LARSON JUHL PRINT WEIGHTS

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Jason

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
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198
Loc
Iowa
I am looking for a few Larson Juhl bean bag type weights for weighting the corners of prints. They probably gave these away at a trade show. If anyone has a few they'd like to part with, let me know. I am interesting in purchasing them. Thanks.
 
We use Cocker Spaniel Beannie Babies.....customers LOVE them! Between use, I keep them in a Zip Loc storage bag to keep them clean.
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We use dead squirrels. There's a busy street between us and the park....
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well good grief Doug! I sure hope you at least brush the dirt from the tire marks off of them first..........

I made a bunch of bean bags in fancy fabric. They work great!
 
Ask your rep, but they also sell them in their supply section of the catalog.

For the price, I think some of the other ideas sound good!
 
I use scrap glass cut into 3"x3" or 2"x4" pieces, stacked into blocks about 4 or 5 pieces thick and wrapped with masking tape. They work really well.
 
I spit a little on the counter and then the corners stick down.

Ok, maybe not, but I purchased mine from LJ. They are nice because you're sure that no color is going to transfer off them as customers slide them around on the art.
 
3 1/2" x 3 1/2" plate glass about 1/4" thick with all edges ground smooth. Almost disappear when placed on the art.
 
I bought one pound hunks of lead from a fishing store and wrapped them with squares of ultra-suede tied with velvet ribbon. They work great except customers keep lifting them up and smelling them - they think they must be potpouri! LOL!
 
I think those are a perk they give when you join the LJ partner program.
 
Here's something I didn't know about balloons. Maybe you didn't, either.

I filled about 400 balloons with steel shot* to use for weights. (Don't ask why I needed 400.) What I discovered is that old balloons, like old rubber bands, get brittle after a while.

"A while" was a few years, BTW.

The shot started to escape and I ended up transferring all of it to those tiny zip lock bags you get at the craft stores.

*I used steel shot instead of sand because I figured I could pick it up with a magnet if it escaped. Also, we need all the sand we can get to put on the ice in the winter and in the backs of pickup trucks for traction.

Real bean bags work great, but they need to be larger.
 
Ok Ron,

Since I can't ask why 400....Why did you need over 100 balloons filled with steel shot?
 
I have some coasters that were made for putting drinks on. They have cork bottom and are brass and leather so they are nice and heavy. I have used them for years and they are GREAT!
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Mark
 
I received mine as a perk. But there are definitly cheaper ways to go. I bought a set for a very good client, because he couldn't stop playing with mine. ;)
For some reason the customers love them. About 50% of my male customers play with them! Its just ridiculous. I think its instinctual for them ;)
 
We have some from nylon bags and glass weights from Crescent, leather from Bainbridge, and some sort of leather/vinyl from Nurre.

Have been a partner with LJ for many years and never had their leather ones in our store. Been told that we would get some multiple times but no follow through.

Jason, the Iowa rep is no longer with LJ so it may be a while before you can get your hands on any from LJ.
 
We use kid’s socks filled with BBs.

The BBs came in a quart sized “milk” container from a local hunting and fishing store. The clerk said as I left, “Goin’ after squirrels, eh?”

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The "preview post" button doesn't seem to work.
 
Originally posted by Jason:
I am looking for a few Larson Juhl bean bag type weights for weighting the corners of prints. They probably gave these away at a trade show. If anyone has a few they'd like to part with, let me know. I am interesting in purchasing them. Thanks.
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I love those things! Our customers are always asking what they are so we get to tell them and mention that they came from Larson Juhl, "one of our moulding suppliers"... so maybe they should just give you some since it's kind of advertisement... otherwise you'd be paying to advertise for them..
on the otherhand they don't scratch prints and are really cool so I guess they'd be worth something if you really wanted them.


We sell small suede leather paper waits that came off of Oprah's list of must haves.... Barb would probably sell you some those if you can't find any of the Larson ones. ;)
 
I inherited some of the LJ ones, but they're old and getting yucky-looking. Will make some new ones, thanks everyone for the ideas. BTW, they're available in the LJ catalogue, but pricey.
My customers ask all the time what those are for. I tell them they're for throwing at unruly customers who take too long to decide! (in jest...I think...heh-heh)
 
Bandsaw,

I like your idea of using seamed plateglass. No additonal color introduced and no image cover up. I'm going to check with my specialty glass supplier and see if they have 1/2" plate scraps and maybe glue a large clear marble on the top as a handle.

Thanks for the idea!

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Dave Makielski
 
Caution to the glass users.

I too once used stacked glass and plate glass for weights. One day I accidentally dropped a weight and it landed on the print with one corner. You can guess what happened to the print.

It was an expensive lesson and an act I will not likely repeat.

USE SOFT WEIGHTS.

The LJ weights are great. If you can't talk your rep out of them and your not willing to pay the price make your own.
 
Originally posted by johnny:
Ok, maybe not, but I purchased mine from LJ. They are nice because you're sure that no color is going to transfer off them as customers slide them around on the art.
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But the gold letters WILL transfer. . .

I have the glass ones from crescent, and also used leftover yarn to knit tubes which I then filled with glass pebbles that normally reside at the bottoms of vases.
 
I got 2 sets of brand new LJ weights from.....the framer guy at Micheal's. I made friends with him, so he gives me free stuff & sends me customers. ;)

Another thing I use the LJ weights for is when I am v-nailing a frame, say a deep scoop, or something very ornate...it seems to spread the pressure over the corner of the moulding & is much kinder to the very ornate frames.

BTW, I don't think LJ gives away much of anything.
 
My plate glass weights have round corners - haven't damaged a print in 25 years.

This gives me a good idea - I'm going to get my glass guy to cut me some 3 inch circles from 1/2 inch plate glass and grind the edges smooth then I'm going to acid etch my logo - should look cool!
 
I made my own weights out of a cotton fabric and filled them with rice. It didn't take too long and was really inexpensive. I've had them for 8 years now and they have worked fine. I also keep them in a ziploc bag to keep clean.
 
Originally posted by Mecianne:


Another thing I use the LJ weights for is when I am v-nailing a frame, say a deep scoop, or something very ornate...it seems to spread the pressure over the corner of the moulding & is much kinder to the very ornate frames.
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I just tried this and it work better than great. I had in the past used foamboard blocks that I stacked and taped together.
Larson Juhl weights are perfect. Nice heavy leather outside, small size shot inside. I tried another moulding suppliers weights that I have alot of and the problem is the size of the shot in those other weights at the same foot pressure leaves little dimples in the moulding.

I am going to ask my LJ rep for another set. The first set was free to a "partner" will see if they give up another.
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GOOD TIP!
 
I can't believe nobody mentioned this idea.....we had our logo embroidered onto small squares of fabric, then made our own rice bags with the logo on one side. They look classy, work great .... customers actually ask if they can have them!? They cost us about 4 bucks a piece. Try it!
 
Safe weights, with the proper heft, can be made by
mixing lead bird shot with acrylic gel medium and
filling boxes made of 2-ply board, with this mixture. When the mix is dry, the weights can be
covered with thick felt (synthetic is best) to give them a soft surface. A more complete description can be found at: pictureframingmagazine.com, articles index, preservation practices, July 1996.


Hugh
 
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