Help Newbie question, important customer

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redwolfbuddy

redwolfbuddy

True Grumbler
Joined
Dec 10, 2008
Posts
75
Loc
Talladega, AL
I have a potentially very important customer. This is my first job for her. Of course, it can't be something straight-forward, which is where my skills currently are!

She has a water color which has been floated in a frame she hates. The moulding has a two-tiered rabbet (what's the technical name for that?) No border mat, just background mat.

She wants it reframed in a moulding which has a single-tiered rabbet, but maintain the current look inside the package, just change the moulding.

I could use framespace, but I'd have to trim the edge of the backing mat, and I'm not 100% sure I'd like the look of the framespace (probably use the clear, FS-1 3/16 airspace).

OR

I could use a router table and create the 2nd tier. (And I have to admit I'm unsure how to install the glass in this type of rabbet).

What say you all? *ducking* (please be kind!)
 
Red, if anybody dares throw a rotten tomato your
way, it'll have to hit me, too. Right beside ya', buddy. :)

I have a feeling that they won't, though. Grumblers
are a pretty friendly bunch. Right about now, I'm wondering
if you ever decided on a name for your shop. If you have,
it would be fun to hear it. I had fun thinking of names.

I'm a bit confused by your description. By two tiered
rabbet, do you mean a frame that has a rabbet, then
at a certain point, that one steps back to another?
Or is it more like a stacked frame and she's wanting
to take the inner frame out?

I don't know what other people call it, but I call that
mat behind the floated painting a 'float backing'.
 
Not two mouldings. It's one moulding, with the rabbet having two levels (or widths or whatever you want to call it!) The rabbet is stair-stepped. I've got other mouldings that were manufactured that way (just not the one she's wanting). It's a rabbet that creates airspace when you don't have a border mat, only a float backing.
 
How big is this piece???
I would use black spacers if you can..............JMO!
Good luck! :D
 
Can you get the same mat as the background mat? If you can you could glue it to strips of foam core and attach it around the sides just like you would a spacer. The sides would then look like the background and not the black or clear spacer. In a way it would just be a shadow box type of framing.
 
It's 26x33 I think the black or the clear would be acceptable. The clear would yield a look closest to how it is now...I worried that the black would be too black (the moulding is a dusty distressed black & gold).

I'd rather go with the method of routing out the moulding - I think I read on the Grumble someone else doing that...then I don't have to worry that the customer doesn't like the framespace, or that I damaged the float backing trying to trim it and having to replace it.
 
Joe beat me to it. Stripping out the sides with a piece of mat
backed by either 6-ply or foam core can look great.

Have you ever looked at the FrameTek website?
They have different kinds of innerspace, as well as
great hinging tips.
 
You have a double rabbet frame which was manufactured for shadow boxing. They are still made and some have a finish on the exposed edge. Frame Space can be used or the product called Rabbet Space could also be used if the new frame is wide enough.

To create a double rabbet you can also use a table saw which is simple enough if you don't have a router table and do own a table saw. There are many ways to accomplish what you want but it all depends on the moulding to be used.
 
If I'm reading correctly, you can see the finish on the inside of the rabbet, and your customer wants the same look with the new frame?

Couple things I can think of:

Line the sides with foam board and mat board just like you're doing a shadowbox, and use acrylic paints or whatever it takes to match the appearance of the rabbet.

If you're using acrylic spacers, you could do the same, maybe using spray paint for faster application. Acrylic would be more conservation friendly though, and easier to match colors.

If I'm completely misunderstanding, then just ignore me and carry on.
 
I've looked at FrameTek - that's where I get the idea I could use Framespace as an alternative to routing out another 'ledge'. I might or might not be able to match the float backing - but it's only about a 1/4 airspace (or less) and feel like that is just too thin to strip out cleanly and securely hold the glass. Maybe not? Either way - not sure I can come up with the same mat (till I deconstruct the piece and look for identifying info on back - I don't have a VAST mat sample selection for identifying anything that comes my way). These are reasons I thought going with the FrameSpace or re-routing would be a better way to go.
 
I actually don't mind purchasing a router table ($99 home depot) cuz I can always find fun projects to do with it! <G>

If I understand Rabbetspace - it's for extending the depth of the rabbet for thick packages, of marginal use in this case, as the rabbet is deep enough for the 3/16 or 1/4 air space, glass and float backing.

Its sounding like my best option would be just go for it with FrameSpace!
 
I would go with the spacers if it's that shallow. I use something
called 'spacemakers', and it comes in clear, black and smoke.
The smoke is transparent, but sort of a dark, warm grey color.
I wonder if it would work for you. What color is your mat?

I've always cut the spacers for the top and bottom
first, then cut the sides to fill in. But a lot of people here
do a pinwheel style instead, and the more I think about
it, it really does make sense. Not sure which is better,
but I'm still doing my thing. The one thing you don't want
is to cut the sides first, then fill in with the top and bottom.
That leaves the top piece unsupported and it could
eventually fall down. Please forgive me if you already
know this, and I'm stating the obvious. :)
 
Rabbet Space can also be used by cutting the frame slightly smaller than the board so the backing rests on the back of the frame. The Rabbet Space then is attached to the back of the frame. Like I said there are a lot of ways to do what you want but it depends on many variables. If the frame has plenty of space the router table is an easy way to go. Frame Space is a solution that requires no power tools again if you have room.
 
@ Jeff

Oh yeah, DUH...I wasn't thinking, mostly just worrying. =)

Well, thank you all for offering ideas and solutions. I'll hold off final decision until I deconstruct the piece once I get it. I have to pick it up in a couple of days - house call don'tcha know!

Maybe I'll get lucky and discover that I was wrong about how it's currently constructed and maybe it's something I can just set into the new frame w/ no special accommodation!
 
redwolfbuddy;587246 Maybe I'll get lucky and discover that I was wrong about how it's currently constructed and maybe it's something I can just set into the new frame w/ no special accommodation![/QUOTE said:
One can always dream Young Grasshopper. Welcome to the wonderful world of picture framing.
Click to expand...
 
Does anyone have a good reference / how to for this guy on how to cut fc / matboard strips to line the sides and give him that second level he needs? Seems the easiest and best looking solution
 
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