The Framers Forum

We have just started offering what photographers like to call box frames but are in reality inlay frames with front loading images. Here is an example:
The light wood frame at the back is Simon's BOXX/0003.

We are having problems cutting it to fit the laminated photos. Either it is too big, which is not so bad because it can be trimmed to fit. Much worse is it cuts too small meaning we are wasting moulding.

The inlay moulding looks like this in section:
Does anyone have any simple method of cutting it correctly and first time on the Morso please?

Rolf

My very unscientific method is to mark the length I need to cut on the moulding then cut slightly oversize and trim back. When happy I set the stop on the measuring arm and cut the next length.

Yeah, that's what I mean J2M, it's unscientific. Why can't there be a simple way of cutting it to size in one go?

Something that just occurred to me is that if I was cutting a normal frame I would normally add 2 or 3mm to the glass size for wiggle room. I wonder if I should be doing the same with the inlay moulding?

ok its easy peasy

dry mount the image onto foamcore, about 1 inch larger on either edge

trim the foamcore back to the print

no to measure if you want the moulding tight against the foamcore, measure the size of the upright bit as your rebate width, or if you want a little shadow gap say 3mm add that to the upright width to give you the rebate width

Thanks Steve,

I guess you mean the upright bit shown here in the revised diagram?
Using that method we are still coming up short by a few mm. I guess we'll just have to add at least 3mm to the bottom measurement each time.

Rolf

yes rolf exactlly

the 3mm is if you want a shadow gap, ie space between inside of the frame and edge of print


if your coming up short, i suspect that there is some kind of calibration issue somewhere

if your upright bit is 5mm and you set that on the top scale and cut 300mm on the bottom scale you should get a piece with 300 between the mitres at the inside of the upright bit

if its not 300 then there is either a calibration issue or its not 5mm but say 5.5 or something

Rolf. Get yourself a digital vernier gauge.

These tend to be made in standard sizes e.g. 20 x 16, 24 x 20 etc. So thinking about it I should make myself a chart listing the Morso settings for 16", 20", 24" and so on. I tend to leave a 2mm gap all the way round and have just gone over to black foam core so there is no white edge visible.

Thanks for the advice. The gauge sounds like something for the Christmas present list.

The chart actually sounds like a good idea and if the calibration is off for some reason the actual settings will be recorded for future use, which might prevent a lot more pfaffing about.

Thanks guys.

Rolf

Hi Rolf

I work out what the outside size of the frame should be, and set my rebate adjustment arm on the morso to zero ( 0 )

I use a callipers to work out the thickness of the stickey up bit

So image size + sticky up bit (5mm in your photo) x 2 + 3mm gap.

So for a drymounted and Laminated image size 200 mm x 300 mm

Set stops to 200mm + 10mm + 3mm = 213mm with a zero rebate
&
300 + 10 + 3 = 313 with a zero rebate


As clear as mud

Stephen thanks for that. I'll try some mud wading over the weekend. If it works for you then I'm sure it'll work for us?

Rolf

J2M,

Quick question I meant to ask ages ago, where are you getting your black foamcore tape?

Rolf

The foam core I use is black front and back and the core is black too plus it is more rigid than the white ones I have used

I get it from Tawnycraft in Northampton.

Arqadia list a black foam core but I have never bought it direct from them. Could be the same stuff, not sure.

Thanks J2M,

Not seeing it in the catalogue or online with Arqadia but I'll ask them if they do it. Tawnycraft is perhaps an option if they are happy to do a "one off" sale but I'll check with Arqadia first.

Rolf - This is the Arqadia catalogue number 999 000 631. Comes in packs of ten and website says 290 in stock.

I am also finding it useful to make spacers for deep rebate frames as I like the extra rigidity over white foam board. Helps use up the offcuts too!

Once again I thank you.

I've just realised we are talking about two different products here. We use white double sided foam tape to hold the board in the frame and I thought you had found a black version. We sell the frames to a photographer/printer who put his own photos into the frames using the foam tape that we have fitted into the rebate.

If I had read the original post correctly I would have seen that you said black foam core - doh! It's been a long day but thanks for your suggestions they have been useful anyway.

I would be wary of using tape since having a bad experience. I used some decent quality (TESA) double sided tape and had a customer come back having had the foam board mounted image fall out! It had been positioned over a radiator.

I now use PVA wood glue, having roughed up the surface of the moulding, and I wrap it tightly with andy wrap and allow to go off overnight.

OK, this is my method, I’ve only done one so far and it was for myself, experimental !
First I printed on matt paper, when dry I spayed with one coat of Frog Juice, this stops print marking and saturates colours.
Next I mounted on foam board, guess it makes little difference if white or black core is used.
With a straightedge and setsquare, trim to perfect square or rectangle.
Use Jonny 2Morso’s method next but make frame slightly undersize 1/1.5 mm: My very unscientific method is to mark the length I need to cut on the moulding then cut slightly oversize and trim back. When happy I set the stop on the measuring arm and cut the next length.
After assembling frame see how much needs removing from mounted print to fit.
To remove excess use a sanding-block with aluminium-oxide abrasive paper to sand edge, it’s tedious but it works.(not to fine a grade)
Finally I fixed foamboard mounted print into the frame with a hot melt glue gun from the rear.
Optionally, which I’ve done, spray with Frog Juice again which in theory should seal the face and edge of print, now on test in our shower bathroom.

Thought I'd bring this back to the top because I have had a real nightmare with this and it didn't seem to work consistently, and more importantly easily whatever I tried to do.

I thought I would ask Ricky Patterson at Mainline Mouldings for advice, as I was cutting some of their moulding at the time. His reply which I've copied below made sense and worked for us first time so I thought it worth sharing.

"I’ve just cut a frame ok by measuring the upright. I put that measurement (0.62mm) on the sliding scale and transfer that measurement to the frame size. I notice in the framers forum drawing you have the upright as 5mm – I think this is the issue.

Also, the fence on your Morso may be slightly proud or shy of the measuring scale so turn the moulding upside down so you can measure accurately against the scale.

The other way to do it is to add the upright measurement x 2 (0.62 x 2 = 0.124) to the frame size and then use the 0 on the moving scale to set the size."

Thanks to Ricky for helping us out and for agreeing to let me share this.

Rolf