spacers

fionnuala · Post by **fionnuala** » Sat 12 Apr, 2008 12:20 pm

i was wondering if there is an alternative to the spacers u buy for keeping the glass away from the image?e.g. when people want it framed without a mount or to keep the glass away from posters for example.

could u use scrap pieces of mountboard stuck on to the rebate of moulding? or small pieces of foam board in the corners and along the rebate?

Spit · Post by **Spit** » Sat 12 Apr, 2008 12:59 pm

I usually use econospace but have used thick (2-3mm) mountboard - foamcore might tear if you're trying to cut thin strips. I prefer to have the facing paper inwards if possible (facing into the middle of the picture, rather than flat down as per mounts) as it looks neater.

absolute framing · Post by **absolute framing** » Sat 12 Apr, 2008 1:39 pm

Hi,

I have used strips of 5 mm foamcore in the past.
that i do is,
1 Trim one edge of foam on wall cutter.

2 Attach some double sided tapestry tape to this edge (right edge)

3 Line up left hand edge on scale to nearest 5mm marking (say905mm) and trim

4 Move foam 5mm up to (900mm) and cut.

5 your falling pieci is 5mm and all you have to doo is peel off the tape and its ready to stick.

6 Repeat

I use this method for cutting large strips say 20mm - 50mm for box frames as well.
It's a lot cheaper than econ-space

fionnuala · Post by **fionnuala** » Sat 12 Apr, 2008 3:48 pm

sorree!! only just noticed what section i posted this topic in!!

i'm sure when u are back on track u will move it, john!!

hope ur feeling better.

fionnuala · Post by **fionnuala** » Sat 12 Apr, 2008 3:56 pm

thanks for replys. i've been out trying out what u were saying and it seems to work fine, stephen.

my machine might be different from urs. left side was not long enuough so i cut from the right. same idea.

why use the tapestry tape? would not ordinary double sided tape do?

also u can see the white of the foam when framed. do u counteract this someway?

plus u would need a moulding with a deep rebate, which in my case limits the choice for customers....

what about using 3mm self adhesive foam board??. we have a thing called "sticky panel" which i tried out and seemed to work ok.

osgood · Post by **osgood** » Sat 12 Apr, 2008 9:07 pm

It frightens me somewhat when I read the words 'use tapestry tape'! I just hope it doesn't get used on any tapestry!

Econospace and Framespace are ideal spacers. I know other things are cheaper, but they can have some problems.

Foamboard is soft and can compress too much.
Matboard when cut into strips narrow enough to make a spacer usually delaminates internally and falls apart.

We framers are not paying for products that we sell. The customer is paying, and should be paying enough so that we make a profit on them.

absolute framing · Post by **absolute framing** » Sat 12 Apr, 2008 9:48 pm

Never ever put it near a Tapestry.
I use it as a VERY srtong double sided tape that never goes near artwork or needlework.
There are many products out there thate are not suitable for what suppliers recommend ! but are excellant for other things .

Foamboard placed flat will squash, but on it's side its "like totally" rigid

osgood · Post by **osgood** » Sat 12 Apr, 2008 10:24 pm

absolute framing wrote:Foamboard placed flat will squash, but on it's side its "like totally" rigid

How do you apply enough pressure to ensure that the 'pressure sensitive' adhesive makes a 'permanent bond' and doesn't squash the foamboard???

absolute framing · Post by **absolute framing** » Sat 12 Apr, 2008 11:51 pm

Ye Fionnuala, 3mm S/A Foam Bd does the trick, infact it's a lot easier.
For some reason i over-engineered a solution.
at the time there was a good reason for it, i just dont remenber it at the mo

also, i use the same technique to attached "colourmounts" s/a Beval Tapes to make coloured foam slips for box frames.

vfmarky · Post by **vfmarky** » Thu 17 Apr, 2008 7:43 am

I've used carefully cut off-cuts of self adhesive foam core. The sticky side is placed facing in the rebate. This means the material is set on edge so the compression issue doesn't apply here. And the good side faces into the frame - no foam to be seen...

vfmarky · Post by **vfmarky** » Thu 17 Apr, 2008 7:50 am

I recently came across a supply of balsa wood (from my model making days) which cuts into quite fine strips with a new scalpel blade in. Gonna try this out on a job that came in just this afternoon. (Btw, did you know that balsa is a hardwood? Well it is.)

fionnuala · Post by **fionnuala** » Thu 17 Apr, 2008 1:10 pm

thats v interesting. thanks.

btw what width of foam core do u use? 5mm? or 3mm?

