Pricing

[HB]

Those Black Suede mattes are so hard to clean! They show everthing - even dirty glass. Anyone charge more for them?

Just kidding...or am I.

[Maryann]

Why would you put dirty glass on them?

We use a 4 inch foam paint brush to clean them. It pretty much takes all the little specks and dust off. Then stop breathing for three minutes while you fit it in the frame and you're good to go.

Seriously, the foam brush works wonders but they can be a pain in the neck. We don't charge any more for them than other suedes.

[Baer Charlton]

Black, drk Green, Drk Blue.... 10%, and it's some days not enough. graemlins/fire.gif

[Dave]

I use a soft flat 1" x 3" brush...works great!

Just like removing lint from my purple suede jacket which looks great with my big yellow silk bow tie and my Hushpupies. Now, if I could only learn to play the piano... :D

HAVE A GREAT LABOR DAY WEEKEND FOLKS! I'll be closed tomorrow...how about you?

Dave Makielski

[HB]

MaryAnne I knew that was coming - I was thinking of rewording the "dirty glass" part but its too close to the long weekend.

We use a lint remover roller available at Walmart etc. & it works good but blacks (even Rag mattes) are still a pain.

I guess I can't hold my breath long enough - need to hire someone younger to do the blacks.

[Mike LeCompte CPF]

compresssed air. REALLY cleans 'em up. You too if you aren't careful

[D_Derbonne]

Every time I do a job that is black on black I think I should be charging more...but I never do.

[BILL WARD]

I use combo of stiffish/short brush(for the really stubborn specks), compressed air for the over all, and a good/new lint roller for the rest...actually never though about a sur-tax for the dark-uns....something to think on......

[JbNormandog]

Compressed air works here.

I don't charge more but it makes me appreciate the lighter colors more when I get them.

[Rob Markoff]

Of course we charge more for any framing with a dark background, especially shadow boxes and especially with a suede or velvet background.

Do they take more time? Absolutely

Do they show more "defects" (meaning any scratches in acrylic or smudges on glass that might not be as visible with a lighter background? Absolutely

So why question the rationale for charging more?

The difference between a "successful" and "non-successful" framer is that the successful framer knows from experience that some things take more time than others and they charge appropriately.

Your profitability is based on charging a proper mark up on materials and proper compensation for your time.