Jumbo Foam Board

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jay
Posts: 172
Joined: Sun 28 Aug, 2005 1:59 am

Jumbo Foam Board

Post by jay »

I'm not having any luck finding a UK Supplier with Jumbo 5mm Foamcore in stock at the moment..... anyone know a Supplier who has stock?
Cheers
Jay
Not your average framer
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Re: Jumbo Foam Board

Post by Not your average framer »

Have you tried Wessex? They stock really large sheets of foamboard upto 4ft x 8ft. If you are on one of the van delivery routes, you can get one of these really large sheets delivered a cut it down to size for a jumbo size. It's quite rare to find that Wessex don't have stock of most things and as they have stock all over the country, they can often get stock from other depots, if need be. They are a really great and friendly supplier to deal with.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
jay
Posts: 172
Joined: Sun 28 Aug, 2005 1:59 am

Re: Jumbo Foam Board

Post by jay »

Thanks Mark
Funnily enough, I had the Wessex website up on my laptop when I posted yesterday as I was going to try them but couldn't remember my password!
However, today is a new day, and remembered it straight away, and I still have an account with them, although it's been years since I ordered.
Really appreciate the heads up though.... they have just what I'm looking for, and in stock. :D
I'm in the sticks in Scotland, so not on their van delivery route.... not on anyone's van delivery route! :lol:
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: Jumbo Foam Board

Post by Not your average framer »

Some years ago, I bought one of their 10mm thick 8ft x 4ft sheets, so that's How I knew that they had those size sheets in both 5mm and 10mm thicknesses. Although, I have not bought any 10mm thick board since then, I found the left overs very useful for object framing, because of the extra load bearing capacity.

I have not re-opened my shop yet, but I am going to be stocking some of their Koto mouldings and some of their essentials moulding range, as soon as I can re-open. Hopefully this will be happening before Christmas, perhaps even sooner. I buy just about everything, I need from Simons, Wessex and Lion.. The quality of some of their basic moulding ranges are particularly good when compared with much of what else is around in similar mouldings available elsewhere.

I've been getting a bit disappointed with the quality of wood used by certain other suppliers for their mouldings, but Wessex mouldings will be supplying much more of my mouldings in the future, because the quality of the samples that they supplied me with before I have my stroke were really excellent. I strongly suspect that paying a little bit more to get decent quality mouldings, is going to be the way forward, now that we are facing more challenging times ahead.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
jay
Posts: 172
Joined: Sun 28 Aug, 2005 1:59 am

Re: Jumbo Foam Board

Post by jay »

Gutted! Just had a call from Wessex to say they won't deliver jumbo foam board this far North (Aberdeenshire) as they'd need to use a Courier, which they deem unreliable, and would expect damage to packages. Why is this issue with Couriers not being dealt with? If the Couriers had to pay compensation for all damaged packages, they might be a bit more careful who they employ.
I can honestly say most of the packages I receive have some level of damage.... I can only guess our our suppliers don't bother to claim?
This, along with the amount of sub standard or mis-matched moulding coming through as seemingly 'acceptable' these days, means we just have to either "suck it up" or waste time following it up. Probably need to 'up' my waste factor again....
Oh, and then there's some mount boards that keep on shrinking creating greater waste.
These, apparently small issues individually, chip away at our profit, especially hard for small Businesses who are already struggling to stay afloat.
This all feels harder than it should be..... notwithstanding the pandemic.
Had a customer pick up their work to take to another Framer because my supplier wasn't cutting moulding samples because they were on skeleton staff.
Customer said, "I'm having a lot of trouble with tradesmen using Covid as an excuse for delays/lack of supplies" Excuse? :head:
I did suggest, in the nicest possible way, that we all may need to learn a greater level of patience...
... just wait 'til Brexit happens!! :shock:
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: Jumbo Foam Board

Post by Not your average framer »

I would go on and order it anyway and ask Wessex to supply it together with some backing board as well, perhaps five sheets packed , either side of the foam board. You can tell them that you will accept any transit damage yourself. I agree with you about the other difficulties that you have mentioned. There is an element of transit damage being a bit of a lottery, but what's the alternative. It's just something that we all have to live with!

I buy quite a lot of my materials in larger quantities, on the basis that it minimises the potential for damage, also I like to make up orders in enough volume to come up to the carriage paid order value. You not only save the cost of the carriage, but also the VAT on the carriage as well, which probably more than covers the cost of any transit damage. In an idea world, things would be different, but that's not how it is, so I operate accordingly.

II buy quite a lot from Simons who give a 20% discount on oders for mouldings orders, where there is 100 feet, or more of the same moulding. It's not always easy for our suppliers who have their own difficulties as well. So I don't knock them, as I know that they are doing their best, often in difficult circumstances.

I do my best to operate from stock rather than having to rely to much on ordering things every week. I do this mainly, because it makes life so much easier. A major part of my business plan, is too make the maximum amount of use of any waste materials, instead of throwing them in the dumpster and therefore trowing away things that I have paid money for. I freely admit that I am very much old school, but on the other hand I am operating quite efficiently,my whole business strategy is built round working to being quick, simple and easy. You would be surprised just how much difference this makes.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
jay
Posts: 172
Joined: Sun 28 Aug, 2005 1:59 am

Re: Jumbo Foam Board

Post by jay »

****Update**** CENTRADO are the winners! Lots of different FC board inc various JUMBO in stock..... arrived this afternoon. Happy days :D
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: Jumbo Foam Board

Post by Not your average framer »

Great news!
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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