The Framers Forum

Hi everyone

I'm just getting started framing - done a few bits over the last few months and am just about to get a workshop going. I've got a day job too though so progress is VERY slow.

My question for this topic is - re stocking up with mountboard and mouldings, what are your go-to stock must haves? I'm planning to use Wessex as I have them close to me, so particularly interested to hear from any members who get their mouldings from Wessex, but any general advice appreciated.

I expect to have a fair bit of lower end, artist and photographer type jobs coming in, at least at first, so I'm thinking, some cheaper blacks, whites and plain woods. Some high quality of the same, and maybe a bit of gold / silver and some plain colours? However, cash is tight, and I don't want to hold a load of stock I'll never use.

Also, does anyone have any tips on how to go about getting samples for those I don't want to hold stock for? Is it just a case of being nice to the wholesaler?

Thanks in advance!

Hello. Welcome to the forum from another beginner. So far I've bought everything from Lion and Wessex. Lion for mouldings and general supplies like D-rings, tape etc and Wessex for glass, mountboard and backing board.
I haven't bought any moulding stock so far, I just get everyting cut to size from Lion. Same with the glass from Wessex. All cut to size for each job.
This is handy as you don't need lots of stock mouldings but can be a pain it something arrives and its the wrong size or warped or damaged in some way. Also Lion have a minimum order of £50, so you need to wait until you have £50 worth of frames to make.
I bought a hobby level moutcutter and keep a stock of perhaps 5 mountboards in Bright white and Snow White. This has been enough for me to start with.
Quite happy with what I've been producing so far. See below.
Hope this helps a bit
Matt

I've found much of the cheaper stuff that's around a bit disappointing. You may be better off. seeing some samples before placing any orders. I try not compete with the bottom end of stuff, as I don't think that is where the worthwhile money is. Too many mass market stores, supermarkets and the like are sell cheap frames as loss leaders to create footfall in their shops.

Guess how hard it is trying to get any worthwhile profit out of that end of the market. Look for the stuff that will give you some decent looking presentation. Presentation and reputation are strongly connected

I have used wessex since i started framing. I remember that they were great helping to start. I selected a decent selection of mouldings and they gave me chevrons for them.

If you get their catalogue, and make a list, i am sure you will find them helpful.

In terms of stock, i keep as little as possible. I normally have a 3 week turnaround for my jobs and wessex deliver once a week so why keep in lots of mouldings that may not be needed for ages.

I do have about 6 mouldings i use regularly for repeat customers, so keep them in and keep some off white, black, cream and grey mountboard. Also glass and backboard.

Different people will have different views, but stock to me is money tied up. If you know you will need to use that stock soon then fine, but i bet some framer have mouldings they have had for years.

Good luck with it all.

Nick

Thanks everyone for the replies and useful info

I will rethink, and just buy in a few basic bits.

I've got a Morso and Ultimat so it's just consumables but what you are all saying about order as you go makes a lot of sense. In which case it's just about having chevrons to show people. I'll go see Wessex and see what I can get hold of.

Matt (Orde02) sorry getting used to forum mechanics can't work out how to tag you - can i ask why you don't get your mouldings from Wessex?

Hi and Welcome.

It's tempting when you see a rep's samples case or a catalogue to see it as a big box of chocolates. I have stuff that I
bought back in the '90s that I thought at the time, "That looks good " and never found a use for it.

Buy small amounts (20ft moulding) and road test them. Some look nice but are a pain to work with. Eventually you will
find the 'magic' mouldings that look good, are versatile and don't cost a bomb. And cut and join easily.
All mouldings are not created equal.

As for mountboards, it's the same principle. I use mainly the Larson-Juhl range (formerly Aqadia). I use mostly the neutral
shades, but it depends on the type of work you tend to get. (Wessex do them).

Lion https://www.lionpic.co.uk/ are great for sundries and do some nice mouldings too. Worth a peek.

I get practically all my mouldings from Rose&Hollis. All plain woods. I can't remember the last time I bought finished moulding.
99% of the frames I do are hand-finished. Something you might like to explore in the course of time.

