Anticipating problems with resizing a customer's wood frame

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charming

charming

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Feb 4, 2009
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I have to try to resize a customer's wood frame, which usually wouldn't be a concern, but I haven't worked with a wood frame with this type of corner before.

What can I expect to find? There are no visible v-nails, so it must be nailed. Actually very nice and well made.
20250412_130304.webp
 
It appears you have a spline joint (most likely; as shown below). If so, it may be glued only and the only way to resize it is to cut off the corners and make it smaller. Trying to break apart a glued joint may just break the corner anyways.

spline.webp
 
Your best bet is to cut down along the center of the joint as best you can, trim the edges back to 45 degrees, then cut 1/2 of the amount you're shortening the sides by off of each end of each rail. That way, if some of the splines still show, they will be even.
 
With all customer frame cut-downs, Hubby waves a small, handheld metal detector over
the corners, before proceeding. I'd be surprised, if this has any, but it's worth checking.
 
There are likely no nails. The joinery (splines) are what hold the corners together. These corners are generally stronger than corners held together with nails or wedges.

How much are you changing the size? I'd suggest anticipating taking off at least a half inch (or whatever is included with the splines) on each corner. When you pop the corners, the splines won't come apart cleanly.
 
Ylva said:
It almost feels like a crime cutting down that well built frame. Will you be able to use the same method when you cut it down? If not, make sure that the customer is aware of that. They might not realize that
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Yes, it is a beautiful frame, made by Leeds of London of a $20,000.00 David Hockney Ltd. Edition. Yes, I'll discuss the changes to appearance the resizing will make to the appearance of the frame, but the husband (an architect) wants 2" off the matting all around.
 
Ylva said:
It almost feels like a crime cutting down that well built frame. Will you be able to use the same method when you cut it down? If not, make sure that the customer is aware of that. They might not realize that
Click to expand...
Thank you. Frame was made in London by Leeds (If you google them, they do high end beautiful work). The end result will be a simple v-nailed corner and I'll make the customer aware of the change.
 
As a woodworker for most of my life I would say that it can be done. It will require more equipment than most picture framers have in their shops. You have not identified yourself as a woodworker, just as a picture framer.
First, I would use a sled on a table saw to cut the frame apart at the corners. and then trim the rails on each end to remove the splines completely making each rail the sizes appropriate for the reduced size frame.
Second, I would glue the 4 rails together, without nails, to create the frame.
Third, I would place each corner of the frame in either an handmade or commercial jig to cut the mortices out of the corners, the slots that hold the inlayed wood pieces.
Fourth, after the inlayed wood pieces are dry they are trimmed and sanded flush. The new inserts will have to be finished with whatever finish was originally used.
 
We recently made 22 finished corner frames for a customer. After they received them they realized that they had ordered them 2" oversize. They never asked and I never offered (and would have refused if asked) to cut them down. These were painted, and would have required sanding them back to bare wood and completely refinishing them. It was less expensive (and a lot less headache) to make new ones. I did give them an additional 10% off because they are a really good customer and I felt bad for them (and no, they did not ask for a break).

If they can afford a $20k print I'm rather surprised that they don't WANT a new frame, especially seeing how beat up that one appears to be.

All that said, I agree it CAN be done. Although it seems to me penny wise and pound foolish (no British pun intended).
 
I'm with Ylva and Larry - just say the risk of destroying the frame is high. It looks like teak, and is probably pretty dried out and brittle. If they can afford a Hockney, they can afford a brand new custom picture frame that you can provide.
 
I would offer to make them a completely new frame (or have someone like David make it for me) at the smaller size, and save all the original framing should the owner ever decide to sell the piece.
We've all seem enough Antiques Road Shows to hear "It's worth about $XX,XXX.XX as is, but if it had the original frame...".
Corbin Dallas said:
You'll want to make sure that the existing mat width isn't dependent on the paper size. Sometimes a wide mat is necessary if the paper has a wide margin around the image.
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This too.
 
In addition to the important issues already mentioned, I would encourage you to decide if the use of your time, as well as the risk involved with working on a valuable piece like this is worth the relatively small return you would make not selling a new frame. I agree with the notion that if the art is this valuable it deserves a new frame, especially if the result of all your efforts would be a non-splined frame equivalent to something you could likely recreate easily with new materials.
:coffeedrinker2: Rick
 
I'm kind of surprised this causes so much tension. I guess I was just too foolhardy to be as careful as so many of you. I did a ton of resizing frames including splined frames. I just used a fine bladed Japanese saw to cut down through the miter cut and went from there. It always turned out pretty well. I was also motivated by the idea that if you say no to something which the customer doesn't see as a problem, that may be the last time you ever see them. You might want to warn them that results are not guaranteed, but I wouldn't show outright fear.
 
We'd do it. Those look like small splines and taking 4" off each side should easily eliminate the slots. We would cut through the splines at the miter (Japanese saw as Bruce said), trim and join. We would also take the opportunity to inspect the package and recommend any necessary changes.
 
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