Hello - just starting - Devon

[boxedround]

My Logan mat cutter arrived from Amazon yesterday and has just been taken out the box. That is how new I am to this!!

I am a keen amateur photographer, but have not been in the habit of making prints for fear of them collecting dust in a draw ... so I have decided to try some framing myself to get some up on the wall and also to do some for friends and family. Who knows where it will go!

I have been trying to find some friendly local supplies where I can wander in, get some advice and choose some mount board. I live near Taunton and work in Plymouth and so far have only found suppliers in Callington, Dawlish and Bristol. Are there any in Plymouth, Exeter or Taunton that people know of?

And any tips on the best way to get started would be very very gratefully received. Hope to hear from you!!

[David McCormack]

Hi Boxedround and welcome to the forum,

There are a few framers down your way on here, I'm sure they'll tell you about local suppliers.
But for online materials have a look at Lion http://www.lionpic.co.uk/
Give them a call and get a copy of their catalogue, it has everything in it to get you started

They also have a section on books http://www.lionpic.co.uk/equipment-tool ... books.aspx

Lots of help and advice on here

[boxedround]

David, thank you. Wow ... looks like a great website and one I had not come across ... so may thanks. Hopefully will be in touch one day soon.

[strokebloke]

Welcome Boxedround.
Like you, I started from photography. It's good to get your own shots on the wall - in frames that you've made.
Only problem is family members, who assume that they'll now get their framing done, at mates rates.
My daughter-in-law saw one of my shots - framed. Loved it. Wanted one similar. Cost me £16 for printing/materials and she walked away without even a thank you.
She'll be struggling the next time round

Anyway, enjoy the site.
As David said - lots of guys down your way.
Everyone on here is as helpful as you wish them to be.
And, it's good fun, at times, too

[boxedround]

Thank you Strokebloke! ... nice to hear from someone who started like me. I shall watch out for daughters too!!

Do you buy and cut your own mouldings? I would like to. Have you invested in any cutting equipment (hand cutting or power tool)?

Hope to keep in touch.

[birdman]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Lots of your questions would be answered by attending an introductory framing course. That will help you with understanding how to put together a frame, mount, cut glass and a lot more. They will also have details of suppliers too. Best of all you will get some "hands on" with the tools necessary. When we started we were also able to purchase a starter pack of equipment and ancillaries which got us off to a flying start.

Here is a selection of trainers on the Fine Art Trade Guild's website, which should provide you some options. Lots of other info is also available there too. http://fineart.co.uk/Directory/Default. ... a04165a1f6

Good luck and enjoy the journey.

Rolf

[boxedround]

Rolf - thank you.

I have just looked at the Fine Art Trade Guilds site and got some good ideas on courses. I am sure you are right that a course would be very useful at this stage ... and I think might save me a lot of money in the long run too!! Thanks for the tip.

[Not your average framer]

Welcome Boxedround,

There's quite a few forum members in and around Devon and we're all friendly. I'm also in Devon, in Bovey Tracey.

If you are anywhere near me, you are welcome to pop in and say hi.

The nearest framing supplier to Devon is Venton Enerprises in Kelly Bray (Callington).

[boxedround]

Hi Mark

I will certainly pop in and see you one day in the not too long future ... you are pretty much on the way home!

And thank you for confirming that Venton are the nearest suppliers locally ... I have already spoken to them on the phone and may well pop in tomorrow if I get the chance. I suspect that Bristol is the next one going the other way for me.

I am also looking at courses to get me on the right track. Hope to get to meet you soon.

Regards.

Nigel Coveney

[Not your average framer]

Hi Nigel,

Since you are looking at courses, your nearest training provider will probably be Mike Royale, who is just outside Bristol. He's a well respected trainer and FATG approved. I had some training with him, which was many years ago, when I first started.

Besides the logan mountcutter, have you got any other equipment yet? Going on a course first may be better than buying the equipment and then taking the course and wishing you bought something else.

I equiped myself with secondhand equipment and made an initially small budget go a really long way and got better equipment than I could have been able to afford if I had bought everything as new.

[boxedround]

Mark

By coincidence I emailed Mike Royall earlier today and hope to have a chat with him tomorrow on the phone. The cuttter is the only thing I have bought ... your comments and advice all make very good sense ... thank you. I shall let you know how I get on and looking forward to meeting you and having a chat.

Regards.

Nigel

[Ryan Montgomery]

Hiya,

I'm in the same boat (near enough) as yourself. My wife and I are professional photographers and although the framing was a bit of fun I've got very into it. It's nice to get off the computer and work with your hands! I have a logan mount cutter and I use a hand saw that I bought from b&q for £20 and a mitre trimmer from Lion (I think) that was around the £150 mark. My other investments were a hand operated underpinner that was the worst purchase I have ever made and was quickly replaced by a foot operated one I found on gumtree and bought for £200. The hand cutting and trimming is slowish but works very well for me. The only other thing I bought was a glass cutter that was £5 in B&Q

[boxedround]

Hi Ryan

Really useful advice ... thank you. Especially about the underpinner (I will try not to make that mistake). I can't really wait to get started, but I am sure that it will pay to do my research now and get good equipment. Many thanks again ...

I have just looked at your website and love your photos. You can find some of mine on Flickr (Nigel Coveney). I have a website (nigelcoveneyphotography.com) but it has got puppy photographs on it at the moment!! .. they are giving us a great deal of fun in any event.

Hope to stay in contact.

Regards.

Nigel

[Tudor Rose]

Hi and welcome to the Forum, I would imagine it was us you came to see in Dawlish.

As NYAF says, your nearest supplier in Devon is going to be Ventons, but there is also Wessex you do deliveries in our part of the world on Thursdays and Fridays each week from their depot in Bournemouth. They are really helpful on the phone too. And of course Lions and their catalogue are a great resource. Don't forget that ordering online with some suppliers gives you a better deal on carriage paid.

You are always welcome to pop in again and good luck with your new venture - starting from scratch can be a scary business (as we did ourselves 6 years ago), but it will be well worth it for you I'm sure.

And of course this Forum is one of the best places to be for advice so get stuck in and ask loads of questions. And don't forget Framers Forum Live at Stratford in September.

[boxedround]

HI Tudor Rose

Thank you for the information and advice. I have not actually visited you or any framer/supplier yet ... just trying to work out what is what at the moment. But I would love to pop in and see you sometime and will put this on my list. Everyone is very helpful and friendly.

Regards.

Nigel