economic point of veiw. Dents, spilts, knots, etc, hold no terrors for me any more. Plus, if a frame gets damaged later on I can repair the finish perfectly.

Example: A gallery I do a lot of framing for had two big paintings framed in a 4" wide flat gilded moulding. Nice finish but veeery delicate. Someone stuck a price label on the frame with blu-tak. Someone bought the painting. They took label off together with a chunk of leaf leaving a red patch. Bought frame to yours truely for touch-up. Because of the very subtle gradated toning over the leaf, plus the fact that the moulding was flat, there was no way I could patch it. Instead I stripped the gold off the whole frame (didn't take much effort) and regilded it with gold powder. The only alternative was to replace the frame in the same moulding. Not a cheap proposition given the size of the frames (51" sq).

Did I say two big paintings? Yes, they did the same with the other one.

[Moglet]

It was flaws in factory-finished moulding that drove me to hand-finishing.

I took the coward's way out and went for Larson Juhl...

[Not your average framer]

I think that most so called "touch-up" materials (i.e. wax fillers, etc) are only suitable for small chips on the outside edges of mitres and limited in what they can acheive. We ALL should know when it's time to forget it and make a new frame. You can usually re-make a duff frame into a ready made to recover your costs, so why waste your time?