The Framers Forum

Yet another colonist invades.

I've been lurking around a little and just signed up a couple days ago. Some of you such as Bill Henry, Robo and Osgood may know me from the Grumble.

I've been in the framing industry for about 13 years now and since 2001 I have been working for the franchisor for The Great Frame Up and Deck The Walls. Mostly I do the training for new store owners, I'm the framing helpline, I do in-store support and generally keep my eye out for what's new and good.

I gained my CPF in '96 and became a MCPF in 2004. And just to keep things interesting and to take on a new challenge I intend to sit the GCF exam in February or so next year. I could take it here in the states with Vivian Kistler, but I'd rather have a good reason to take a trip to London.

I hope I can carry my weight around here, and I also hope I can gain a little more insight on how things are done over there. So please bear with me if I ask a lot of nit-picky GCF sort of questions during my visits.

So far it seems that things aren't that much different. Three differences seem to stand out:

1. You prefer "licky-sticky" to seal up the back while we prefer a paper dust cover. I can see benefits to both.

2. For a long time foam-center board was quite dear over there and MDF was used a lot as a backing. I get the impression that this is changing in favour of foam board. Is this generally true?

3. You seem to do ruled lines and painted panels much more than we do here. In fact that's the biggest worry I have for the GCF and the thing I need to practise most.


And bear with me; I promise to try and get used to millimeters and remember the occasional extra u.

Welcome aboard Dave.

There have been rumours about health issues with MDF which might drive a changeover. Otherwise I am happy to use it for most jobs.

In the lats 20 years I have gone from ruled lines on almost every mount, to almost zero. Probably seen as old-fashioned now. Anyway, I never charged enough for this service so it is not such a big loss.

G'day Dave and welcome!

These guys here in the Mother Country are very friendly.

Perhaps you and I can gang up on the people here who still use MDF and persuade them to give up this evil practise! Rather than hijack this thread, I might start a new one on that topic.

Osgood

Your gonna need a big gang !

SBS and sealed with gum strip in time honoured fashion looks smart if it's done properly, always with an acid-free barrier between that and the artwork.

Hi again Dave,

Washlines (French Mats) are as popular over here as framers that can do them/be bothered to do them, want to make them.

It's probably my favourite job and the best selling design at present is a panel, about an inch wide, starting at the aperture, edged either with a line in a darker tone of the same colour or gold leaf and then a couple more lines, close together, about quarter inch out from that.

For panels that go up to the aperture I cut the aperture half an inch smaller than it should be, paint the panel, and then cut the correct size when dry, to give an unpainted bevel. Also paint can seep in to the corners and bleed under the cut bevel - this prevents it - well doesn' 'prevent' it - you just cut that bit out and throw it away!