The Framers Forum

Not too sure how long ago this was framed, but I was less than impressed!!!

When the customer brought the item in, it didn't have any glass in the frame, and I don't believe it ever had! They didnt want a mount putting in the new frame, but did (thankfully) was a sheet of glass!

Turned out looking quite nice once we'd had our way!






*** I have deleted the embarrassing photo. - Prospero.


****** sorry. got the wrong one. Anyway you can't read the framers details now so maybe just as well.

It's a needlepoint, not a cross stitch.

Is it against the glass?

How did you re-stretch it?

Your cord's too tight, it'll put pressure on the hangers, especially if only one wall hook is used. Imagine a 5 gallon jerry can full of water, if it's at your feet you can lift it easily; if you put it an arms length away, squat down and then try and lift it .....??

Second photo, when enlarged, you can see invoice - price, customer name and contact info.

Smiffy wrote
"When the customer brought the item in, it didn't have any glass in the frame, and I don't believe it ever had! "

Most probably when this was first framed, it was the fashion not to have glass in a needlepoint, I can remember (when I first started framing in the late 80's) customers requesting that they deed not want any glass (which was a lot better than that horribly defused or non-reflective glass that some asked for )

Is something framed against glass better than framing with no glass at all?

that would totally depend on the environment it was displayed in, for instance if there's smoker in the house, either way non are particularly good, but sometimes the customer will not pay to have it done right, that said there's no way on this earth or the next I would frame a needle point that size for that money.

NEEDLEPOINT.. my bad. This job was priced / titled up by my biz partner - who hasn't framed much more than normal pictures or shirts.

The second photo - I uploaded them by my phone and nothing was even half as visible as it now appears on the computer - lesson learned!

And re the price, again, the partner didn't click the magic button on the software with regards to stretching the piece! Words were had!!!

String - I don't really understand the issue? When I was taught the art of framing, I was always told to make the string pretty taught. That string is No1, and when you hold it by the string there is a good few cm of drop, maybe it looks tighter than it actually is, somehow? Surely whether the string is taught or loose, the pressure put on the frame will be determined by the weight of the overall frame? Anything heavier we obviously go onto double screw d-rings, then strap hangers....

Maybe admin could take the photos showing the invoice down? Not for the prices sake, but for the address... I cant find how to do it.

Sorry - yes, its against the glass. I explained the benefits of, and recommended having a mount board etc etc... but she wasn't bothered and wanted it to look the same as it did before. If that meant no mount, thats what she wanted.

Hi Smiffy, don't ask me to explain the physics but this diagram is worth a look http://theframersforum.com/pmwiki/pmwik ... ingMethods

You should PM admin directly (John) and ask if he would consider removing your photo.

I hope the diagram in that link helps make things clearer. Of course the weight of the frame does not change regardless of how tight the cord is but the forces applied to the attachment points do and if you go overkill on the cord breaking strain and hangers/screws - that force is still there and something else, like the mitres or the frame moulding itself can give/bow and I've seen that. Go back to my 5 gallon jerry can - I doubt I'd be able to lift it off the ground at arms length but a weightlifter might be able to - not for long though!

We tie the cord (stainless steel coated wire actually), on all but the smallest/lightest frames, with the correct amount of slack to allow the TWO wall hangers to be at 60 degrees to the attachment points; we mark those points on the back of the frame and attach a strip of paper to the wire with "USE TWO WALL HOOKS AS INDICATED" printed on it and we show each customer that and briefly explain why, like "it applies less pressure on the D Rings (or whatever), is safer than one and also helps prevent pivoting".

That makes sense to most but now and again we get stuff back and because we use wire, not cord, we can see from the shape of it, that our advice has been ignored and we also, now and again, get stuff back because the customer can see "the nail" above the frame! They want us to tighten the wire; the knots we use are very simple, I wonder where they go when they mess up their shoelaces! A cobbler?