Applying acrylic spacers

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M

Matoaka

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Apr 28, 2002
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519
Loc
Albuquerque, NM
Regarding the black or clear acrylic spacers (we get ours from FrameTek) that are 1/8" square, etc... and have the peel 'n stick tape on one side:

Some of our framers apply the spacers directly to the glass - which means they don't always disappear entirely under the rabbet.

Some of our framers apply the spacers directly to the rabbet - which means you can't "seal" the package with 810 tape.

How does everyone else do it?
Thanks,
Matoaka
 
Mat,

You fired one completely over my head this time! If you put the adhesive side on the back side of the glass, the spacer is where it is supposed to be in relation to the image and the glass.

If you place the spacer in the rabbet, now THAT is a whole different breed of huntin' dog!! How do you do that and still get the spacer to space where it is supposed to space, ie., between the image and the glass??

I am not getting a good mental picture of this! :eek:

FGII
 
Well, it depends on the spacer, doesn't it?

When I use ChannelSpace, I stick it to the rabbet because that is the only way they can be installed. When I use the 3/8" Arlos, I stick them to the glass (but snugged up against the inside of the rabbet) because that's the only way they can be installed.

The cubic ones are pretty much either/or but I prefer adhering them to the rabbet. I almost never seal the edges of a framing package.

Kit
 
MM has got the idea...

Frame face down, glass goes in, spacers are laid sideways on the glass stuck to the inside of the frame (you usually need the 1/8 x 1/4" spacers for this), then art is laid on top of the spacer.

Some say that the spacer won't stick to the wood of the frame for very long - but I don't know if this is true. :confused:
 
Originally posted by Matoaka:
Some say that the spacer won't stick to the wood of the frame for very long - but I don't know if this is true. :confused:
Click to expand...
I'd say that's probably a safe bet. The adhesive doesn't seem to adhere as well to the wood surface to begin with AND the rest of the frame package is pressing against the spacers trying to dislodge them rather than helping to hold them in place as would be the case with the adhesive against the glass. I always attach the spacers to the glass and haven't had any come loose yet (so far.)

Having said that, I predict that, within the next week, I'll have a frame returned because of loose spacers. That's just the way these things work. :confused:
 
I guess I never heard of that method.

If you use the .062 spacers, they won't function stuck to the rabbet and the .125's and .250's would be the same thickness or close if you placed them on the rabbet so the only one that would make sense to me would be the .125 spacer. The others would have to be adhered to the back of the glass to get the spacing intended from each one of them.

Or maybe not. (I don't feel well today.) :(

FGII
 
We use the kind Kit mentioned, and stick them to the glass. Artwork then lies quietly and happily on the un-sticky side of the spacer.
 
Thanks for the replies...

I may give Arlos a try. We're currently using Econospace by FrameTek, and they are good for many applications.

Framerguy, the ones we use are cubic, instead of the channel (linear) type. So theoritically, you could lay the sticky side in any direction, which I've been known to do on a bad day...
Hope you feel better soon.
 
Funny, I was just thinking about this topic. Customer brought in a large piece I had done almost 20 years ago. It was a #15 metal frame with a 1/8" tubular plastic spacer, adhered to the glass. The glass had broken when she moved.

It was a real pain (he he) getting the acrylic off of the broken glass, and I noticed that most of the adhesive remained behind on the glass, all spread out and very sticky. There was actually enough adhesive left on the spacers to reuse them on the new glass. Stuck good and proper.

Just wanted to mention that the adhesive had seemed to "migrate" a bit.

Never had any luck getting the stuff to stick to wood...

That brings up another reason I use Magic tape to seal frame packages, as opposed to J-Lar or other "acid-free" clear tapes. My customers seem to include a preponderance of klutzes. They are always breaking the glass, and have you ever tried to REMOVE J-Lar?

Sorry to get off topic
 
spacers on the glass! That way you can still seal up the insides if you want to. Works best if you put the glass inside the frame first so you can put the spacer right up against the side of the frame sometimes, depending on the size of the lip of the frame. The most versitile tape is Framers Tape II. If glass breaks and spacers are on it, throw it all away, spacers and all! Oh, in another thread I did mention a framer in our shop the other day who installed the glass so that the spacers were on the OUTSIDE of the glass... bet that's one method you havent considered! lol
:rolleyes:
 
And the reason you don't all use the S-shaped stuff? Oh, what is it called? Ahh... Framespace! It is mechanical (no adhesives) removes easily when you discover that the customer wanted NONGLARE glass (ohhhhh), easy to apply and I know it isn't going to appear drooping down from the center top of the glass in a few years. (seen it happen...)
 
Originally posted by unframed_mystery:
Oh, in another thread I did mention a framer in our shop the other day who installed the glass so that the spacers were on the OUTSIDE of the glass... bet that's one method you havent considered! lol
:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
My part time employee did this one time. Fortunately I saw it before the customer came in to pick up the finished work. I'm not sure what he was thinking, but I did laugh about it!
Normally the glass spacer is applied between the glass and the artwork in my shop.
 
Yup, Ellen, I use the FrameSpace ones as well. At any given time there is a choice of half a dozen or so types of spacers in the shop.

Can you tell I really like these things?

Some work better than others in different applications and I like having an assortment from which to choose.

Kit
 
I switched to framespace which you can see at www.frametek.com. Once you try this you may not go back to the stick-on kind. This almost never shows in the window - higher price then most. They'll send you a brochure with cut samples and suggestions. I still use the stick on kind in small frames, adhere to glass, but I keep the allowance to minimum so it does not show.
 
If you are using the peel and stick from Frame Tek and/or any other brand you should go to their web site:

www.frametek.com

And you MUST click 1/2 way down the left side to the description

Framespace How To Video

This is a view for FREE video showing how fast and efficiently you can finish a frame using the NON-glue FRAMESPACE. It takes a couple of minutes to view and you will see how Greg Fremsted "SWIPES" the glass in seconds to permit easier use of FRAMESPACE. The "key" to using FRAMESPACE is "SWIPING" the glass. Once you learn Greg's glass swiping method you will do it to all your glass with or without FRAMESPACE.

You will then put the peel and stick spacers in the museum drawer.

Alan Sturgess
 
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