Design/construction help

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Cliff Wilson

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Customer would like a photo of her uncle, Vietnam service photo, 7 1/4 x 9 1/4 mounted in a display/box/frame/something with his pilot's hat.

My first thought was get a half round styrofoam ball, cover in fabric, mount hat face forward and mount photo just above and behind. But the **** frame winds up being 12 inches deep. Then I though, ah ah, custom acrylic box, but it just doesn't "feel" right. Any ideas? Is there a pre-made display case for these? Some angle I haven't figured out yet?

Thanks,
 
Cliff,
We do products all the time for framers here, that come to us to assist in eliminating / reducing shadow box needed with our convex glass.

For example, some of our flower lady clients using our deep glass (up to 5" or so) to eliminate boxing, and bringing the flowers out into the light too.

Take a look at our website link in my profile; photos via the Product index appropriate sub listing, and on the Photo gallery pages.

Not sure if it is available there, maybe **line *vals ? :D
Not sure if they do all the range we do in standard and custom sizes though, or as deep.

Hey, I have numerous jobs for the US now, so am happy to help you out with design sizes etc and product to suit.
 
Ummm, I see your examples, but this would have to be about a foot wide and a foot sticking out. And, I'd need to build a shelf or something to mount the "head"/hat on. I guess I'm not seeing how this helps me? Maybe I'm just missing a design idea? Anybody do one of these? Anybody?
 
Cliff, Presto has convex glass fo rovals.

Also I saw an ad for a soccer ball plexi glass in Uniteds mailer. Item number 5930 its $47 for a plexi panel and "dome".

When I first saw it I thought "that's wierd, what the **** would I do with that?!" Maybe it'll work well for you.
 
Cliff, do they want the hat like 90 degrees to the backing ??
Not like this ?

armystuff2lowres.jpg


If they want it horizontal (90 degrees from the wall as it would look on your head), I'd be trying to talk them into a table / shelf mounted display case.

True Bob, we make lots of glass display cases for those difficult framing jobs.
Sometimes it is the only way to display an item sensibly.
We do these for items like footballs, basketballs etc. Example . . .

basketball_cap01lowres.jpg
 
Thanks for sharing your nicely-designed examples, Les.

What do you use to bond the edges? Cyano-acrylate? Silicone? Something else?
 
Les, I can't see your pictures???

They want me to tell them what would "look good." Unfortunately, it's a U.S. Army pilot's hat and the "only" (most) interesting part is the brass insignia just above the front brim. So, I was thinking "90 degrees from the wall" as you said.

The problem with the "table top" notion is there is an 8 x 10 photo that she would like matted and displayed.

I suppose we could do the hat in a table top case and put the picture in an easel backed frame "next to it."
 
Jim,
The cases are bonded with UV glue.
I expect we are the only company in Aus to be making anything like this, and if there happens to be anyone else, then I feel it wouldn't be anywhere near as neat as we do.
It has taken maybe a couple of years to refine techniques, make our own equipment and tools, and source the best glue.
You find quite a lot of acrylic cases on the market, but of course after a very short time, like when you wipe dust off for the first time, that dang scratching starts.

Cliff,
Not sure why you can't see my pics, are they appearing now on your browser ?
Mmmmm, yeah I see your dilemma.
Ok, I'm making one now for a golf scenario.
2 golf balls, with a $50 note, and a pic.
The golf balls are going on tees (holes drilled in the top glass on the base to take tees), $50 in a glass sleeve, glued to the floor, and a pic on the floor, a glass plate on top for over the pic with small round bumpers on the 4 corners, so it can be placed wherever the framers customer wishes).
The golf balls and note are going in an arc around the back of the case, and the pic will be on the floor in front.
The framer and I were considering the idea of a mylar envelope with the pic inside, and fix this to the back of the case with a clear thin double sided tape, but decided on the floor option.
Does anyone there supply open back acrylic or glass cases that have a lip on them, that can be framed ?
Maybe that is an option.
We certainly make them in glass (custom sizes) . . . like this

thruframelge-lowres.jpg


You can probably see the lip around the open back, well this goes in the frame rebate (rabbet), and the case fits through the frame opening to give like a forward projected glass shadow box (that is really not a shadow box
).
Works a charm on items that have a bulk near the edge, and convex glass (where the deepest part is the centre) is just not the best option.

Hey, why not do an open display ?
Find a mannequins head, and just put the cap on and put it on a shelf.
The pic can be framed and hang above it perhaps.

Otherwise, framing it in the traditional shadow box format is just going to be deep, no two ways about it.
 
Cliff,
Just had a brainer, how about this.

Make a frame big enough for the cap and pic, like perhaps 24” high x 12” wide.
A through frame type case say 12” cube or whatever's needed, with just the side and bottom edge lips, goes into the bottom of the frame (silicone into rabbet), and a flat 3mm glass is siliconed into the top half, with a clearance gap of say 1/16” between the case top edge and the flat glass. There would be a 90 degree corner there where they come together.

Picture this so far ?

Ok, you can mount the cap facing forward from the backing board, and the pic etc up the top half, and once the silicone work is really dry (a week is good), bring the mounted cap and pic into the frame / glass setup.

Fixing the cap to the backing could be tricky.
I think a mannequins head from a display company would be best, maybe without and facial detail or it’d look a bit too much, and then possibly stitch the cap somehow to the backing (is there any stitching in the cap you could stitch to?).
Keep it as light as possible with the mannequin head.

The join in the glass could be covered with some braided cord, silicone in place, perhaps to match the frame or matboard colour ?

Anyway, hope this helps. If you have any problems with visualising the concept, let me know, I’ll do a sketch.
 
Les, thanks. I can see your pictures now.

Yes, what you are describing could work. I am sure I could get one of the acrylic companies to build that.

A self-described lurker sent me a photo that might work well If I can find his source. He framed medals and such (think my photo) stood that frame on a base then mounted the cap on the top of the frame and covered the whole thing with a dome. So, I need about a 12" diameter dome, that is approximated 18" - 20" high with a fitted base.

Sources? I emailed the gentleman, but haven't heard back yet. I am sure he will let me know where he got his, but wouldn't mind additional options.

thanks
 
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