Inexpensive Poster Frames

[Cliff Wilson]

If I want to frame MANY movie posters ranging from 1 Sheet (27 x 41) to 6 sheet (81 x 81), and the goal is to frame for display/sale at the LOWEST possible price (with companion advertising promoting my custom framing), what would you suggest?

[JRB]

Call your suppliers, Neilsen, Alumaframe, etc. Tell them about the promotion you want to run. See if they would be willing to give you a special price for your promotion. Ask them if they would be willing to help with the advertising. Call your glass supplier and see what they can do for you. Find out the least expensive way to purchase foam core. If you really want rock bottom, use chip board instead of foam core. Look at the cost of running your mounting press eight hours a day. Look at the cost of mounting tissue.

I did this exact thing about twenty years ago. That was the begining of the $29.95 poster framing special. That idea ended up spreading across the country and is still being offered by countless framing shops. The prices have changed, but the idea is still the same.

We run, any poster framed with a Nielsen aluminum (OEM) frame, dry mounted on foam core, and fitted with regulare glass, up to 24 X 30, $49.95, up to 24 X 36, $59.95, up to 32 X 42, $69.95. We don't do all that many of them any more, but we still offer the price and the service.

John

[Cliff Wilson]

I guess I should be more clear. These are vintage movie posters. The customer wants to display and sell them in their store. Does NOT want to pay much (if any) for framing. Wants to send the purchaser to me for final framing and selection. We are looking for an economical way to display vintage posters WITHOUT actually framing them properly?!? I would NOT drymount these! Values run 100s to 1000s of dollars for posters only.

Thanks,
Cliff

[PAMELA DESIMONE,CPF]

The way I display prints is by backing them with cardboard (you can use archival cardboard) and shrinkwrapping them. I know shrinkwrap is not archival, but with a client who doesn't want to pay anything, what else can you do? You could also shrink-wrap a business card inside. Framing something wrong could do alot of harm. Who would take responsibility for putting something behind a non-uv glass with no spacers, and on a foamcore with no hinges? It wouldn't be me. One thing I would not do is any work for free. A referral sounds good, but guarantees nothing.

[Rebecca]

Why not encapsulate them with a relatively thick Mylar (5 or 7 mil)? They can be thumb tacked (Mylar, not the poster!) to the wall or there must be some sort of top clip system for hanging storage/display.

Rebecca

[Cliff Wilson]

I have a roll of mylar for the small ones that might work, but the big ones are 81" x 81" what would we do there??

I am checking on shrink wrap. That also has promise.

Pamela, I don't do anything for free! :D Having said that, I WOULD prepare a display and advertising (possibly a brochure), to be used where the posters would be selling, and of course I would pay for that. But, the wrapping or whatever of the posters would be paid for. I was considering a "credit" if the customer "turned in" whatever it is I use for the display. That was when I was thinking of plastic frames. But, I can't find any that seem ok. :confused:

My idea was, bring in the old frame and I will give you $xx toward a custom frame. (Then I reuse the old frame for the next poster and of course charge for it again. ;) )

Thanks,
Cliff

[ 03-25-2003, 03:44 PM: Message edited by: Cliff Wilson ]

[Dermot]

Consider using front loading frames for display purpose, this is the sort of frame used in cinemas (movie house) and for advertisements which need to be changed on a regular basis, below is a link for a UK company who make these, I’m quite sure there must be companies who make a similar product in the US.
www.w-co.co.uk/posterframes.shtml (http://www.w-co.co.uk/posterframes.shtml)

[Framerguy]

Cliff,

If you are talking about literally hundreds of posters, I would consider buying a mitering machine and using Perimeter Trim plastic poster frame material. It is made for 3/16" and 1/2" foamboard and can be cut and fitted in minutes.

It is a plastic slip on trim material that will hold a poster onto a 3/16" piece of foamcore for temporary display. The cost is approximately $6.00 per 8' stick of Perimeter Trim. The miter cutter is pricey, about $1200.00 new but, if you are talking serious poster display, this investment would pay for itself in no time at all in freight savings and mark up from somebody who cuts and ships the moulding to you "chop". You can miter your own corners in about 20 seconds once you become accustomed to the operation of the miter cutter.

If this sounds like something you can use and you need more info, email me and I will give you my source for these and she will be able to answer your questions.

Framerguy

[crobertsgallery]

I would still research the most inexpensive route but, I would also pick a medium large, not necessarily oversize one to frame really well.Display it on a really nice easel. With the shop owners permission have information about your frameshop as part of the display and consider it part of your advertising budget. Nothing sells artwork like great framing and nothing sells framing like creative conservation framing. Show them what you've got!

[tnframer408]

I'm not a really big fan of artificial frames, like plastic and such. BUT in a pinch, check out Framerica or whatever they call themselves. They manufacture a particleboard or pressboard type moulding with a laminated finish. Looks pretty good from sampels I've seen.

I haven't fooled with them and don't know how they cut/join. But they are inexpensive. I'msure others will chime in who have used them. I just haven't bothered with adding an additional line to the shop

[Ron Eggers]

Framerica mouldings are made from a soft, finger-joined wood and so they cut and join just like . . . wood.

But even the smallest profiles will cost a lot more than an OEM metal and will not have the strength of the metals.

[tnframer408]

Ron: are you sure of that? I saw some samples in Atlnta at the Decor show and I SWEAR they were like compressed particle board, or some such material. And I know we were told to chop, not saw, that the paper coating or whatever it is would shred if sawn.

and I was responding to the fact that perhaps these posters would look better framed in something other than metal.

[Frank Larson]

Originally posted by tnframer408:
Ron: are you sure of that? I saw some samples in Atlnta at the Decor show and I SWEAR they were like compressed particle board, or some such material. Yer' both right. Framerica is mostly finger jointed wood but some of their newer profiles are paper covered MDF. I believe these to be their "OEM" lines. We cut some of them with a saw and they seemed to be OK. I worry about how well they'll hold together and they tend to be a little on the heavy side. but what the heck...the price is right.