Hinge Placement on a loooooong piece of art

[RozR]

Ya know when you get a project that has issues.... this one has had numerous issues...

Being oversize, the outside dimension of the piece is 52 5/8 x 19 1/2. First the 2nd matboard chosen did not come in oversize... but I did find an equivalent - at first I thought I would have to splice/piece together and you all gave me atta-girls to do that... but I was able to find an oversize to coordinate.

I had first sold with glass and realized... "Am I crazy?" and chose to upgrade to plexi... for obvious reasons...

So,now that all this has come together - I am putting the piece together this a.m. and wa-la - another problem...

My frame was cut/joined 1" short!!! EEEE. So I have to reorder this - now at the 11th hour!!

And, while I am waiting for that I decided to get the rest of the package all together so I can just "throw" it in the frame when that arrives!!

But - the question - which I am finally getting to, is: with the artwork - which is a GORGEOUS glicee original output by customer's relative being so looooooooooong - where and how many hinges would you recommend on this? The mat opening is 46 5/8 x 13...

Thanks,

Rrrrroz

[MiterMan]

Holy cow. I don't remeber the guidelines exactly, since I usually do it "by feel" but I think in general:

Two hinges up to 18 inches or so

One additional hinge in the middle once it gets to about 18 inches

One additional hinge for every additional 12 inches

So for your piece that works out to 5 or 6 hunges across the top. Did I remeber this correctly? Hugh? Anyone?

[ 02-20-2004, 02:39 PM: Message edited by: MiterMan ]

[Jerry Ervin]

Originally posted by MiterMan:

So for your piece that works out to 5 or 6 hunges across the top. Did I remeber this correctly? Hugh? Anyone? That is close to what I have read, however, it depends on the weight of paper. If is on really heavy stock paper it might "slump" every 12 inches. Better safe than sorry, add more than you think.

[RozR]

The stock this is on is VERY heavy - beautiful paper.... a true work of modern technology art!!!

Nice to work on such a nice piece!

Thanks for your answers... as always!

Roz

[MiterMan]

Ah, of course it is on heavy paper. In that case, as Jerry pointed out, you may need more. May not be a bad idea to make some jumbo hinges for it.

[Ron Eggers]

Wait!!

If it's that heavy, maybe hinges aren't the best way to go.

How 'bout Vicki Schober's ArtSaver Strips or maybe Orton's sills and cleats?

Do you have a little border to spare all the way around the image, Roz? If so, think about stripping.

Details available upon request.

[Hobbes03]

Originally posted by Ron Eggers:
Roz? If so, think about stripping.
What!?

[framah]

Yeah!! Where's she showing tonite?? :eek: :eek:

[jvandy57]

Originally posted by Hobbes03:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Ron Eggers:
Roz? If so, think about stripping.
What!? </font>[/QUOTE]I keep saying this is the best way to get new PPFA members

[RozR]

Maybe stripping in a past life. I actually could have been a stripper... but it was in the printing industry - and now it is so antiquated a term with the onset of computerized methods... I know it was always "shocking" when you talked to people about it then. tee hee.

Anyways, Ron - since you brought it up... ahem. What is this stripping you are referring to?!!! I think it may be the way to go... I do have room around the edge. I also have archival 'mounting strips' - that I could use.... Suggest away!!!

Thanks,

Roz

[Ron Eggers]

Okay, Roz, here goes. As a last resort, I will take some pictures and post them, but let's try a verbal description first. The glitz and glamor of posting photos on The Grumble has worn a little thin.

You'll need some 1-ply rag, like Bainbridge B8649 or Crescent C1515. We used to call this barrier paper but, of course, we now know there's no such thing as a porous barrier.

It comes in 32x40 sheets for your matboard vendor.

You will be cutting it into 1" strips. It doesn't matter much if you cut them 32" or 40", though the latter would be better if you plan to mount a lot of 40" art. I cut these on my Fletcher 2100 after ATG-ing a temporary guide stop on the straight-cut side of the cutter. I'll cut a couple of sheets-worth when I am in the mood.

Take some 1/2" ATG, preferably ATG Gold, which has a good tack and is acid-free, and run continuous strips along one side and one edge of each rag strip. You'll end up with a pile of rag strips with ATG covering half of one side. Leave the carrier paper on until you're ready to use the strips. (Duh!)

There are two ways to use these strips - my way and the right way.

