The Framers Forum

Came across this on a framers FB group. She was using it to hold an object in a shadow box. Has anyone here been working with this?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/393040140237 ... SwbLxfx5oM

It does not actually say it is wax, so what is it? If it's something like blue tack, that could be bad news! There's all sorts of nasty things in blue tack!

It's good stuff, I use it for keeping pictures straight on the wall. This link might give you more confidence, and a better price

https://www.preservationequipment.com/C ... -P615-8111

Thanks Jeremy,

That's really helpful! Also the fact that PEL (who know plenty about conservation and protection requirements) are promoting it is very reassuring indeed! Is this a substance, has much capacity to support weighty items, in shear, if this is what is being implied, I wonder? If so, this can be particularly useful for uses in object framing, where other methods present difficulties. Maybe this also may be a simpler and less time consuming approach to object framing, which has advantages to us all.

Could we know more please!

After looking at the promotional video on the PEL website, it seems to be implying that this material is best used of non absorbent surfaces, such as finished wood surface and shevles, etc. I take it therefore that this probably does not include mountboard. Is this correct?

I am always a little wary about fixing items to the surface of mountboard in beep box frames and the like, in case the mountboard can delaminate over time. I am often not fully comfortable with doing things like this, but sometimes finding alternative methods can be a problem as well.

Any comments please?

For me mylar film, or mono filament nylon is often my go to object framing solution, but there can be problems. Mono filament nylon can weaken over time, so a decent safety margins as far as weight loading to allow for any reduction of strength over time seems advisorable to me. Also mylar film is generally somewhat glossy and potentially may create visibility problems with reflections of ight from the mylar.

Some things which I also use at times may include those very strong self adhesive pad which attach interior draving mirrors to the inside of car windscreens, or those stick on plate hangers faced with a strong water based gum type adhesive. I am not sure that there is always a perfect solution for all cases.

I have on occasions employed formed rods, but these are very hard to hide. Some items get held in place with nicely colour ribbons across the corners of some object with the ribbons passing through slits in the mountboard behind the object, This is of course the well accepted solution for retaining old documents in box frames over many years.

This could be a potentially very helpful and informative subject thread. I am not aware that we have visited the subject of fixing items in position for object framing and in deep box frames for a long time, so maybe it something good to revisit again and learn new things!