Is This Hair-Brained?

[FramingFool]

Ok .... The problem is ambient moisture.

It's everywhere; in the matboard, the frame, the mounting board ....

Considering that we use only Coroplast as a backing material, why not place it with the ribs running horizontally within the frame, tape up one of the edges with framing tape, sprinkle silica gel into a few of the ribs, seal up the other edge and punch a few strategic holes in the tape covering the filled ribs. In theory, ambient moisture would be drawn into the Coroplast and retained there until it slowly evaporates through the avenue of least resistance, the acid-free paper backing.

Comments?

[MerpsMom]

Wow, you're staying up nights. Actually, sounds fairly sane. (Does that put us both in trouble?) Wonder who'll throw cold water on it. groan

[Marc Lzier]

and the charge for the extra would wuld be . . .?

A) Included at no add'l charge.

B) A 'value added option' that materals and labor will be charged for.

C) Pettition mfrs to make a sillicated/impregnated backing board that they will of course over-charge us for to cover R & D.

[MerpsMom]

Yes, but what about the idea?

[Marc Lzier]

sounds fine, just a bit excessive in the labor side.

or to put in another way.
It would be labor intensive.

Another consideration.
Standardization.

using a quantiy of silica and number of holes in consistent amounts.

(too dry is as bad as too wet)

And,
The tape tape needs to premiable (to air) too.

Do whatever you want (it seems most folks in our industry do that anyways) just make sure you get paid for services rendered.

[beezor77]

I made a prototype out of acid free foamcore on a shadow box for a waxcoated beer cup from the Redwings abot 20 yrs ago. This cup is old, coated, and for my ex-husband, so I thought what the **** . I covered the af foamcore with linen, then I poked deep channels with a wood skewer for kabobs. I then poured in silica balls(small, out of shoe box packets that say do not eat) I then poked holes behind the cup all the way thru the fabric where the channels were, smaller than the diameter of the width of the silica balls. the cup is floated with acrylic coin holder clips. I am sure this will be a great preservative, can't thank you all enough. I will be waiting for a strategic amount of time before taking it back to the shop to open it and show my boss. Hairbrained my bum, this could be a great selling tool, for difficult framing objects like guns, knives, anything with a sensitivity to moisture greater than normal paper art, which we all know is ultra on the scale.

[MerpsMom]

This is great! How 'bout for that nasty hydroscopic, hydrophilic water-lovin' watercolor that becomes a wave in the wind in the spring? This question is not a joke: it's hard to convince the owner it's supposed to do that.

[Scarfinger]

The silica will absorb moisture from the air until it is saturated, then absorb no more. If the air in the frame has more moisture than the air outside, this will be good for a while. If the air outside has more moisture than the air inside it will be bad. A picture frame is generally a breathing thing. Any item framed should be at an appropriate dryness before being put in the frame and then it must be hung in a place where the air is at a suitable humidity level. If some exceptional methods are required because of high humidity in the display area silica may be suitable but it will have to be monitored and changed regularly.

An interesting side note: In our shop we used to stock about 1000 sheets of mat board which continually rotated as we sold them. The humidity would stay at about 50%. We changed to a "just on time" delivery system with mat orders coming in 2 or 3 times a week as they were sold and our inventory down to almost zero. The humidity rose to 65% when the mat board was gone. I wish we could have charged by the pound for all that water we were selling. We are now changing back to stocking matboard and it will be interesting to see if the humidity goes back down.
Scarfinger

[JPete]

Check out this site for more info and cost. http://dehumidify.com/index.html We tried this years ago. We got the beads from the glass man who used them in the double pane windows. We never really followed through on a test evaluation. Doesn't sound like it could hurt anything. Are frames really sealed enough to be considered a closed environment such as a safe etc.

MM, its a real watercolor when it has paint that runs, pencil marks and waves....bye. http://www.thegrumble.com/framer/ubbs/smile.gif

[Scarfinger]

Watercolor papers: I have 2 artists that bring in the paper before they paint and have me drymount it on 8 ply rag. This is their idea, not mine, and neither knows about the other. I think it's interesting that it's OK for me to do it before the paint but a "bad thing" for me to do it after. It's also interesting to notice how happy the customers of these artists are with their nice flat paintings when they bring them in for framing. And I wonder if the life of these paintings will be any less than the wrinkly ones from other artists.
Scarfinger

[po' framer]

That's a really good point, Scarfinger, and one which sums up some of the things which I've thought were fallacies about "original art". From whence comes value...... a thing or the enjoyment it creates?

Sometimes I think that the people who gave us some of this stuff are the same ones who tell us not to take T.P. into the woods with us when we're camping. Purists and ideologues are needed to clarify philosophy, I would grant, but sort of get lost in a practical translation in most instances.

I suppose this ol' dead horse is tired of getting beaten, though.

(Turns rapidly and falls off the soapbox on my head)

[ArtLady]

Out of curiosity could the new chemicals in the Bainbridge Alphmats cause a difference?

AL

[ArtLady]

We have a local watercolor artist named Burchfield who years ago hated wrinkled paper. He had all his work mounted to paper mat board. Most of his works have been removed by conservators. They always ask us to put the original matboard in the back of the frame and add an additional piece of rag foam backing behind it. The last work we framed had sold for $15000 and it was small. I guess if the artist makes the choice it is okay. There are some artist who paint on rag mat. Perhaps it will catch on if more artist's adopt this technique. We can do our part by suggesting it to them.

AL

[po' framer]

That's my point, AL; it seems kind of like the tail wagging the dog if the artist makes the choices. I can understand the conservators removing the backing if it wasn't rag (which sounds like it wasn't), but otherwise it's the artist's choice, or whoever becomes the owner, I think.

I've not been told that the Artcare stuff is moisture-absorbing; seems like Bainbridge wouldn't have missed that as an advertising point. I think there's a fancy word for that action like hydrophelic or something but can't remember.

[po' framer]

After reviewing the thread I see that MM already dug up the right words!

[Mel]

This string couldn't be more timely. I was screeching down the supermarket isle the day before Christmas and my favorite artist/customer (who sells in the 5 figures) stopped me to tell me he had a painting being returned due to his use of a water-based paste in his process that was now peeling away. The painting was bought by a couple who live right on the edge of Lake Washington in Seattle so the humidity is doing it in. Since his galleries have his works framed before a show, I didn't frame this one, but he asked that I reframe it when he is through repairing it. I stood there trying to sound intelligent while we brainstormed ways to handle works living in excessively humidified locals. Now, thanks to you all for sharing, I will beintelligent when he brings the piece in. There must be a framing god.