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MerpsMom

MerpsMom

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Founding Member
Joined
Jul 30, 1997
Posts
4,248
Loc
Leawood, Kansas USA
I have two to do: 60 x 40, 28 x 60. I'm thinking RigiBoard: 3/8" (pretty stiff) f/c, spray gluing onto it a thin polybat. Make a lattice "frame" for the back to stabilize and staple the fabric onto from the back. Also have to apply ribbons every 6" in a criss-cross, then fasten a button at the juncture of each. Whole thing will be framed in a cap moulding.

Hard to figure hourly. Whaddya think? couple of hours each for the wrapping, another hour for the buttons? I can work pretty fast once started.

Sometimes I wonder about my refusal to say no. :icon45:
 
I would bid the whole 8 hour day for the two jobs. But instead of stapling the fabric on the back, I would roll fabric adhesive on the 1" edge and roll the fabric over. Much faster.

Lay out the grid along the edges with colored head pins, by laying a yard stick down and pushing into the FC every 4" or 6", Then you can lift your pin and restick into the ribbon as you get to that point.
Stick out all the ribbons then flip face down and glue down each ribbon end.

Stud the cross junctures, then remove the pins around the edges. Fit.

Sounds simple... and it's simplicity will suck the hours right out of the day. But I love those bulletin boards.
 
Thanx for the tips. I have grown increasingly disenchanted with the powers of glue for almost anything except frame miters. I might use both methods but relying on glue alone makes me nervous.

Wow: a whole day, huh?
 
You might want to look into using Homasote board as it is the standard used on most bulletin boards. It allows pins to be pushed in yet is rigid and resistant enough to stand up to repeated use.

It's all we ever used in the trade show business.
 
MOooOM! I said charge for a whole day, I didn't mean you had to USE the whole day. ;)

I'll count on Frank's glue a whole lot more than I'd ever count or trust pins or staples.

faster too. :thumbsup:
 
I just finished two incredibly time-consuming pieces that I thought would take me a third of the time they actually did. Since time is money, I lost. What I learned is, it's better to over-estimate the time than under-estimate it. I can refund some of the charge (if they paid up front) easier than I can ask for more $$ upon completion. "It didn't take me as long as I anticipated, I owe you some $$ back" (rarely!) -vs- "It took longer than I estimated, please pay me more". As the customer, what would you rather hear?
 
See Mom, Val's a smart girl.

If you quote a half day, and it takes all day... you don't want to see those kinds of orders in the door again.

If you quote the whole day, and refund $100, you have a customer for life.
 
We've all gone through this: we actually know ahead of time that it'll probably not be a moneymaker. We also take them on for a good customer because they think we hang the moon and we don't want to disabuse them of it. A bulletin board is a pain but not rocket science.

Now, we just try to figure out a way to go faster and more efficiently toward that goal of pleasing them and us. And then hope they don't came back with something we actually do have to decline. :D

Val, hope you came out okay and if you have any tips, I'd be very happy to receive them. :)
 
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