The Framers Forum

If you want an authoritative view on the subject, there's a really good book 'Conservation Mounting for prints and drawings - a manual based on current practice at the British Museum' by Joanna Kosek, a senior conservator at the British Museum. You can find a copy at archetype.co.uk for £49.50, whic...

Thank you all for your advice. I do have the missing bits but just couldn’t remember the right stuff to use. It’s just a favour for a very good customer who just wants me to do my best to put the missing bits back. There’s no great expectation on his part, but the advice on the gilt cream will certa...

Good morning -

I have a gessoed and gilded frame in with a couple of pieces of ornament missing - any recommendations for suitable substance to secure them in place? It's not a valuable piece and just needs tidying up.

Many thanks
Jonathan

Graham -

I've been using Opti-Bright from Wessex for quite a few years and never had any issues with it. Use it with a microfibre cloth and you should be fine. They do a small 150ml bottle if you want to give it a go.

Best wishes
Jonathan

Megan - At £5.58 a metre Prospero's Mr and Mrs Thin Black Frame won't like this, but if I want something thin and black that looks really classy, I always go for C2784 from Wessex. It's 15mm across and has a useful 20mm rebate and a satin matt finish. Can't always sell it at the price but I highly r...

Lion's keyhole hangers are really good for mirrors and are rated up to 15kg. The brass bezel screws into the wall and the flat plate on the back of the frame hooks onto this. https://www.lionpic.co.uk/content/product/4/43418/Lion_Keyhole_Heavy_Duty_Hangers_Flat_Plate_Zinc_Plated.jpg.ashx?width=675&a...

Morning everyone - Are there any users of Tacwise staples out there? I have an unwanted and unused box of 20,000 8mm staples that need a new home. Currently £11.35 a box including VAT from Wessex. Happy to send anywhere UK mainland for £4.00 Hermes carriage charge if anyone’s interested. PM me if yo...

Wessex do MDF in up to 2500 x 1240 and also offer a cut to size service from their Leatherhead branch if you don't do large items too often. Similar sizes available in foam centred board.

Jim -
Thank you very much for sparing the time to share this - very much appreciated.
Best wishes
Jonathan

Geoff - I would suggest you try Wessex Pictures and Lion. Both are excellent on customer service and don't mind you buying minimal quantities. I get good service from Lion's rep and the help from my Wessex branch is really good. Both will help you with free sample lengths or chevrons and neither hav...

I would ring Keencut - they're great at talking you through an issue and helping you solve it

Wessex are advertising an ex-demo CS20 at around £600.00 off the new price. It's on their second hand page. It's been on there a while so you may be able to negotiate if you're buying other equipment or stock. There's also the added bonus that they would get it sent up to their Leatherhead branch wh...

Sounds like a temperature issue - I have a well insulated workshop where I cut glass but have to store it in a separate unheated area. I always bring it in for a good 30 minutes before I need to cut it and this makes a big difference. I cut on an Excalibur which has two benefits - glass cutting is e...

I'd agree with Prospero, although you can also get it in tile form, which is handy if you spill something on the work surface. Just lift the tile, swap it over and you don't have to buy a whole new piece.

Closest moulding in a current catalogue is Napoli from Lion - doesn't look as shiny as your image though https://www.lionpic.co.uk/content/product/6/66796/Wood-Moulding-70mm-Napoli-Antique-Silver-Leaf-L206.jpg.ashx?width=800&height=800&scale=both&bgcolor=fff&404=~/assets/images/noima...

Neil - we should all expect the odd problem from time to time, but if something is unusable, take some pictures and e-mail them to your supplier and politely ask for a refund. Make sure you've ruled out a problem with your blades first, though. I'm guessing this is obeche, which does suffer from bei...

Neil - I find with my Excalibur that you do have to concentrate when cutting and make sure you keep an even pressure and ensure that the carriage reaches right to the very bottom each time. I find that if I take my eye off the ball I don't always cut right to the end of the sheet. Sounds strange, bu...

Thanks very much for your reply Mark. I think I might have given slightly the wrong impression about this job. You wisely highlight the issues with adhesives like this, but I should have mentioned that the item is of little value and the job is overall a 'commended' project where small blobs of sili...

Morning everyone -

I need to be able to fix a very light piece of aluminium to mountboard. Whatever I use must be non-corrosive and removable if necessary. Superglue or anything like it is out. I'm thinking clear silicone and was hoping someone might have a recommendation.

Any thoughts?
Thanks

Exactly the conversation I've had with the customer - I suspect we all have at some stage. Thanks for the suggestion, but Simons is a blank too. I'm encouraging the customer to think new thoughts!