The Framers Forum

A customer has asked me to frame an extremely valuable L.P. He has been talking about getting this framed for the last two years during which time his insurance company have been considering the decision to have it framed.

He wants the edges to be visible and nothing is to come in contact with either playing surface and the labels must remain intact. So I am looking for a suitable fastener which will secure the L.P. via the centre hole and look "right". A spacer behind it will keep the label clear of anything behind it. If possible the colour should be black and should not be able to fail and allow the L.P. to fall within the frame with the risk of being damaged.

Does anybody know of anything suitable please.
Thanks in advance.

What about one of those screw fixings used on drilled mirrors that have a plastic washer and a chromed cap. If they are too thin you could fatten them up a bit with a plastic sleeve which would also cushion the LP against the metal screw. A few wide plastic washers behind to lift it away from the background.

Just a thought..... never actually done one.

Not your average framer wrote:nothing is to come in contact with either playing surface .

OK - this is off the record!

LPs/records should be stored vertically, sure, but standing, not supported by the hole in the middle. Also in their sleeves, which touch them, on both sides.

What's the issue with nothing touching the playing surface, unless both sides are to be shown? I'd say the thing needs more support than a centre spindle.

The labels will be about as lightfast as a pair of Sunday Market jeans and with space both in front and behind the thing, there is more chance of warpage.

A picture frame is not the best place for something if future value is more important than presentation - especially if that something is intended to be functional; not decorative. When not being played these records are stored in a sleeve - TWO sleeves - away from their biggest enemy - light. Hopefully heat too!

If I owned a thing like this I know what I'd do - scan and reproduce the label on the side I want shown, stick that onto an LP I picked up at a boot fair and stick the label on that. Then you can mount it how you like and stick the original in a nice, safe, dark, cool place!

If I had to frame this thing, using the centre hole, I'd cannabilise the centre spindle from an old record player, the stacking type, the bit that slips out to hold the stack above would help with spacing and it would also look authentic. But then you have to do something to offer more support and also to stop it spinning - OK - you have about a 1" diameter unused around the spindle, where the track spirals to take the arm to the centre, but what are you going to put on that - some sort of ahesive? Still got the warping potential with little support.

I think encapsulaion with bags of spacing is the way to go - with or without the authentic look of a real spindle - never mind him not wanting this or that - I'd hope my garage would not 'cut and shut' a car for me, winding the clock back from 115000 miles to 15000 while they were at it.

"Extremely valuable" coupled with "insurance company considering the decision to have it framed" sounds like trouble to me. What do you think they might say if they knew you had to research the job?

Thanks Prospero,

Nice idea, but mirror screws are intended for screwing into wall-plugs and are at least 1" long, perhaps more. However, the black plastic sleeved washers they come with might be something like the right size and they are easy to get.

I was wondering about a mushroom headed black allen key type screw, but eventually they are no longer black and start to look slightly rusty. So far, I've looked at plumbing fittings, hardware stores and not found anything all that hopeful, but it's out there somewhere!

Roboframer wrote:What do you think they might say if they knew you had to research the job?

They already know and have approved work I have done before as they will decide whether to approve this one too! I am yet to find out what the L.P. is, but I know the customer will need to be with it all the time it is on the premises and there is additional memorabilia with it.

All I'm saying is what the customer wants is not the best way and I think that s/he and the insurance company would respect you saying, instantly and (therefore obviously) without having to ask anyone for advice.

"Look - I do this properly or you can shove it" But in a nice way!

I'd also add that whatever I do I would be subjecting it to an environment it was not intended for and I'd want some signatures.

Just putting myself in the customer's and the insurance company's shoes -what do I/we want ideally - someone who tells them straight that my idea, as a professional in a trade they know zip about, will make the best of an un-ideal situation?

Or someone that has to go and find a way to make someone who has no idea's idea work regardless?

Tightly encapsulated from the front and fully supported from the back.

The Grumble is down at the mo' but I'll bet you'll find someone who has done one before, and valuable or not - it'll be done right - maybe differently to my encapsulation idea - maybe with photos.

Good luck anyway.

Grumble is back on - my ideas confirmed, but other ideas too, in links below.


http://www.thegrumble.com/showthread.php?t=4798

Check 'Rebecca's post here (a highly respected conservator) but I'll save you reading the important bit "good overall support is importantl"

http://www.thegrumble.com/showthread.php?t=17293&page=2

and here is what I found when I searched for 'record' in titles only - there will be more if you vary the search

http://www.thegrumble.com/search.php?searchid=122920

Links within those links too.

Not your average framer wrote: ...extremely valuable L.P. ----- his insurance company have been considering the decision to have it framed.

This sounds like "red flags" to me to say NO......

Yes this can be done... I personally use chrome plated brass paper binders that look like a mushroom cap for non valuable records.

As has been already said, If this L.P. is so valuable.... any form of framing is not appropriate for this item. No ands, ifs or buts.

Thanks guys,

I'm discussing this further with the client in the next few days and thanks in particular to John for the Grumble links.

The customer is determined how it should be framed, but I'll be suggesting that we'll frame another (non valuable) L.P. with a scanned and printed label from the original.