Odd size alloy frame

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Jon_Brooke
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Odd size alloy frame

Post by Jon_Brooke »

Customer came in with a picture and the sides of a metal frame that had been framed in.

They have lost (!?) the corner fittings.

I assumed that I would have some in my box of bits, but I haven't managed to find any that fit.

The channel that the corner fixings should go into seems to be very slightly narrower than normal. See pic.

Not got a vernier on it yet, but I think the channel is might be 12mm wide - whereas the fittings that come from Neilson or AMS seem to be 12.5 or 13 mm wide.

Any ideas?


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JFeig
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Re: Odd size alloy frame

Post by JFeig »

My first question is - "was the frame bent from a fall onto the floor"?
Check the width of the back side of the moulding in several locations to confirm.
As far as I know, there have been only 2 standard channel widths, the primary standard was established when Nielson-Bainbridge started their product line in the late 1970s. The older standard was about 40% narrower and referred to style #186 in hardware manufacturers catalogues. BTY, AMS, I believe now a division of Fletcher, still makes the "186" style hardware the last time I looked at their catalogue.
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prospero
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Re: Odd size alloy frame

Post by prospero »

Angle grinder? :clap:
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Jon_Brooke
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Re: Odd size alloy frame

Post by Jon_Brooke »

The frame is not bent and I've tried every end to see if the fitting goes in - but it doesn't.

I may resort to angle grinder, but it's not ideal as uneven edges will introduce some play.

I'm wondering if it was originally one of these frames where they put it together with a non reusable fitting that isn't designed to be taken apart non-destructively - hence the "lost" fittings. There don't seem to be any scratches on the inside of the channel though, although there are holes drilled near the ends.
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JoeB
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Re: Odd size alloy frame

Post by JoeB »

I think Rose and Hollis have the Nielson narrower ones.
Jon_Brooke
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Re: Odd size alloy frame

Post by Jon_Brooke »

It's not for the standard Neilson narrower ones either though. It's just maybe half a mil too narrow for the bigger fittings.
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