The Framers Forum

Thanks for the views so far, my own view centres on the use of either material as the occasion warrants - if it looks good I'm ok in using it. I'm trying to develop bespoke through design ideas, materials AND service, I'm less than impressed with some wood moulding that look good on face but under inspection are cheap pine finger jointed at quite close centres, so I'd not always equate wood with bespoke.

There is always going to be a certain amount of 'snobbery' when it comes to wood v. plastic.

Not that I'm pointing that observation at any members but there is a sort-of prevailing bias with people
that tends to class anything plastic as inferior in some way. How often have you heard something described
at 'plasticy' as a by-word for crap?

To be fair, a lot of the first-generation plastic mouldings looked crap. But they have come on a lot since then.
OK, the finishes are mostly foiled on and many are just photo repros of finishes. But if you take a white moulding
on wood and it's plastic equivalent - what's the difference?

Just saying that used in the right way and in an appropriate application plastic mouldings are fine.

Trinity wrote
"I'm less than impressed with some wood moulding that look good on face but under inspection are cheap pine finger jointed at quite close centres

Totally agree with that, with underpins shooting out the side of the moulding (always seem to be the last corner being joined )
One of the reasons we will be increasing our range of PolCore in the New Year

This discussion reminds me of those adverts for Aldi supermarket.....

I like these wooden mouldings which are the same as other suppliers but cost less here but I also like these Polcore mouldings which look just as good and offer even better value.


Merry Christmas from everyone at Mainline Mouldings.

Finger joints don't always mean low quality, it's often donewith high quality products to prevent warping.

No doubt your right, but to those like me without that knowledge it looks like a way of using up bits. But thanks as I'll add that to the data base for when someone turns the sample over.

when suppliers recommend using hardwood underpins on finger jointed pine, it's not high quality , especially when the joints are only 6" apart.
I made a 10"x8" frame out of finger jointed pine, and on two of the corners the underpins came through the sides of the frame, also you could see 2 finger joints on each side of the frame, so I sent it to the supplier to see what they thought of it, that's when they said use hardwood wedges, I no longer stock that range of finger jointed moulding

I don't mind the finger joints. Never had one give way and they do help with twisting issues.
I've had stuff with ten joins in a ten-foot stick. It is maybe wise to try and dodge having a join
in a corner though because if the pinning probs mentioned. Even if you have to waste a bit here
and there that's preferable to binning a whole length through warpage.

Heres another angle. I was approched by a young lady exibiting a garden at chelsea. wanted some artwork framed to hang in an out house/shed. Every thing made of wood ie outhouse/shed, bench seats, trellis, plant stakes, fences, absolutely everything had to have an FSC certificate. Apparently after makeing some phone calls, every operation from cutting the tree down to the final finish has to have a certificate, and the paperwork involved is colossal. Polcore saved the day, no certificates required, everybody happy.

Are there any tips to working with Polcore in regards to underpinning. I would love to use it, but have never been able to get the join right. I can mitre the stuff fine, but when it pins it just raises the moulding and I end up with a gap in the mitre. Increasing the pressure does not seem to solve the issue. I have tried not putting the wedge close to the edges. Every now and again I will stick a length in when I am ordering from Mainline to give it another try and then get frustrated with a gap in the joints and then give up again.

Hi Chris, I use Titebond polyurethane glue, and always adhere to the advice given by Lion for their Minerva mouldings - don't put a wedge further out than the middle of the moulding. I also tend to use a smaller wedge than I would on an equivalent timber moulding.

Band clamps can be useful if your jointed are a bit loose - just wind it up tightly and let the glue do its work! Just be careful if using Titebond - it seems to bubble up and expand to fill any gaps, so if you put it too near the front edge, it will seep out and usually marks the moulding. Aim to use just enough so that it doesn't squeeze out of the joint.

Heres another angle. I was approched by a young lady exibiting a garden at chelsea. wanted some artwork framed to hang in an out house/shed.

I've recently been asked to frame an exhibition funded by the Vegan Society. I've suggested Polcore and I believe they're looking into it as it may be more 'ethical' than timber.

They eat their frames?

Apparently so 3 square meals per day

I wonder what they'll do if they find out it's made from recycled polystyrene from the meat and fish packing industry!!

Chris_h wrote:Are there any tips to working with Polcore in regards to underpinning.

Do not underpin. Superglue only. If i was welding two pieces of metal together i would not also use a nut and bolt and some freshly chewed gum for extra strength. Try this - glue some waste polcore together with superglue and then break it. You will find that the surfaces at the break are not flat - they are hill and hollow because the base material breaks at the extremity of the penetration of the glue.

Tip :- use High Viscosity superglue as it is more forgiving as regards squeeze out. The "EverBuild" seems to have a better shelf life than the "BondIT" but the "BondIT" has a better nozzle design. But of course shelf life will depend upon how much the supplier sells.

Tip:- When using a shadow mount you can use polcore as a spacer cheaper than the wood fillet mouldings. For this purpose i cut the polcore inside out (lip outwards).