The Framers Forum

Hi Guys, pleased to meet you all, after reading topics on this forum I feel like I already know some of you!! Please be gentle with this newcomer.

I found this forum most enlightening! I am currently a part time framer looking to progress to working full time. I have just moved to the Dublin end of County Wicklow in the Rep of Ireland and have spent the last couple of weeks looking for picture framing suppliers in the Wicklow/Dublin area. There dont seem to be many??

I have visited Sisslings in Stilorgan who were very helpful and I can pretty much get what I require through them except for GLASS! I have rung around a few glass suppliers who are coming back with some silly figures! I had a look at some old discussions on this forum but they seem to be a bit out of date and dont really answer my questions.

Questions are as follows, bearing in mind that anything I order will initially be in small quantities with me being part time.

1) Can you guys recommend any other picture frame suppliers for Moulding/Mountboard in the Wicklow/Dublin area?
2) Are Sisslings reasonable for Rep of Ireland as everything seems to be dearer here.
3) Can you also recommend a Glass supplier who will be able to supply 4x3 ft sheets of paper interleaved 2mm float glass?
4) Also where can I get other types of glass - diffused, anti reflection etc?

Sorry for length of post, look forward to your responses.
Yours faithfully,
Grover

Hi Grover
Welcome to the Forum.

I am sure that DERMOT (where are you) will be able to help.

In another life (not that long ago) he was a well regarded Picture Framer in the Dublin area. I am sure that he will be able to help.

There are also quite a few Irish Framers on here who will be able to guide you also. Áine is another one, who quite often burns the midnight oil on here.

Hi Grover agus fáilte!!

Merlin wrote:Áine is another one, who quite often burns the midnight oil on here.

So I'm a bit of a vampire cat, Merlin. Sue me!

As John correctly mentions, I'm also based in the Emerald Isle. I deal with the following suppliers:

- Glenwood Mouldings (Newtownmountkennedy - local enough? ) 01-201 1678. Very helpful, efficient and friendly.

- Sisslings (for whom you have details).

- Quality Wood Mouldings

- AMD (in Golden Pages) stock TruVue speciality framing glass (Conservation Clear, Reflection Control, PerfectVue, and Museum). Also carry mouldings (I don't buy mouldings from them at the moment, so can't comment).

- Also worth getting catalogues from UK suppliers such as Arqadia and D & J Simons. And it goes without saying that a Lion Catalogue is a must!!!

- Can't recommend a float glass supplier in your area unfortunately (Dermot or Lemon Drop may be able to advise), but wherever you go glass costs silly money over here compared to the UK. All I can recommend is that you shop around for price, and also double-check that potential suppliers will interleave the glass for you.

And if you think float is pricey, just wait till you hear the TruVue prices....

AMD 01 4010130

As Áine said they do the Tru-Vue Range.

They used to do standard 2mm glass by the crate only, not sure if they still do it.

Regards,

Stephen

Stephen
My apologies, I missed you out... So sorry.

No problem Áine. You would probably win!!!

Hi Grover,
As for mouldings, as you know you have Sisslings, but also Argent Mouldings , AMD Mouldings and Glenwood Mouldings are based in the Dublin area.

Scopas are in Kilkenny. Arqadia are UK based but the have an Irish Rep.

Also as someone else said, send for a copy of the Lion Catalogue, even if you dont buy from Lion, some of the moulding suppliers get d-rings, tapes, and other stuff from Lion, so the catalogue shows you whats on the market.

Years ago I bought direct from Lion, you can still do that if you want to, they are a good company to deal with.

I got accounts with all the above suppliers. Ask me to pick one, and I would choose Glenwood Mouldings.

The guys at Glenwood used to work at Sisslings, and for various reasons
which I wont comment on, started trading over an year ago. I would recommend you get in touch with them.

My one to drop would be Arqadia ,they dont do any machinery or spare parts. Not much point in having only one supplier, that only sells moulding and the firing pin on your underpinner is gone.

I'm in a different position when it come to glass than anyone else here, because were a Wholesale and Retail decorative glass company. Because of the amount of glass and mirrors we buy, we are in a position to get a price that is favourable to us.

If not then we will import containers of Glass and Mirror from out side the
Irish Republic, and bypass the wholesalers in Ireland.

I know Tipperary Glass supply 2mm clear and obscure, but I think you have to buy 20 sheets at a time, I will check if my brother knows anyone in the Dublin area that supplies 2mm tomorrow.

Thanks to one and all for the replies, they have been very helpful.

Cheers Merlin, thanks for rallying the Irish troops for me!

Aine, thanks for the recommendations. In all the research I have done, I havent come across Glenwood before probably because thay have only been trading for a year. Had a chat with them today and going to see them Friday. They couldnt be more local, 10 mins away and about half a mile from my daughter's school!

Stephen, spoke to AMD, they only do 2mm by the pallet/crate which is too much for me. Do you anyone else I can try?

Lemon Drop, thanks for all the information. Tipperary seems a long way and maybe 20 sheets is a bit much but will have a chat with them. If your brother knows of anyone in the Dublin area that would be great.

Dermot, come out come out wherever you are!

Regards
Grover

Hi again, Grover!

Glad to be of help. Glenwood sound ideally located for you. They're a really good crew!

From an older thread (summer this year):

BookFrames (Leo) wrote:We get our glass from Carey Glass in Tipperary for €6.16 + Vat per 3'*4'. I havent had any problems with bad quality, 50 sheets per delivery so you need good access.

Leo is based in Roscommon, so Carey's sound like they have a wide delivery area. Might be worth a bell. Certainly the best price I've seen quoted for float.

Don't forget Tipperary Glass in Templemore. I have had some dreadful stuff from Carey's lately (covered in that nasty acid etched mackeral pattern when you breathe on it), so am trying Tipp Glass now.