The Framers Forum

Can anyone suggest a practical, affordable way to transport moulding and mountboard samples around, say for home visits or whatever?

I was thinking of preparing a number of smallish mdf display panels to fit into suitcases or the like, but this seems an inelegant solution. What do you think?

thanks,
Calico

Funnily enough the advert under your question was for PreView visualisation software. This allows you to load up images of your moulding and mountboard and show customers different options and what the finished frame looks like. All you would need was a laptop and a camera to load up an image of the customers art work. You wouldn't need to have any samples at all. Just an idea.

Not just an idea, birdman, a GREAT idea! Is this visualisation software up to snuff, do you think? Are customers persuaded?

I would still take real samples with you, as this is a very touchy/feely industry, these visualisation software are only an aid to sale framing, you will find that your customers will still need to touch and feel the samples, the customer can also get a feel for the scale and size of the mouldings and mount card. Sorry but I don't feel you can select a mount colour on screen of an image taken by a camera, you need real mount samples to do this, I think this is also the same with the mouldings. By all means use it to as they say 'seal the deal', after they have short listed a few samples, and can't make up their minds.

As to your original question, I would use Foamcore covered with nylon display fabric, to stick your moulding to with Velcro, you could also pop a frame around the display board, and they could fit into a suite case if you want, similar to some moulding company reps. Or you could use a couple of artist portfolios and store the display boards in them.

Steve

How about a tailor made case, see attached, easily made using a morso and underpinned to form the two basic frames, cover with mdf and hinge together, etc etc. Line with display cloth, cost probably around £75.
Fits in behind driver's seat or lie flat in the boot.

Wow, that's a pretty impressive bit of DIY, kuduframes! Reminds me of a folding wallpaper pasting trestle table... in fact, maybe that's a way to go. I do agree that computer visualisation isn't as good as the real thing, although only having to cart around a laptop and camera does sound tempting. At £500 for the software, though

thanks everyone, much appreciated
Calico

Smart!

I used to use a B&Q (Focus DIY/whatever) folding wallpaper trestle table, kept the handle, got rid of the legs and lined it inside and out with velcro-friendly fabric - I used heavy duty velcro.

With the corner samples reverse-mitred I got 3 rows on four sides, plus some straight samples between - about 200 in total.

Along with that I had a briefcase with mount board chevrons in diagonally opposite corners; the central space they left was taken by my order book and a measuring tape.

If any customer could not decide from all that then in the car I had 3 suppilers' catalogues, two mount board colour charts and a box of smaller moulding samples.

Those were the days, no satnav, no mobile phone ..... no internet. Two, or maybe all 3 of those were around then, I just didn't have them.

The big advantage of doing business this way is that you get to offer samples up to the curtains, carpets, wallpaper, cabinets, etc and that seems to be a very big deal for so many customers - you know - 'the art has sod all in common with anything else in the room, but anything you put around it must match the room' !!!

Very good solution Robo.

Brilliant, thanks everyone. I think the wallpaper table is a winner, and very affordable.

Just one question, Roboframer, not sure I know what you mean by reverse mitres on the moulding samples. Could you explain please?

Thanks again,
Calico

The top sample is normal mitres, the middle is reverse cut as mentioned by Robo, and the bottom sample is straight cut.
The reverse cut is much tidier and easier to keep in line, in a carry case for example.

That's a good example; you can see from the top two samples that about the same amount of moulding is against the artwork for less overall space.

Great, thanks guys

I work from home so have to transport my moulding selection mountboard samples etc. I started with pasting tables but now use a suitcase with some display boards made up from ply board, covered with display fabric. Seems to work ok and the suitcase has wheels, which is just as well becaue either I'm getting weaker or the moulding choice is getting heavier!!