• Welcome to the Framer's Corner Forum, hosted by the Professional Picture Framers Association. (PPFA)
    You will have to register a free account, before you can SEARCH or access the system. If you have already registered, please LOG IN
    If you have already registered, but can't remember your password, CLICK HERE to reset it.

First Time on Forum

V

Valerie Becker

Participant
 :
Messages
14
Loc
Red Wing Minnesota
Company
Red Wing Framing & Fine A
Just saying hey! This is my first post on the forum. I am Valerie from Red Wing Framing & Fine Art Printing, in Red Wing MN.
I am also on the North Central Chapter board (we have a great event coming up in October, check it out on the PPFA calendar - all are welcome!).
I have a question about joining one of those old frames that have a large curve...
I attempted to attach my photo but couldn't quite get it to attach...
Anyway, a customer brought in this frame, needed refinishing first. So I took it apart and sanded it down. Used techniques that I had learned from Rob Markoff to refinish. Looks beautiful, but now I don't know how to rejoin.
If you know what I am talking about and have any advice, Thanks!!
Valerie
 
Hello Valerie,
Welcome to the Forum. Are you talking about oval and cathedral shaped frames, often made from oak. They tend to come in three pieces of timber running from top to bottom.
My suggestion is to use two brass pushpins glued together at the heads with superglue. Line them up exactly.

Then place the two broken rails next to each other lined up and place the pushpins between. Press together a bit. After that, drill a hole in both rails for a dowel. Glue a dowel into one rail and proceed with the next pushpin. Two dowels per break should be sufficient.

Before joining, remove all the excess glue from the past.
 
For that shape frame I have a cornerclamp with stepped backstops. These are also used for double beveled frames and I cut the miters on them. It is an antique Stanley 100 I believe. The ordinary cornerclamp is a 400. Stanley does not make either anymore, so one place to find them is Ebay.

I bought mine for $200 several years ago in good condition and has come to good use.
 
There is no easy way to join these. I am very glad that they are becoming pretty rare.

I would love to know how they were manufactured in the first place. M&M used to sell an add on for corner vices that provided support for these, but I haven't seen them in a while and don't own any. Someone here might though. I have usually scrapped them and replaced them with something I could deal with. But twice I have put them back together for persuasive customers.

It goes easier if you were able to save the original steel splines that held them together. You can fashion replacements from flattened v-nails & tin snips or from wood, but that takes even more for time and trouble. I created a jig from scrap lumber to support the back, slathered on glue, then hand held each corner until the glue formed an initial bond. I let each corner set up for at least a day. It is important for the bond to be solid before handling it for the next corner. They pop loose easily.

I never managed to get all 4 corners perfectly aligned, but got acceptable results. If I charged my normal shop rate for the time, the minimum charge would have been $600. Most customers who want these fixed think $20 is about right.
 
What Greg said.

I have probably joined a couple of these in 12 years.

I have a Bessey strap. I have used this to glue and strap them. It's a bit of a juggling act. I only have two vices. If I had four, I would have also clamped the bottoms. After the glue dries I used small brads and nailed each corner where I could. They haven't come back yet!?!?! Keeping my fingers crossed.
 
Yep, that profile is a mess to work with. I don't think I will agree to do it again. My recommendation will be for a new frame, since the added cost of rejoining such a difficult profile might equal the cost of new, anyway.

However, we understand that you are on the hook for this one, as most of us have been at one time or another, so you have to make it work.

First, I suggest making wedge-type spacers out of something solid (wood) to support the 'floating' outside edge of the moulding. Using the spacers to firmly support the moulding pieces in exactly the same position, sand or trim all of the miters to match. Then, you can use vices, or make a fixture for your underpinner thin enough to engage the square section on the bottom of the moulding. If you v-nail or clamp the miters and also use a strap clamp just tight enough to close the outer corners, you can join the rails successfully.

I have had difficulty using only strap clamps on this sort of profile, because the corners tend to open up on the inside and/or the miters open up on the bottom, as the top edges of the rails tend to move up and inward. Using plenty of glue and underpinning is best, because joining with brads (predrilled of course) is problematic in that thin wood. If you are tempted to join using only glue and no fasteners, forget it - the fasteners are necessary for the long term.
 
PPFA Connect Newsletter
Back
Top