The Framers Forum

Just had a customer in asking me if i can stretch an oval canvas - of course I can?

No! she doesnt want a normal frame plus spandrel - I have already stretched the canvas on "normal" stretchers - she wants oval canvas in an ornate oval frame.

I have not had to do this Mark, so this is untried, but it might be possible to cut an oval shape from MDF over which the canvas could be stretched. Use your CMC to cut a fine oval mountboard fillet to be glued to the face at the outer edge of the 'stretcher' which would allow the canvas to clear the MDF.

However, if it were me, I would be tempted to transform the canvas into an oval panel!

I've never attempted to stetch one, but I've seen an old oil on an oval stretcher. It was made in sections and even had wedges to tighten it. It was probably Victorian and I guess it would have been custom made. There were a lot of tucks in the canvas around the sides and back and it was not possible to evenly tension the canvas.

Having seen the result, I would stick it down onto a board instead.
Cheers,
Mark

Fortunatley the canvas has no real value and the customer accepts that it can go on a board - its purely from a "I wonder how?" position that I asked the question. I shall do some research and post my findings - if any.