The right way would be to crease each strip sharply down the center (the long way.) This isn't as easy as it sounds. Cut the strips to length and put a folded strip over each edge of the art, with the ATG down. The bottom strip should be snug and the top and sides just slightly loose to allow for paper expansion. You'll end up with a little pocket all around the art - very strong and totally non-invasive.

The Lineco See-Thru mounting strips are designed to be used in a similar fashion.

The other way to use the strips would be in pairs on each side of the art. One strip goes down, against the edge of the art (again, allowing a little slop on the top and sides) and with the ATG closest to the art. The second strip gets attached to the other strip with the ATG AWAY from the art and overlapping the art as much as the margins will allow, but no more than 1/2".

The second method uses twice as many strips, but avoids the creasing and lays a little flatter. The danger is that, in theory, the ATG could partially release and the art could slip between the two strips and come in contact with the adhesive.

I have NEVER had that happen, but I suppose it could.

If you don't want to dink around with cutting strips of rag and applying ATG, you can get ArtSaver Strips from United or directly from Vicki Schober, who developed them. They are ready-to-use and pre-creased. They are only a few inches long, but you can use as many as you need on a print.

I'd be interested in feedback on this, as long as nobody says anything about my mother or questions my manhood.

Maybe this is a procedure that is common practice among framers.

[RozR]

Ron - I have to do my 'homework' on this one... I may have to come back to you with questions but if probably won't be today!

Thanks so much,

Roz

[Ron Eggers]

Like so many things, I make it sound much more complex than it is.

I'll try to take some photos here tomorrow (yeh, it's Sunday, but there's stuff to do) and post them.

That might work better than writing another 1,000 words.

I just used this method to mount a heavy watercolor. I should have taken picture before I finished it off.

[Pat Weekley, CPF]

Ron's description of the strips were great, and reminded me of another method that I can't seem to find anywhere in the framing books lying around here, so I don't know what the proper term for this is, but I'll see if I can attempt to explain. If you don't happen to already have the pre-made strips and want to make it easy on yourself, you could use a couple of full sheets of the 1-ply. For the length you'd need a full sheet plus part of another sheet since the length is 52 5/8". Fold the 32" size to the size of the artwork & give a little allowance, in this case 19 5/8". Trim the fold of the 1-ply so it covers only 1/4" to 1/2" of the print (depends on your mat, and how much is going to be covered) Lay the print on top of the 1-ply & fold the creased edges over. This would give a little added support to the art. I can't begin to figure out how to post a picture here, so sorry if this description is as clear as mud! smile.gif Good luck with the project,
Pat Weekley, CPF

[framanista]

I’ve been using the method Ron so well describes. If I feel the need to use the folded–strip-method, I carefully score the paper to make it easier to fold. For the two-strips-method, I think the strip that’s attached to the backing board should be close to the same thickness as the print. Also, when you order 1 ply mats, be aware that when you tell them “one B8649” they will send you one package of 25 sheets. At least Larson does.

[Ron Eggers]

Oh, yeah.

That's why I use the Crescent 1-ply.

25 sheets makes an awful lot of 1" strips.

[preservator]

The critical question is the orientation of the
sheet. If the long dimension is horizontal, hinging should work well and the formula that
MiterMan quoted has produced good results. If
it is a tall work, there will be little space
for the hinges to be attached to along the top
and side hinges will be necessary. Keep in mind
the fact that most modern papers have a pronounced
grain direction and expansion across the grain
in such a sheet is far greater than it is in the
down grain direction. This means that any strategy that supports the paper with fixed points on the back mat (which is made of laminated and thus less expansive material) must be designed so that the across grain expansion can be accounted for. Unless, one is clear about the grain direction of the art paper, hinging is a simpler strategy.

[RozR]

The orientation of the piece is horizontal... the stock it has been output on is obviously off a roll paper for an inkjet output since it is so long.

If I hinge as I originally thought I would do until I heard Ron's technique, would I need any strips to be placed along the bottom, more for the "roll" of the paper rather than support?

Will definitely wait on finishing this piece today until I complete this "crash" course in dealing with this long piece of art!!

Thanks,

Roz

[Ron Eggers]

How ya comin' along with this, Roz?

Have you reached a decision? Do you need pictures?

I don't want to abandon you in your hour of need, but I don't want to post any unnecessary photos either. (Stop laughing! It's one of my New Year's resolutions.)