The Framers Forum

Hello All. Reviewing the posts about waterproofing has prompted this as a more general question.

I am in the habit of always taping up the glass/mount/under-mount sandwich. This takes a short time but makes the package easier to handle and seals it against dust etc. I do this for all flat pictures, big and small. I have notice though that sometimes this can have the effect of tightening the glass/mounts/artwork together a bit thus possibly restricting the ability of the artwork to expand/contract etc.

The questions are: Is this standard practice or overkill; when would you not tape up the sandwich; is there a technique so as not to make it all too tight?

Cheers, Tim

Hi Tim,

I tape all mine as we are prone to the little thunder flies down near bath and I would be getting all the frames back from my customers to sort out if I did not tape them. I am not sure of the correct method, I place the side I am doing just over the edge of my bench, but I have not noticed over tightening.

Cheers

Nick

I always tape - In the begining it was slow, Now Ive done so many that it I can do it in my sleep

I think that unless you press the 'sandwich' tightly together and then pull the tape tightly over it, there will be some play/movement and the tape can expand and contract with the mount and undermount.

I have always taped the sandwich. It was a tip given to me by a rep (ex-framer) when we were discussing how to seal ally frames. When I started using this technique I realised that it made life much easier all round

There isn't any need to pull the tape 'drum tight'.

It's a handy method for me as I do the mounting/glazing upstairs and the frame making/assembly downstairs and it's easier to have the glass/thing/back in a solid lump. Also I am surrounded by cornfields and some years the little flies come out in plagues of Biblical proportions.

You can make up a little tool to assist in the sandwich making process.

Details here.

Thanks all, I shall continue in my ways then. Glad we have no plagues of insects here, though we had a bee swarm last summer! A little large for frame gaps

JohnMcafee wrote:You can make up a little tool to assist in the sandwich making process.

Great tool!

Is sellotape ok to use?

Sellotape is what we use.

Though I suppose any self adhesive tape would work.