Wedding figures

[+Rafe+]

Morning all,

I have a lovely regular customer who has asked for these wedding cake toppers to be framed for their elderly parents.

They are made from porcelain and measure 70mm tall, 37mm deep and a combined width of the two figures of 50mm.

I would like to mount these on a platform rather than having them suspended in 'mid air' also as they aren't flat they wouldn't sit well if stuck the mountcard.

I am looking to use r&h A45 that has a 63mm rebate so have plenty of room as I am thinking of using multiple mounts to create a tiered effect on the backing mount.

I get a bit stuck at how I can construct / fit a platform that the figures can sit on. I was planning on using silicone to fix the base of the figure in place but thats as far as I got.

Anyone had any experience or can offer some thoughts?

Thanks in advance

[Not your average framer]

This is how I do this. Make a box frame of the appropriate size. Don't make it to small, the figures need enough space around them to not look to cramped. Ideally make the internal spacers out of something with a nice front edge, perhaps Rose and Hollis SW9571, if it's o.k. for the width, if not choose something else. Cut off the rebate sight edge, I would do this of my band saw, which is a doodle if you choose an Obeche moulding. Cut the spacers to fit into the box frame, with a little bit of clearance, so that it is easily fitted into the inside of the frame and easily removed at a later date, in case the glass gets broken. Join these spacers together to make a frame which slide into the existing box frame, with a little space to spare. Next cut the shelf to fit into the spacer frame and glue and screw it in place, with countersunk head screws from the outside of the spacer frame.

Make sure that you proper countersink the holes for the heads of the screws. The screws heads need to be slightly below flush and the edges of the countter sunk holes need to be sanded flush. If you are staining the spacers and shelf, do this before getting any glue on the wood, the glue can prevent uniform staining of the wood if the staining is done after everything has already been glued together. The shelf does not want to extend beyond the edge moulding detail on the spacer frame, I like to set the front of the shelf back a little from the moulding detail on the spacer frame. The shelf width needs to be more than the width needed to accommodate the base of the figures, both at the front and the rear of the shelf, Adequate space is key to good presentation.

Mark out and accurrately drill pilot holes in the ends of the shelf, don't assume that the screws will go in straight, but drill the pilot hole and make sure. Remember to make the shelf of adequate thickness, to look right and to adequately accommodate the screws. Ideally, if the spacers are Obeche, make the shelf Obeche as well, so that shelf and spacer frame match well after staining. Good presentation is perfect workmanship! This is not a quick job, so make sure you allow for this in your pricing. Allow for space above the figures to include a text panel in the mountboard at the back of the frame, for the bride and grooms names and the date of the wedding. Dont put the cut out for the text panel to close to the edge of the mountboard, but make sure that the margins around the cut out are large enough to stay completely flat over the years.

Use a good quality mountboard that is nice and stiff. I would varnish the shelf and spacer frame to get a good surface and cut to car interior mirror double sided pads to be smaller than the bases of the figures and use these to stick the figures in place. Don't just guess where the centre of the shelf is, but measure it and be sure. Some people spot, even slight differences in spacing immediately and won't be impressed.

As always presentation is everything.

[+Rafe+]

Brilliant thanks for the reply Mark.

Next cut the shelf to fit into the spacer frame and glue and screw it in place, with countersunk head screws from the outside of the spacer frame.

The shelf is the part I was fuzzy on. Is your suggestion that the shelf fits the entire width of the frame? I was trying to think of a shelf that fits the figures only and not the entire width.

Maybe if I were to use 2mm mdf as my back board I could position a shelf (not totally sure what to make a shelf from but was thinking of using a wide slip) sized to the figures, attach with screw into the backboard. The frame being as you suggested...

Thanks for your suggestions this has help!

[Not your average framer]

How thick is the wide slip going to be? Most slips are not very thick. Your average slip coulld easily be about 4.5mm to 6mm. trying to screw into the edge of that with a 3.5mm, or 4.5mm screw does not give you very much to spare either side of the screw threads on the screw, or enough wood either side of the screw for the shelf to have much in the way of adequate strength.

The other consideration is the capacity to resist dropping over the years, with the wait of the figures on the shelf over the years. Sorry, but I think it needs something a bit more solid than a thin slip. I would like the shelf to be about 12mm, with a similar moulded detail on thr front edge to match the expsed front edge of the spacer frame inside the main frame.

A little bit of moulded detail on the front edge of the shelf, would look very nice, as well I think!

[+Rafe+]

Ah yes, wise words of experience! Thanks again I am tinkering with a few ideas but you have pointed me in the right direction.