adding additional opening to finished job

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J

joe

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
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Nov 19, 1998
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whitewater,wi.53190 usa
Customer brought me a framed photograph someone else did 10 years ago. He wants me to add a second opening below the photograph. This could be dicey for me. I have removed the mats from the backing and I guess I'll separate the two mats and just approach this as if I was doing a new mat job.

Any tricks or tips for this kind of job; or just separate the mats and cut the opening.
 
Your approach is correct but I would let the customer know that your only liability is to replace the mat with a new similar mat if something should go wrong.
 
I don't know how large it is, but I would try to just sell them a new mat? If you goof or if they don't separated cleanly, you will need to cut them a new mat anyway. Why take a liability that might cost you more than what you might make in the first place?

Susan
 
Yeah, in this case I would charge as much as a new mat would cost. You don't know what you will encounter. What if atg has been used in the area of the new opening, or if it tears when you take it apart. Kind of an unreasonable rekwest.
 
All that labor to rework the existing mat would take a lot more time than cutting the mat from scratch, right? I would not be inclined to give away my labor, so the price to do that might be about twice the price to cut a new mat.
 
We do NOT recut mats from experience it will give ya problems and waste time. Actually less time & dollars to do over.
Either new or nothing
And thats that:kaffeetrinker_2:
 
...unless it has all kinds of hand ornamentation or something to that effect.
 
Never mind. I tried to separate the two mats and that wasn't going to work. whoever taped these together really did their work well. I emailed the customer and suggested a new mat. I have three more frame jobs for the same person and have issues with all of them. At least I can still use the mat that came with the photo.
 
Things I have learned:

1. Reusing a mat is always more trouble than it is worth and I will probably end up giving a free mat. Charges are a defit, new mat (even if we are using the old mat), and a fitting charge. I don't work for free.

2. An old nasty garage sale frame to put customers new work into. Charges are a defit (if apropriate), fitting charges, and an hour labor charge. You never know if a frame will fall apart in your hands. They also take more effort to get the dirt out from under the glass.
 
Candy said:
You never know if a frame will fall apart in your hands.
Click to expand...

Aint that the truth!:faintthud::faintthud:

When possible, I try to take old pieces apart
while the customer is still in the shop. Telling
them know how tricky it can be, then letting
them watch does a lot to alleviate possible
misunderstandings.

You're wise to heed the advice of these people
about not cutting new windows in existing mats.
It's a headache of the first order, and if someone
insists on it, they need to be ready to both
sign a waiver and pay a premium for the time
and labor involved.
 
New mat new mat new mat. Repeat to customer. Many reasons like risk of failure and having to replace mat, and I can not imagine the magical layout of openings that was so perfect to be able to introduce a new opening and still be nicely balanced and pleasing to the eye.
 
char87 said:
I don't even go there. NEW MAT...NEW MAT...:icon21:
Click to expand...

Amen to this. I do not believe I have ever made a profit from re-working old materials, be it matts, glass or frames. There are always unforseen problems and a lot of dirty work for a pittance.
 
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