Start Up Equipment

Buying/selling equipment
Situations wanted/vacant
Forum rules
All sellers are required to have a forum profile that identifies them clearly. (Such as - name, surname, location, business name et cetera)
Post Reply
ImagesLen
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue 24 Feb, 2004 9:42 pm
Location: England
Contact:

Start Up Equipment

Post by ImagesLen »

I'm looking to start a framing business from home and would like some advice concerning what level of investment in framing hardware I should consider. The volume is not planned to be high and space is limited at present. Should I go for a Morso Cutter or consider mitre chop saw and mitre cleaner. I already have an internediate level Mount Cutter. What level of Underpinner should I consider Manual looks fine.
Do any of you guys have anything for sale that would fit my requirements.
Thanks for the input
User avatar
Merlin
Posts: 1538
Joined: Thu 05 Jun, 2003 5:50 pm
Location: Cornwall
Organisation: Merlin Mounts
Interests: Aviation

Post by Merlin »

This is not an easy question to answer. re volume not planned to be high. The old adage "You pay for what you get" and "Spend to save" are two quotes that were given to me when I started at home some 7 years ago. I partly listened and it cost me.. We got a Morso. still going strong. a Keencut Mountcutter. still going strong.. my mistake was in getting a cheapy underpinner... well £250 cheapy..!! it required constant realigning and the occassional hammer to straighten it out... It fell apart after some 3 years.. We have now got a Cassesse 89 manual underpinner and for us it is wonderful. strong and consistant.
Pay as much as you can afford for these items. At least, should you decide that framing is not for you, the resale value will be greater, than going for a cheap set up where you will/may not recover your expense.
One thing that you cannot buy is knowledge and experience.. Read and Read anything you can get your hands on.. when finished Read again..
I wish that a forum like this was around when we started... No matter how silly a question may seem... Please ask it. I can assure you that I and no doubt many others have asked the same question.
Do not be shy to learn.
John GCF
Ardfinnan Crafts
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun 29 Feb, 2004 2:25 pm
Location: Thames Ditton Surrey

start up

Post by Ardfinnan Crafts »

I quite agree with John. I bought someone else's workshope contents when I started. I very quickly learned that it is worth while looking for the best you can afford. The only piece I still have is the Morso and the backboard guilotine, though, if I could I would replace that with an Excaliber. Anyone know of one going seconhand?
Alan James
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed 05 May, 2004 1:18 pm
Location: Dorking, Surrey, Uk
Contact:

On a budget

Post by Alan James »

I am three years into building upmy business workshop. I was lucky to have a reply from an advert in my local Friday-Ads newspaper, and bought underpinner, Morso and Keencut underpinner for £1200. The secret is to be patient and buy bits at a time. Use Ebay. There are real bargins in there to be had. Do a search for "picture framing" and also search on "Morso" - I have made a killing on a Minigraff 4 + compressor for £700. I advertise locally in newsagents, and have had a better repsonse then the yellow pages and web. Start getting your income up, even if it means a lesser quality underpinner, Once you get some money in, you can buy up. I easily turned over £20k in the three years,a nd I do it part time, along my fukll time job! buying stock. Just buy in what you want for the job. Make sale frames with the waste, and get down the boot fair!! Anywhere that you can convert your materials into hardcash. Please email me if you would like further help
User avatar
John
Site Admin
Posts: 1885
Joined: Sun 27 Apr, 2003 8:00 pm
Location: Ireland
Organisation: Scenes Picture Framing
Interests: Forums and stuff
Location: Belfast
Contact:

Post by John »

Welcome to the forum Alan, you have given sound advice for anyone starting out.

Are you intending to give up the day job and go into framing full time?

Just noticed that interesting comment from Ardfinnan Crafts from the previous post regarding the guillotine for cutting the backing board. A have always used an electric rotary cutter, but now that I'm setting up a new workshop, and the RotaTrim is no longer available, I had thought of using a guillotine. Perhaps I should look at the Excalibur first?
ImagesLen
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue 24 Feb, 2004 9:42 pm
Location: England
Contact:

Update

Post by ImagesLen »

Thanks to every one for their input it is much appreciated. As stated I am continuously looking around for good hardware. I have just purchased a very little used pistorious manual underpinner for £150 from a photographer thats packing up and only used it for his own frames. He gave me good instruction and gave me some moulding to practice with . A great guy. Next is the Guillotine . As I'm doing fairly small frames is the top mounted one a satisfactory solution as the foot operated models are collecting a premium. Input would be appreciated

Cheers
Post Reply