Yes, Prosperro has said it all. That is very much what I do. First class advice there! Don't be in too much hurry to build up your stock, as there is plenty to learn along the way. As you buy mouldings, be sure to work out in your own head what is good value for money to you and what is the potential for profit, after making it into a frame and selling it to the customer. The more a moulding may be in fashion now, the more it may be out of fashion, when it's no longer the hotest fashion. None of us can afford to stock everything, so try to stock versatile mouldings that have plenty of potential to use in different ways and at different times. It's a little bit like getting dressed to go out somewhere. Maybe I'll put a jacket on, but I don't have to wear the same tie each time I wear that jacket. You don't have to make everything look the same!

I do a lot of hand finishing and this enables me to tweak appearances as I wish and customers often don't realise that two different looking mouldings are the same basic mouldings, but with different fiishes, or other options and ways of doing things. Don't be afraid to be yourself and not a clone of somebody else, also when I'm out and about I'm often looking for ideas that I can pinch, adapt and put my own twist on. Be different in ways that customers will notice and like. If we are all offering stuff that is the same, then it's all about who can do it cheapest. If customers want something that we are offering and it's different, then our competitors will struggle to find a way to offer the same item at a cheaper price. Most framers are picking mouldings straight out of suppliers catalogues. Doing otherwise, never occurs to most competitors.

I am based in a fairly small rural town, I am 67 years old, I have had a heart attack and a stroke. Do I want to compete on the same terms as everybody else? Well ,No! Why should I, if I don't have too? Much of what I do is different. I want to be different and I want to be recognised as making things that are special, that are easily identified as not being just "run of the mill" type stuff. Lots of customers are looking for things tastefully different to fill their homes with and you don't find items like that, which fit the bill just anywhere. Well, why should that not be you, who supplies the nice things that these people are looking for. You will learn a lot about this sort of market, by just looking around as you visit interesting places. I learn plenty by just looking around and you can the same. It's not rocket science and you don't need any special training, just spot the potential when you see it.

D&J Simons do a good range of everyday mouldings and a damn good price, again buy 20ft, also cut & join your own moulding chevrons,then you can see what they are like to cut and join, cut them around 15-18cm outer edge of moulding, set the measure on the Morso '0' to 15 -18cm mark and do all your moulding chevrons the same length(no matter what the width of the moulding) then when you display your samples they are all the same,easy to arrange on the wall.
I mainly use Colourmount mountcard, 120cm in length, get more for your buck as compared to Larson-Juhl range (formerly Aqadia) which is only 112cm long. again D&J Simons sell Colourmount and they will sell it by the single sheet, I also use Daler mountcard, again 120cm length, this I get from a local supplier, I do use some Larson-Juhl mountcard

Fitting & Fixtures I get from D&J Simons (other suppliers available ) and Lion (through my local supplier, he goes there every Monday)

With mouldings and mountcard, just order what you need , I have loads of stuff I have overstocked with and I need to get rid of it by September as I'm relocating, so need to have a clear out, anybody near me want a load of plain-wood moulding, going real cheap, also a load of factory finished mouldings, do you a deal if anybody wants any, that's the advert over with

To answer your question, I don't use Wessex for mouldings as I'm mostly interested in hand finishing frames so I'm only buying bare wood mouldings just now. Lion's range of bare wood is better than Wessex and their website is a lot more straightforward to order cut to size moulding.
As I buy more equipment (one day I'll have a Morso!) I'll buy in lengths from other suppliers, I like the look of Rose and Hollis' moulding a lot so I'll no doubt buy from them in the future.

Matt

Thank you everyone, very helpful replies.

Now to get the workshop set up...

Wessex do carry a good range of mouldings and will supply any chevrons that you want. I use them for a few mouldings and all of my mountboard, mdf, etc. My moulding come from Ashworth & Thompson who are very good at supplying chevrons or Mainline who will do a BOGOF offer on new ranges but don't supply chevrons so be careful, I've already built up too much stock by buying in this way, as well as making up orders to try and get the free delivery. It's not worth it.

whitbyframer wrote
" I've already built up too much stock by buying in this way, as well as making up orders to try and get the free delivery. It's not worth it."
Totally agree, I never add more moulding to order just to get free delivery, so you are £10.00 short of free delivery, add more moulding at £20.00 to clear the limit !!!! end up with £20 of moulding you don't need , might as well paper the walls in £10.00 notes