Not your average framer · Thu 17 Apr, 2008 6:19 pm

Recently I've stopped trying to save money on materials when it leads to wasting time. Time is a limited commodity!

Although I've tended to object to the price of things like Econospace and the fact that is only available in rather short lengths, it saves you time! The time saved can be spent doing more framing.

So here's my recommendation. Keep a stock of Econospace and those paper wrapped obeche spacers from Rose & Holis, (which are available in white, ivory and black) and charge a proper price for your top quality framing.

fionnuala · Post by **fionnuala** » Thu 17 Apr, 2008 10:10 pm

its a bit like the chicken and the egg. (or some proverb like it)

i agree that it probably takes more time to use other method. and to be honest i've never used econospace, so i might give it a go.(will have to run it by organ grinder! )

sometimes i wonder if manufacturers come up with products, charge a whack when all along you have been using a method that wasnt perfect but worked fine, utilised some of your materials etc etc.

Roboframer · Post by **Roboframer** » Thu 17 Apr, 2008 10:32 pm

I use econospace a lot, but if you want more depth than the deepest econospace gives and try to 'stack' econospace - it looks like carp, you are also restricted with colour - clear, black or white. OK - you can slide a sliver of mountboard through the clear one - but the colour is altered.

So - for deeper things, or where colour is an issue, there is nothing wrong with foamboard, just find the one that works best for you - artcare works for me.

If you like you can peel surface papers off mountboard and cover foamboard spacers with it. This one is just naked artcare foamboard - 3mm - happened to match the mount perfick and I'll be doing 49 of them soon.

All I'd say is do not depend on anything self adhesive if its failure would be visible - back up with PVA - this is advice both from The Grumble and my own experience, I've had stuff back - well, one football shirt, where a spacer stuck with ATG had bowed into the frame.

vfmarky · Post by **vfmarky** » Thu 17 Apr, 2008 11:09 pm

fionnuala wrote:thats v interesting. thanks.

btw what width of foam core do u use? 5mm? or 3mm?

Hi fionnuala, I guess that would depend on the width of the rebate. 3mm should be fine if want to reduce the chances of 'show'. Depends also on how 'tight' you like your glass to be in the frame. Bfn

WelshFramer · Post by **WelshFramer** » Fri 18 Apr, 2008 11:45 am

I generally use Lion's wood strips - 5mm x 6mm - and, if need be, colour them to match the frame.

Post by **prospero** » Fri 18 Apr, 2008 12:10 pm

Just done a spacer frame for a canvas mounted photo (on stretchers). I used strips of blackcore m/b fixed to the back of the glass. 2mm clearance was all that was needed. The rebate was extended with a fillet though, so the strips could be 10mm wide and the black core meant that I could bring them close to the sight edge.

fionnuala · Post by **fionnuala** » Fri 18 Apr, 2008 12:54 pm

great that is loads to go on. i guess like everything it depends on the situation it is being used for.

i will try out the various techniques (on my own photos/prints etc) and see what works.

have just got an order back form lion (along with a lovely box of smarties),
so will have to wait until i build up another order before getting the econospace.

thanks for all the info

Post by **prospero** » Fri 18 Apr, 2008 1:08 pm

Oh.

Back on the Smarties now. ....I never did get a Lion Bar.

Ashworth & Thompson once had a fig roll in their catalogue. (fig.1)

When it comes to spacers and stuff there is no hard-and-fast method. The will be lots of ways and they are all 'right'. Sometimes you have to think on your feet.

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