Massive Mouldings

[vintage frames]

Dan, HI. Take a day out and go to Tate Britain. Have a look at the frames from all the periods, 18th cent to the 50's and 60's. If you're not inspired and fired up, then take your curiosity no further. But if that does get you going, then your local library is your best bet - books on framing, gilding and wood finishing. It's all on the internet but hidden inside too much noise.

[prospero]

Hand-finishing mouldings is very much a Dark Art. The basic premise is anything goes as long as it looks right and doesn't flake off.

Everyone who does it has their own ways and they are all 'right'. There are instructional books/vids on such things as staining/polishing and
gilding but that is a small part of it. The best way is to experiment.

[cleaver]

I wasn't attempting to prise any trade secrets from anyone....I just wondered if anyone could recommend a good book that deals with the basics of hand finishing.

Yes there are lots of books on it out there; I was merely after a recommendation or two from the forum. E.g. I bought about a dozen picture framing books (used) off Amazon & ebay, and more than half went straight down the charity shop, as they were awful.

Hey ho.

[prospero]

This one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Picture-Framin ... 1853911615 has a bit in about finishing.

Worth a go for £0.01

I don't mind giving out my secrets, but I'm not sure I know them myself. It's a bit like teaching someone your handwriting.

[Not your average framer]

The book shown by Prosperro is written by Pete Bimgham and I would guess most of us have than book. Then there's a couple of good one by Piers and Coroline Feetham and another useful book on woodfinishing by Frederick Oughton and that's the main ones I've got.

[cleaver]

Thanks, Mark, that's great.

All the best.

[cleaver]

Just ordered those books, Mark....thanks again.

Hand finishing sounds like a 'must' for framers: whether it's assuaging the problem of damage/defects, giving so much more stock flexibility/choice for customers, or getting more value from cheaper moulding, it feels like a no-brainer.

And as a Brucie bonus, dodgy mitres etc can be 'blended' before finishing (probably the main reason it's of interest to me )

[Not your average framer]

Hand finishing is not automatically a must for all framers, some business have to pay really high overheads and a much faster though put to make enough money to pay the overheads. You also need the right type of customers, who are willing to pay for that sort of work, so a lot will depend upon your location as well.

Having said all that, I get quite a bit of my business by offerings things that are different than what everyone else is offering and hand finishing does enable you to offer something that's different. I never deliberately planned to get into hand finished framing and I never set out be be different at the time, it was just something I did at the time to help out the odd customer and word of mouth did much of the rest.

[prospero]

One advantage of HF....

You can get customers who regularly want frames of the same style. Artist customers who exhibit like to develop a 'house style'.
If you use finished moulding then sooner or later it's going to become unobtainable.

[Not your average framer]

And I tell customers that if they have an accident and mark the frame, I easily refinish the frame for them and it will look like new again.

[cleaver]

Any road up, that monster moulding this thread is about gets more amazing the more I look at it. Take a bow, prospero!

[prospero]

Flattery will get you everywhere.

[cleaver]

LOL. but I am genuinely scared someone would ask me to make such a beast one day. And I'm guessing it wasn't hung with D.I.T.H (or whatever it's called)

BTW, What are you doing up at 3.41am!!

[prospero]

Big frames are just the same as small frames but bigger.

The main problem is that you need a lot of space and they monopolise the work space while under construction. They also
are tricky to move about. You really need a helper - or arms like a gibbon. They can get very heavy.

When I had finished the Christmas monster it took at least a day to put the shop back to where it was.

It's fun to do a giant frame now and then, but often you get halfway though and wonder what exactly you have taken on.

[cleaver]

Yes, but if one butchers a mitre, I can't imagine how expensive the mistake is. Even cutting the longs first, you still have to have more moulding for the replacement long......at £!!! per foot (and/or have to make it up again - like the one in this thread).

Anyway, you're kidding no one: you're probably up at 3.41am with stress about another monster you've got on the go!

[prospero]

Well it's your job and you wanted it.

[cleaver]

As long as you're not expecting me to pay rush charges