First time using aluminium frame

[WannabeFramer]

I have a map in, and the customer wants as thin a black frame as they can get away with. I am assuming aluminium would be best but I've never used it before.

Size: 1200 x 690.

Would https://larsonjuhl.co.uk/mouldings/alum ... uminium%2fbe suitable? And if so, what would I need to consider? How do I fit the map into the frame? It will be dry mounted onto 'something' - what is recommended? Can it take glass or does it need acrylic? They don't want a mount.

Bring forth your wisdom oh wise ones! (thanks)

[prospero]

Having it drymounted helps....

You could put in spacers to lift the glass although direct contact is sort-of OK if it's hung in a stable environment.

To stop the frame bowing a couple of hangers on the top and bottom rails with wire pulled tightly across would do the trick.

** If there isn't room to fit the springs in the back of the frame then small 'wedges' of mountboard taped in place would work.

[JKX]

One solution to a skinny frame for a large piece is indeed aluminium, but IMO, that one is pushing it too much, and prevention is better than cure. A frame twice that width would still be relatively skinny, maybe something close but with a deeper rebate could be a solution, and if the idea is to not see the frame, then don't have a black one! Have a brushed silver one or something; you can get real wood veneer-wrapped aluninium frames too.

Glass, artwork, backings etc, need to be slid in to most aluminium frames, assemble three sides, slide it all in, fix the last side.

A word of warnng when sliding in something with no mount or any sort of spacer, if not all done at the same time, or if you have to remove the glass to deal with a flumb or whatever, there is a good chance you can scrape the print/whatever with the edge of the glass/acrylic, so one of these things is a good investment, and is anyway, if you don't already have one.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/405104690974 ... jYQAvD_BwE

Shop around, Lion do one for £25 plus VAT and shipping. I did try posting two amaozon links but the forum didn't like them.

Acrylic may be an idea, 3mm should be OK.

..

[WannabeFramer]

Thanks both!

They are leaving it up to me, other than as thin a black frame as they can get away with. So I can go thicker. The map is of no value and easily replaceable if I screw it up, worst case. I have one of those files JKX.

So, I dry mount to board, use spacers (econospace ok?) and slide everything in. Got it.

I have a sample I’ve been looking at and sorry for the obvious questions. Presumably I have to make sure the glazing/board package is sufficient overall depth to fill the channel snugly, but not too tight? And I still keep a 2mm smaller glass size? Do I tape the back in any way?

[JKX]

No, you'll get spring bars with the chop kit, usually four per side, but assuming dry mounting to a substantial enough board, plus glazing and backing, there'll be little room for them, or spacers, with a rebate of less than 9mm, so if you do use that moulding you may have to make some shims as per Prospero's suggestion, for a tight fit.

You cannot really seal the back of an aluminium frame effectively with tape, due to the shape and all the gaps etc, you'd have to seal the glass/mounting board "sandwich", and with spacers, that's not very easy, you'd also have to account for that making it all a bit larger when ordering the chop.

As conservation isn't an issue I'd probably go for artwork against acrylic.

[Gesso&Bole]

I would not use spacers in that situation - it would make the job much more complicated to do.

[WannabeFramer]

Thanks all

[WannabeFramer]

Just updating. We've chosen a slightly thicker profile and are going for 3mm acrylic directly against the map.

Would it be an idea to use one of these for safety, do you think?

https://www.lionpic.co.uk/p/37094/Frame ... Frame-Pack

[JKX]

Hold your Lion order until you can assemble the frame to see how much, if any flex there is once assembled.

[WannabeFramer]

Thanks JKX. I'm always happy to save money if it doesn't need to be spent so I'll hold off.

[WannabeFramer]

A few firsts for me on this one, and a practice run drymounting after finding the same map on eBay. But it has finally been manhandled into submission. Thanks for all your help. I think I will put a framestrap on to be on the safe side. I don’t want it back!

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