The Framers Forum

Hello there, I'm hoping I might put a recent frame to you all for critique. I've produced perhaps a handful of frames now, so it's a good time to take stock. First things first, I'm impervious to taking offence. As with my painting, above all else I'm keen to improve the quality of what I produce. I...

@vintage frames Diolch for your lengthy and detailed reply. Yeah, you're not far at all. I see your website has some great content too, I'll check it out. And your IG is full of frames I'd love to emulate one day, very inspirational. That burr elm veneered frame is beautiful. I'll reach out on IG to...

@Not your average framer

I've got my gesso on a hotplate with a thermometer in it, I keep it fairly stable around 55 degrees. So I think this is about right?

Where I gesso is essentially a shed, so perhaps the layers are cooling fairly rapidly.

@JFeig thakns for your input. It's very possible the level of detail loss is totally normal. It's hard to say when you're giving this a go on your own from videos. I've contemplated buying a few nice frames to serve as "models" to copy, as my only real exposure to frames is in museums or p...

Hello there, I'm still very new to framing. Right now the only way I really know how to finish a frame is by sizing, gessoing, bole, and then gold leaf. But I've encountered a problem - the gesso seems to me quite thick (1:1.2 RSG to Gesso by weight) such that after 5-7 layers the detailing of the m...

It's fair to say that you got yourself a bargain and I hope you have many years of happiness together! As painful and frustrating as it is, for some of us problem solving issues like this is the best way to get to know tools. Cheers Justintime, yeah it was worth the 3 hour round trip and packing it...

That's a great video JKX, definitely going to bookmark it as there are a few bits of my Morso that could use some attention. Shows how it all fits together too, very useful. Thanks again for your help!

So mystery solved. Firstly, massive thank you to everyone for chipping in ideas. Having bought the Morso off ebay for £150 and made just a handful of frames, I'd have been tempted to give up were it not for everyone's suggestions. Getting it fixed has really made my day. I feel rather silly at the u...

Thanks for the additional suggestions everyone. @Not your average framer - Good ideas. I've given the rebate supports a good clean, lubricated the track, tried different positions, etc, with no difference. I'd think it'd be clear the metal-on-metal noise was coming from them if they were causing the...

It is almost certainly due to sticky through a lack of lubrication. I've had my own Morso starting to get a ittle bit stuck and needed to lubricate it through the little hole on top of the flat cast iron surface in front of the pivoting fences. There's a small countersunk hole there, which I only r...

Thanks for the reply pramsay13. I've had a very good check for blockages and can't for the life of me see anythig. I've pulled the Morso out so I can get behind it, got the torch out to look in the nooks and crannies, but no luck. Between notches 1-13, the blade block moves flawlessly. Then it almos...

Hello there, I'm hoping someone out there will be able to help me out of a jamb. I picked up a second hand morso mitre earlier in the year and had a summer of putting together my first frames, which was great. But having recently shifted the machine to clean the offcuts behind it, it suddenly doesn'...