Free standing frame

Jay H

PFG, Picture Framing God
Joined
Dec 8, 2003
Posts
9,908
Loc
KY
A customer wants to put some golf score cards in a frame and be visible from both sides. Problem: He wants it to free stand, like on a desktop or something.

I was thinking about using a moulding that has a very very thin rabbit. Then use matting to fill it and back it with the same frame and matting. Simple enough. Now frames with small rabbits tend to be thin. How can I make it free stand. I am going to use plexi so it won’t break when, yea I said when, it falls over. I suggested an easel and that’s a no go. Ideas?
 
In one of Vivian's books (I think) she uses frame moulding to create a base for a frame. Think of it as making two frames. If your frame is 10" wide and the thickness of the double sided frame is 2", then you would make a 10"x2" frame for the base. The only difference is that you wouldn't join the base in the usual manner with the face facing forward, but would cut it so that the face of the moulding is on the sides. I don't have her book here but I think that that is the jist of it.
 
I just so happen to have one on my bench.
stand_up_frame.jpg
 
That is exactly what is in the book "Framing Collectibles" on page 45.

Quick question. Is it just me or is this purely visual? What is actually holding it up? Dave, is that very sturdy?
 
I am playing with some moulding here. I guess the frame fits "moderatly" snug into the base? No play at all????? I just don't understand where it is very sturdy?
 
Jay, I used angle brackets inside the base frame. Kind of like offset clips with two holes in it. One side of the clip is screwed to the bottom of the stand up part of the frame.

So, it is just the width of the base that determines stability.

clear?
 
As mud!

Are you saying that the frame actually fits more into the brackets than it does the "base Frame?" and one side of the bracket is srewed into the "base frame" and the other side fits over the corner of the standup frame like corner protector? Then screwed into the stand up frame?
 
I put muti layers of mat board inside the frame.
I then filled the gap above the frame rabbit to the top of the frame.(this job they didn't want to hide any of the decrotive moulding)
Next I stapled the base through the rag into the frame,(for alignment) then I ran screws & washers through the rag into the frame.
 
So neither design allows removal of the frame from the base? I'm begining to catch on.
 
Right, you must remove the base and take screws out to remove the "standup" part of the frame. The screws from the brackets go one intot he base of the standup frame and one into the inside of the rabbet of the base. I have also use offset clips such that the standup frame "fits" "above" the lip of the base (kind of nestled into the curve of the lip) and then the screw goes in the bottom of the standup frame and the "lip" of the offset clip fits under the lip of the base frame and snugs the base up to the bottom of the standup frame. Use a number of offsets and it's snuck.

It depends a bit which base frame you pick and whether you use it with the "back" on the bottom or the "side" on the bottom. There is a lot of flexibility and the "attachement" to the base can vary a little. Don't be afraid to use screws and brackets inside the base for stability.
 
I just read your question again. I am not sure I understand your description, "fits over the corner of the standup frame like corner protector?", but no screw or bracket is visible when your done.

In the design I did, I used hinges for decoration and so the standup part (after removal of the base) can be taken apart for glass replacement etc.
 
I think I'm on my way (if I get the job anyway). The one in this book I'm looking at just has the base lined with fabric. It is tall and I just don't understand what is suppose to hold the frame? It makes more sence to attach the frame and the base mechanically rather than wishfully. Thanks for the help friends!
 
Back
Top