Jigsaw puzzles

Get help and framing advice from the framing community
Post Reply
Ed209
Posts: 437
Joined: Sun 05 Mar, 2017 8:22 pm
Location: Birchington-on-Sea, Kent
Organisation: Birchington Framing Centre
Interests: Guitar, woodwork, cycling Singing
Contact:

Jigsaw puzzles

Post by Ed209 »

What is best procedure for framing a jigsaw puzzle please?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
User avatar
StevenG
Posts: 1147
Joined: Thu 31 Jan, 2013 8:01 am
Location: Tyrone, N.Ireland
Organisation: Featurepiece Frames
Interests: Movies, always trying to get things better, Wasting money on things I don't need, reading stuff on here, eating sandwiches & being thankful for the small things
Contact:

Re: Jigsaw puzzles

Post by StevenG »

Any I've done so far has just been stuck down to sticky board and framed as normal. (Stuck with consent :) )
Ed209
Posts: 437
Joined: Sun 05 Mar, 2017 8:22 pm
Location: Birchington-on-Sea, Kent
Organisation: Birchington Framing Centre
Interests: Guitar, woodwork, cycling Singing
Contact:

Jigsaw puzzles

Post by Ed209 »

I had the idea of cutting some 2.5mm MDF to size then coating with PVA and sort of dropping/lowering the puzzle on to it from the bit of board its on when just tacky my reasoning for this I could slide it around/push bits together as necessary. But only one off several thoughts on this until I am advised otherwise.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Jigsaw puzzles

Post by Not your average framer »

I dry mount then onto dry mount board. It's the easiest and least hassle way I have found of doing them. I cut straight strips of board to go around the edges to line up the edges and keep the edges straight and square. It is good to have these strips of board tight enough to prevent some of the gaps between the pieces of the jig saw from being bigger in some places than others.

I normally remove the strips of board and trim the dry mount board to the outside of the jig saw. So far no one has asked me to frame a jig saw with a mount and I have never suggested it either. If the jig saw is behind a mount and there is any possibility of the jig saw and the board that it is mounted on becoming bowed, then some of the gaps between the pieces of the jig saw may appear to be larger in some places than others.

If the pieces are all flat against the glass, the results in terms of presentation look good. I expect the customer to bring in the jig saw with all of the pieces assembled correctly. This not only saves time, but makes it easy to check that nothing is missing. I don't do so many of these as I once did, younger people don't seem to want jig saws framed and the percentage of older people who like to do stuff like this is declining year by year.

Personally, framing jig saws is one job I won't miss, if I don't have to do many more of them. If the printed surface of the jig saw is gloss and will be touching the glass, I recommend spraying the gloss surface with dead matt acrylic clear varnish, to prevent strange optical effects with some parts of the jig saw having different degrees of contact with the glass.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Jigsaw puzzles

Post by Not your average framer »

I'm not so sure about the PVA idea. If the PVA is visible between any of the pieces of the jig saw, it might dry glossy and be visible by reason of relecting the light.

Also if you are going to let the PVA almost dry before bringing the jig saw and the MDF into contact then there may not be enough wetness in the PVA to create a reliable bond in all places. That is of course unless you are going to press the jig saw and the MDF together in a heated dry mount press and bond the PVA using pressure and heat.

And yes, in case anyone does not already know this, PVA glue can be used as a dry mounting medium. I assume that most of us are likely to know this.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
Ed209
Posts: 437
Joined: Sun 05 Mar, 2017 8:22 pm
Location: Birchington-on-Sea, Kent
Organisation: Birchington Framing Centre
Interests: Guitar, woodwork, cycling Singing
Contact:

Re: Jigsaw puzzles

Post by Ed209 »

Just experimented with no adhesive backing just put puzzle 500 x 350mm on 2.3mm NUBORD1 (MDF substitute) then backed with 2.5 MDF with framers points up against 2mm float and seems absolutely solid, have hung it in my house see what happens if anything.
User avatar
prospero
Posts: 11492
Joined: Tue 05 Jun, 2007 4:16 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Jigsaw puzzles

Post by prospero »

I haven't done one lately, but I used to do them by mounting a sheet of dry-mount film onto a suitably coloured
mountboard. (release paper kept on the top) Black or dark green was my preference.
The film should be a wee bit smaller than the puzzle. When it's cool, peel of the release paper and slide the puzzzle on top.
Make sure no film surface protrudes from under the puzzle. Quick squeeze in the press and it's done.
Rather than than try and get the puzzle dead in the middle I cut the board oversize and trim after to equalise the margins.
I would maybe leave 2" or so all round, depending on the size of the puzzle and the frame width. Put some spacers under the
glass.

Job sorted. :D
Watch Out. There's A Humphrey About
Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Jigsaw puzzles

Post by Not your average framer »

Yes, I agree. Trim to final size after dry mounting.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
tebbles
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue 14 Jul, 2015 10:18 pm
Location: galway
Organisation: the frame shop
Interests: music, framing

Re: Jigsaw puzzles

Post by tebbles »

Easiest method for me, place between two sheets of board, flip upside down and run strips of tape along the back, taping all the pieces together, then frame as normal
Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Jigsaw puzzles

Post by Not your average framer »

If you are talking about normal self adhesive tape, then you also need to consider the fact that self adhesive types have a limited service life. There is no such thing as a permanent bond when we are talking and normal self adhesive tapes. Sorry, but these are the facts of life when considering self adhesives. I'm an ex-design engineer and this is something that people like me are taught. If you want a permanent bond then you need to consider other adhesive mediums.

Most of the more permanent self adhesives contain substances likely to damage a lot of the types of items that we are supposed to be preserving and many of the non-self adhesive alternatives can also damage people items, or not be safely reversible at a later date. Unfortunately, we do need to check our framing methods and know their limitations, before using potentially ill advised methods of materials. Our customers have a reasonable expectation that we as professional framers know what we are doing and that their precious items will be safely protected and preserved by us.

We need to remember this and evaluate the safe use and appropriateness of everything we do and the materials we use. Knowledge of methods and materials are readily available in this day and age, so we don't have much excuse for doing our own thing and not checking out the consequences before hand.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
Kevindaniel
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed 19 Oct, 2016 9:49 pm
Location: Ireland
Organisation: Sligo picture framing
Interests: Football. Table tennis.draughts.

Re: Jigsaw puzzles

Post by Kevindaniel »

As stated between 2 boards and flip over. Spray adhesive onto a sheet of backing board. Allow to go tacky, then place adhesive covered board on top of reverse of Jigsaw. Apply pressure with roller, then put several sheets of glass on top and leave overnight. Next day trim and frame as normal
Post Reply