The Framers Forum

I have a customer who wants 3 mounted photos framed without a frame, glass front only. I've looked through the bohle catalouge and found some mirror clips that might work. Can anyone please advise? has anyone else been asked for this type of framing and is it even possible? Doesn't have to be glass back.Any instructions would be great as it's been one of those days and i can't get my head around it

Quickest solution - use a readymade clipframe from B&Q or wherever. The problem with that is, they only come in certain sizes and don't really like anything thicker than a single sheet of paper inside. Add the thickness of a mount+backboard and the clips tend to be at their limits and tend to ping off. Plus, you can see the edges of the boards which makes the whole thing untidy. The glass in readymade clipframes tends to be very poor quality and will crack with hardly more than a cross look.
if you make your own clipframes you not only have to polish the sharp edges of the glass, but cut slots in the backboard for the clips.

Some customers get ideas in their heads that are just not practical. My advice: Give them a price for the job with a conventional frame and then multiply it X5 for a frameless version.

The impossible costs money.

i know can't use ready made clip frames as it 14 x 14 square, i tend to rarely turn work away and worry about how we'll do it later!!

That's the spirit.

Check out page123 of the Lion catalogue.

To save messing about grinding glass, see if a local glazier would cut and smooth a piece of 3 or 4mm for you. It would give the whole thing a bit more substance.

solid glass can supply us with polished glass and will even drill if it we need it it's just the whole putting it together business without it looking untidy. tried to talk her into a plain silver ali frame but she still wants glass.

One method i've used a few times is to tape round the Glass/mount/backing sandwich with Filmoplast T tape - the cloth stuff which they do in White, Grey or Black(Lion catalogue p.74). This technique was used a lot in the 1920's/30's, and looks a bit classier than a clipframe. I wouldn't want to do it for a large piece, but with small ones it straightforward. Put fittings on the backing board using bif rivets or 2 part rivets(lion p 111)and tape it up nice and neat - easy peasy. If its a white mount, use the white tape and you hardly notice its there.

I have a customer who likes the frameless look, but wants some items conservation framed too. To get around this I had to get a moulding machined specifically for the job. The mount and the glass are fitted into the frame from the front, while the image is hinged to Artcare foamboard and fitted in from the back.

The frame has only a 3mm wide visible front edge, but is much wider behind the mount. The frame has been painted to match the mount colour, which in turn was chosen to match the paper colour around the image area of the print. There is also a wide rebate in the back to allow the D-rings and cord to be set in, so as to allow the frame to hang flush onto the wall. (Although the photo does not look like it, the colour of the frame and mount are a very close match to the human eye. Unfortunately not to the digital camera which is sensitive to a different spectrum of light).

The mount is fixed in place with double sided tape and PVA. The glass is then laid on top, masked with masking tape, sealed in place with silicone and then the tape removed before the silicone has set. It was a bit fiddly to do at first, but now I've done the first few and with practice I now don't mind doing the repeat orders from this same customer.

The customer loved the overall effect. Could this be the ultimate minimalist frame moulding? There is little to make you aware that it has a frame when it is hung on a wall.

I was advised how to seal the glass in place by others on this forum (thanks again). The seaing method for the glass was not my idea, I've been looking for the original thread, to give the credit to the originator, but could not spot it. However here's a photo:



For a larger view of the same image click here:

http://img160.imagevenue.com/img.php?im ... 1142lo.jpg

Thanks for the great advice. The customer wants a silver top mount with black under mount, not asking a lot is she? Only way i could use this method would be to do as you suggest and she change her mount colour but she's very specific about what she wants. I think on this occasion that the customer may not always be right!

Probably not suitable for your application, but here's a great design for a free standing 'no frame' frame.

http://www.framersworkshop.com/Examples ... medal.html

I haven’t used these guys, but there is a “frameless” frame system I’ve seen occasionally in office buildings. They are called Standoffs. This might be what you are looking for.

Thanks i've been busy worrying about having to have 3 wisdom teeth out to think about it bohle do a similar thing here in the Uk i think when i give the customer the price she might drop through the floor but thanks to everyone whos posted a message...... if anyone else has any advise for future any suggestions are more than welcome. thanks guys!

In case you haven't spotted them Lion sell Stand-offs(catalogue p.129)

Look a bit corporate though - can't imagine anyone wanting them in their home

Thanks my catalouge is at the shop an i've been off for a few days with aforementioned teeth. i'm going in tomorrow so i'll have a look thanks. I know what you mean about looking corporate though. I actually don't think she'll have it done when she sees the examples. Hoping she'll go for the plain silver ali (which would make me right!!!)

It may not be still available, but Nielsen used to to a very diddly alluminium profile that was < 4mm across the face and about 15mm deep. Nearest thing to no frame at all.

prospero wrote:It may not be still available, but Nielsen used to to a very diddly alluminium profile that was < 4mm across the face and about 15mm deep. Nearest thing to no frame at all.

Yea think thats the one we have thanks, our chop comes from them anyway