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Picture Framing for Photographers – Part 2

Picture Framing for Photographers – Part 2

There are two sources to get the molding to make a frame. You can start with a straight piece of wood first, and using a home routing system, make your own discounted molding shape to take away the artwork. Alternatively, you can choose from a wide range of finished trim available at your local hardware or frame store. I recommend the latter. It is easier, the choice is much wider and it is more profitable. However, a word of warning. Always look for a molding with a good straight back and not too flat on the surface. If the trim has a bump or a raised section on the top surface, it will cut and bond more easily than a flat trim. Most of the moldings are made of pine or oak. They are soft grained woods and cut and bond well. Hardwoods like Ramin are more difficult to work with.

Measurement and cutting

How much molding will you need? The outside dimensions of the frame are determined by the size of the mounted photograph. Carefully measure the overall size of the matte image you are framing, adding a little more (3mm) to “play around” to make sure the image easily fits into the finished frame.

Add the length and width together, then double the total. This will give you the total length. But it should also allow for miter cuts, so multiply the molding width by 10 and add this to your total (required total length = 2 x (length + width) + 10 x molding width). 45 miter cuts are the most important – a wrong cut will never come together properly and it will always look terrible. There are several machines on the market to cut 45 degree miter cuts, starting with the simple miter box, radial arm saw with a miter attachment, or a commercial miter saw (see image 1).

Cutting one side of a frame is easy. Cutting the second side to be EXACTLY the same side as the first side is the tricky part of cutting the frame. With a measuring system, you can cut lengths accurately at all times. The FrameCo measuring system attaches to any brand of manual or electric miter saw and will make cutting frames fast and foolproof.

If you have a saw, you can cut without using a measuring system. Follow this simple step-by-step guide to cut miter lengths for your frame:

* Calculate the dimensions of your frame.

* Place the molding on the saw.

o Cut a small piece at 45 degrees with the saw in the left position.

* Remove the molding from the saw.

o Using a tape, measure along the back of the trim to the length you need.

At this length you have to take into account the size of the molding you are using. Therefore, add an amount equal to twice the width of the trim to the side length, not including rebate. Then make a pencil mark on the back of the trim near the top so you can see the mark.

o Replace the molding on the saw and align the saw blade with the pencil mark.

o Turn the saw and cut the next miter.

o Lay the two pieces back to back so you can transfer the size you just cut to the back of the trim length.

o Repeat the cutting procedure for the other pieces.

Join the frame

To ensure a firm and stable joint, glue should be applied, especially if the frame is large. All that is needed is some good quality PVA glue. Although it is possible to buy clamps that join two corners at the same time, it is easier and faster to clamp all four corners at the same time. This allows you to see how the corners meet before gluing and securing the miters. There are several types of clamps …

Cable Clamps – This simple yet effective clamp system works well for small to medium size frames. It consists of four flexible plastic corners and a section of cord. (See image 2).

Metal Strap Clamp – This clamping system is a bit more sophisticated and consists of a metal strap, flexible corner pieces, and a screw-operated tensioning device that allows you to apply a considerable amount of tension so that the corners come together firmly . The strap clamp is suitable for large and small frames. (See image 3).

Once the frame is attached and you’ve made sure all the corners are aligned, the miter joint needs to be secured or reinforced. Glue alone is not safe enough for most frame sizes. Here are some options.

Panel Dowels – You can drive a panel dowel along the miter. It is advisable to pre-drill the holes and secure the joint in a vise before driving the pins into the frame. Drill through the head of the nail and fill the hole with a colored putty.

V Nails – Professional framers use these V-shaped staples, which are inserted using a special manual or pneumatic joining machine. The “PushMaster” is a DIY version of these machines and is suitable for high-quality, low-volume framing, as required for photography or portrait framing.

Biscuit gaskets: best suited for large and heavy frames such as mirrors. Most commercial picture frame trim is small and a biscuit joint is not necessary.

V Nail Joining Machines

There are several models of these machines and all are suitable for DIY or low-volume image framing. Here are some of the models.

PushMaster – Similar to a large punch, the PushMaster is an easy-to-use, portable tool for driving V-nails into the back of wooden picture frames. The vnail is loaded into the magnetic end of the PushMaster, sharp end down, then simply pushed into the wood. The V nail joins the joint because it is made of spring steel. The advantage of the PushMaster is that it also serves as a mounting tool. The magnetic tip can also be used to place flex points and backing nails to secure the image to the frame.

(See image 4).

BenchMaster: BenchMaster is ideal for the serious DIY framing photographer. The powerful cam action of the handle, combined with the heavy-duty Push Master, drives V nails into the hardest woods. Its gentle manual action adapts to the joining of small or odd-shaped moldings. If you start with Push Master from FrameCo, you can upgrade to BenchMaster at any time. (See image 5).

V nails: how do they work?

As you enter the wood trim from the base, the sides of the metal V nail deflect outward. As the V nail returns to its original shape, this binds the joint tightly. There is a small crimp on the outer leading edge of the nail that sets the nail in the wood grain. This prevents the nail from coming off the end of the miter, keeping the joint stable and secure. The v-nail bonding method is the preferred method of professional picture framers. With a few simple hand tools it is possible to achieve the same result with minimal expenditure on machinery.

Make multi-sided frames

With most good quality suspension miter saws, there is always the possibility of cutting miter angles other than 45 degrees. The problem is that saws do not have a length-of-cut measurement system. The FrameCo measurement system has a smart scale included with the unit. It allows you to measure a length for any angle. A six-sided frame has all six miters cut at 30 degrees, while an eight-sided frame has all eight miters cut at 22.5 degrees. Measure Mate Scale converts the measurement system to a multi-angle scale so that each of these different angled miter can be measured.

Therefore, it is possible for amateur framing to make attractive multi-angle frames that add style and creativity to your framing.

Finishing and Assembly

Now that the frame is attached and the glue joints dry, you are ready to assemble your frame mounted photo. The PushMaster can be used to place backing nails or flex points on the frame to hold the image in the recess.

Seal the back of the image with good quality adhesive tape or masking tape. The best backing tape to use is a silicone coated tape, as it will not peel off over time.

Screw two small O-rings or eye screws into the side of the frame, about a third of the way down from the top of the frame, then connect a piece of wire or wire securely through the O-rings or screws of the frame. eye. After that, your picture is ready to hang on a wall.

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