Mat board too thick for frame

gunzlinger

Grumbler
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Posts
18
Loc
Rapid City, SD
I am framing a picture for a customer that he would like to have floated on two different levels with four mats. I don't have a problem doing this but I do have a problem putting the package together. It is too large to shoot any points into the frame.

I have never framed anything this "THICK" before so I will apoligize in advance for my lack of knowledge.
 
well you can always build the frame up. You can add wood to the frame to make it deeper. depending on the depth you might get away with offset clips that you use for canvas. they also make this tin stuff that is similiar to offsetts that comes in strips. i do not know the name.

if it is say 1/4 you could probably gey by with offsets, if it is more than that you might build it up. that is me and i know there are other methods...too early to think of them
dennisssssssssss
 
Give Rabbetspace a try. It is basically a black plastic offset clip in lengths. The largest size will allow your package to stick out 1/2" from the back of the frame moulding.

Easy to cut and install. It attaches with tiny screws and is very neat looking when finished.

I'm pretty sure United has it in their catalog.
 
RabbetSpace is made by FrameTek and can be seen on the web at www.frametek.com
I don't know if UMS is currently handling their products, you may need to go to the manufacturer to find a distributor near you, or buy direct.
 
Originally posted by dns y:
[QB] well you can always build the frame up. You can add wood to the frame to make it deeper.

We use 6x12mm or 10x10mm pine "spacer stick" to extend the rabbet. First cut to the rabbet measure with Morsö (sorry, no Danish Ö available), then both glue and staple with pneumatic gun (12mm staples). Stain the side to match the back (or is it "the side") of frame. If frame is wide enough, over 30-40mm, no need to color since you can't see the extender when hung on the wall. If my Finglish is too complicated will gladly fax the drawing of the whole procedure.

Rabbetspace is great, but this is much faster. I always have a problem with narrow moulding+rabbet space. What hanger would you use in such a case?

Hannu
 
UMS has RabbetSpace in stock. The have a sample pack that has several different depth pieces (40 feet total), screws and the tools (a drill bit and driver bit) required (those screws are small #2 X 1/4) for $37.00 (UMS part number 4952).

I just got the sample pack (they call it the "Framespace Emergency Assortment Kit" - I never have emergencies???) and the only reservation I have so far is that the screws that you are supposed to use are so tiny (#2 x 1/4) that I'm unsure whether they will properly hold anything heavy. I haven't tried them yet, however.

The packs of strips/screws seem expensive ($21 for 35 ft of 1/4" offset plus screws).
 
well dam i answered one right, just forgot the name rabbetspace.
yeah for me i am genious. now i have done it all...just kidding guys i am not from M so that is not possible.
ni
 
If you use Rabbetspace as per the instructions you will use so many of those tiny screws that it will hold almost any weight.

I've used the product a couple of times and really liked it. Only problem is the drill bit they give you isn't the strongest thing in the world and I've already broken one.

The good news is that the bit is magnetized which makes using the small screws a breeze!
 
I've gone back and taken a further look at the RabbetSpace instructions. They don't make any recommendation as to the spacing of the screws but given their small size, I would guess you would need to place them about 1" apart to have any holding power.

Their instructions recommend drilling a pilot hole for the screw and a slightly larger pilot hole in the rabbetspace itself and also recommend leaving the screw slightly loose for expansion.

The screws are #2 x 1/4". The rabbetspace strip is 1/16" thick leaving at most 3/16" of screw into the molding. If you leave it slightly loose, that means probably no more of 5/32" of screw holding into the molding.

If you place them 1" apart, that means 72 of these little buggers on a 16x20 frame. 2" apart would ONLY use 36 of them. If you do the proper prep with the pilot holes, you will spend more time on the RabbetSpace than the rest of the frame.

When I get a project to use them on, I'm going to try them and also an alternative type of screw. I like these screws from McFeely's in the #4 x 3/8" and #4 x 1/2" sizes and think I will try them. They probably won't need to be spaced closer than every 3" or 4", greatly reducing the number of screws required.
 
I just went to the frametek site to see if they had any recommendations on screw spacing. They had this to say:

"How many screws do you need? There are enough screws provided with each bundle or assortment kit to put a screw every 3". This is more than adequate. The only forces these screws must resist is the weight of all the glass, art, & backing when the frame is picked up, face up, by just the frame. Normally, the majority of the weight (the glass) is supported by the frame. If the backing or art is extremely heavy, use another method".

So you only need 30 of these for a 16x20 frame.
 
The #2 x 1/4 screws are quite adequate for even very large frames of NORMAL weight (glass, a couple of mats, and some backers) I have a 14x18ish frame in the Frame Tek booth with RabbetSpace 1/2 on it and it has only 3 screws on the short side and 4 on the long sides. On the thinner RabbetSpace 1/8, you may want to put the screws closer together because it is more flexible thant the 1/2 inch size. It takes a lot of force to pull our a properly installed #2 x 1/4 screw - try it yourself. We made the special drill bit so that you can drill both the pilot hole AND the proper diameter clearance hole at the same time. RabbetSpace is not a silver bullet for EVERY framing situation but based on our sales - lotsa framers have found it a very handy product. Watch the free RabbetSpace "How To" video on the NEW Frame Tek web pages.
 
The drill bit provided with the sample pack of Rabbetspace drills the holes to the proper size and depth for the supplied screws. I haven't found the drill bit sold sepatately from the sample pack though.

I am spacing the screws 3" apart and that seems to work just fine.
 
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