CPF? Whats the reason for it!

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beerhere

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Joined
Jan 28, 2002
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minneapolis
This past week we had a client bring two Rauschenberg prints in that he had previously framed in Texas a while back.He asked us to inspect them as one was starting to become quite buckled. Upon opening them I found that one was hinged in 13 places throughout the printto the backboard, and then hinged to the top mat, which made for a very difficult removal. After properly removing the print and its gummed paper hinges I was able to reglaze it with museum glass (as regular clear had been used)and return them both to the client who was obviously pleased. The thing that really fried me was the framers card that was attached to the back which declared CPF certified! I've been in the industry for over 23 years and have never thought that CPF was credible certification, but after this incident I'm looking forward to my exam coming up in Wisc. in a few weeks so I can add myself to the hundreds of highly skilled framers that do actually care about the work they do and the effect they have. And now to RB, CPF extrodinaire in Dallas. Do us a favor,try the post office if you enjoy licking gummed paper that much!
 
Originally posted by beerhere:
...The thing that really fried me was the framers card that was attached to the back which declared CPF certified! I've been in the industry for over 23 years and have never thought that CPF was credible certification, but after this incident I'm looking forward to my exam coming up in Wisc...
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So, you're taking the exam? Why would you want to take the time & effort to earn it if you "...have never thought that CPF was credible certification"?

If you've been in the industry 23 years, I hope you studied all the recommended books. Most framers with more than a few years' experience think they already know enough to pass the exam, which is usually a mistake. That's why there's a 40% failure rate for first-time candidates.

Shame on the framer who uses destructive methods and materials on items of value. If he's a PPFA-CPF, that only proves he knows better.

You did verify that the mount was made by that framer and not someone previous, right?
 
Scott,

Glad to hear that you'll be coming over to Appleton for our chapter meeting in April. We look forward to seeing you here. If you come in on Saturday please let us know. If you'd like to visit our shop, we're open on Saturdays until 4pm. I'm sure that Ron Eggers will have his doors open as well. The CPF exam, as I'm sure you're aware is in the morning on Sunday and the Greg Perkins Program is in the afternoon.

We have a few Minnesotans that journey over here for the major programs.....perhaps some of you would like to drive together?

John
 
The CPF certification is credible if framers use what they have learned. I'll bet many study up so they can pass the exam, then go do things the cheapest, fastest, easiest way.
Becoming a CPF is not going to get you more customers. If you are not going to apply what you know, don't bother taking the exam.
P.S. I don't mean you specifically, beerhere. I used "you" as a generalization. Have you ever re-done anything that was done properly? In over twenty years, I have had only one piece come through here framed correctly (the glass broke). And it had been done at a chain store, of all places.
Good luck on the test. If you know what you are doing, it isn't all that difficult.
 
It is very unfortunate that you found a bad job with a CPF card on it.
I can tell you that I have continued to learn during the past years since I passed the CPF exam and I am committed to learning all I can in the future. To pass the CPF exam you co not have to have a perfect score--just pass a certain percentage. So, in theory, one might not know how to properly mount, say, an old parchment--yet they could still know enough to pass the test. I would hope that if one encountered anything on the test that they were unsure of, they would be curious enough to find out the answer, even if they did indeed pass.
Having said all of that, there is always the possibility that the CPF in question had an employee that did the work. The employees should be properly trained, but I once had to take a three week medical leave and put my store (and reputation) into the care of someone else who I esteemed, but also who did not meet the standards that I try to hold. I found out that shortcuts had been taken only after I returned. Thankfully nothing like gummed linen tape, but still below my usual standards.
I simply cannot imagine anyone putting out the effort and money to obtain a CPF just to blatenly ignore the proper procedures--but certainly there are lazies out there. I hope you do well on your exam and sign your work with pride!
Good luck.
 
.John I will stop in to visit after the test. I only hope I'm finished by 4 and haven't opted for hari-kari with a burnishing bone. To clarify myself about CPF certification I will add that it has never been of importance to me since its beginnings until I was enlightened by a friend who challenged me that perhaps I was afraid of the possibility of failure. So I'm taking the test to prove to myself that I do know what I'm doing. I'm not taking it lightly either, having read and studied all but two of the books recommended and scanning old PFM's along with the wealth of info that can be derived from this forum. I'm very proud of the work that I do and it truly irritated me that there are others out there that could care less. And to respond to Jim, I did check the current listing of retail PPFA members but did not find his listing.I can't verify that he actually did the work but nonetheless it falls on his shoulders and to blame alackee employee is an excuse for not training properly.
 
I'm taking the test to prove to myself that I do know what I'm doing.
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That is the very best reason, in my opinion, to take the test. I have never thought of it as a marketing tool, but I can't imagine NOT wanting to challenge yourself in this measurable way.

As for CPFs doing shoddy work: Most of the really awful drivers out there passed a road test AND a written test at some time. All that proves is that they have no excuse for driving the way they do.

Beerhere, I'll look forward to meeting you in Appleton. And if you're in the neighborhood, stop by Axel's at the Roseville Radisson on Saturday evening, April 5 to say hello.

Oh, yeh, and if you want, go to TC Moulding's open house. That, of course, is optional. ;)
 
I'm very familiar with Axel's Ron and I will look you up on Saturday night.Richards will pay for anything as long as you promise to buy a matboard from TCM. Thanks for the encouragement!
 
beerhere <I am glad also to hear that you are taking the exam. I am always glad to hear that a Framer of 23 years wants to prove that he has enough Knowledge to pass. That's exactly why took it in 1988 but i only had a couple of years experience. However it did make me feel good to be in the number of CPFs.But I have no illusions that it guarantees what I will do ,only what I should know at the time.In fact that is why I re-certified this year,even though my CPF was grandfathered.In fact,that is why PPFA requires re-certing ,things and people change . I know i haveand so has the TEST.
When you posted:

" did check the current listing of retail PPFA members but did not find his listing"

I couldn't help but wonder if you saw a post on HH? In it someone asked what they could do about a shop that wasn't a PPFA member nor a CPF but they did Display the 2 LOGOs.You see some people aren't always honest ,but then you have noticed that.
By the way you are aware of why someone else asked you if it was a PPFA CPF?You see it seems some other Framing institutions admire the Designation so much they made one of their own that sounds like it is the same thing to the uninformed.
But with more Framers like you becoming a CPF everyone will surely know the differance,welcome aboard.
Charles BUDDY Drago CPF
 
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