Recommended filler for polymer frames

[Kathy]

Hi,

Was wondering if anyone can recommend / suggest what could be used to fill a black polymer frame?

Regards, Kathy

[Graysalchemy]

You can use black filler wax which is in the lion catalogue or gold old fashioned black shoe polish. However why are you needing to fill? If it is because joints have opened then positiong of you V nails plays a big part in that. Polymer mouldings usually joint well as you don,t have any problems of twisting and warping that you do with wood.

Hope that helps.

[silvercleave]

???? Just thinking of getting some samples to try but do people have trouble joining plastic mouldings?
Question 1. where do you underpin it,
Q2 which is best as have been told quality varies from manufacturer to manufacturer?

When any one replies don't quote companies you might get banned

Ian

[stcstc]

i dont use much poly mouldings, actually at the moment 3

all of them cut very very well

and join very well

i use the PUmax glue from lion and up to now havent had a problem

[The Jolly Good Framer #1]

I personally like Mainline's Polcore....

this is their 'How to work with Polcore' guide
http://mainlinemouldings.com/index.php? ... th-Polcore

[Not your average framer]

Not all manufacturers polymer mouldings are exactly the same density and can be different to work with. Also cutting characteristics of polymer mouldings can be affected by the temperatures in cold workshops at this time of year. So if your workshop is not heated at night, but only during the day, the give your mouldings time to warn up before cutting, if it is cold in the morning.

The grain in wood mouldings adds a lot to the stiffness of the mouldings and therefore help to minimise and tendancy of corners opening due to the displacement stresses caused by the insertion of wedges during underpinning. However, as there is no grain in the polymer mouldings, it is neccessary to avoid getting as close to the outside of a mitre as you may be used to with wood mouldings, because the polymer will flex more easily in response to the displacement caused by insertion of wedges and gaps will show more easily.

Be very careful about using waxes with polymer mouldings, as waxes often contain solvents and polymer mouldings are usually made with styrene, or polystrene. Both of which are not only affected by a broad range of solvents, but the wax may leave a visually obvious affect upon the surface finish.

Some mouldings can be easier to join that others and underpinners which incorporate a really good rebate clamp can help when joining difficult, or problem mouldings. Hardwood wedges will create less stress within the area of the mitre, than softwood wedges.

These days I'm stocking and using a greater range of polymer mouldings for low budget framing jobs and I don't find that I have any problems with any of them at all.

[Graysalchemy]

I would say 99% of polymers cut very well some are denser than others which is better. Gaps usually appear on the back edge of the moulding and this is always due to bad positioning of pins. You shouldn't put them as far back as you would for wood. I think the lion catalogue has a diagram explaining. With regards to surface and solvents I have never had a problem I quite often use lighter fluid to clean finger marks etc of these black mouldings with no ill effect.

As long as your moulding is well supported when it is cut and you don't pin too close to the back you shouldn't have a problem with polymer mouldings.

[Jonny2morsos]

I assume you mean filling openings in the mitre join. You can use the waxes but I have a feeling that it is only a temporary measure and by the time the customer has picked up the frame and it has flexed a bit the gaps will become obvious again.

I use some polymer mouldings but over the years I have determined which ones I can join OK and only offer those.

When cutting I take small bites with the morso and join by positioning the wedges towards the front of the rebate. On my Cassesse CS88 I don't use the clamp as this tends to create a gap (other undepinners may differ).

Take alook at p90 in the Lion brochure for their recommendations.

[Not your average framer]

With regards to surface and solvents I have never had a problem I quite often use lighter fluid to clean finger marks etc of these black mouldings with no ill effect.

The plasicisers in many plastics are soluble in various solvents, the effect upon surface finishes may not be immediately obvious, but in time they can become so. I've also encountered difficulties with wax residues not being fully removable from some surface finishes particularly smooth matt and finely grained surfaces.

[Gus]

On my Cassesse CS88 I don't use the clamp as this tends to create a gap (other undepinners may differ).

I can't quite get my head round this....
Do you mean the top clamp that comes down when pressing the pedal? - How do you use it without this?

[Not your average framer]

J2M is talking about the rebate clamp. I think this may be a matter of technique.

I bought my CS-88 secondhand and as a consequence I don't have the hinged metal "L" shaped spacer and had to make my own one out of ramin. Well the ramin is not as smooth as the metal spacer and with the aid of pressure from the rebate clamp the ramin grips the surface of the moulding and resists any movement as the wedge is inserted.

Another one of my little tricks!

[Jonny2morsos]

No the one that slides into place as you depress the foot pedal and locks the moulding in position while the pin is fired.

[Gus]

No the one that slides into place as you depress the foot pedal and locks the moulding in position while the pin is fired.

Ah yes, got it now Thanks!

I was having some problems with the backs pulling out sometimes. Will try it without the clamp and see if that sorts it. Also will check the position of the pins - making sure they are not too far back!
Many thanks
Gus.

[fineedge]

I removed those clamps from my Cassese long time ago and have never had adverse effects - as for filling synthetics if something has not worked properly - I mix pva glue with some ordinary cake flour ( it dries rock hard) and add black pva paint or gold finger or whatever the colour of the moulding is - being water based it then does not affect the finish of the foil at all