Object mounting

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Susan May

Susan May

PFG, Picture Framing God
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moved to Clermont, Florida
I would like to have your input on how to mount a few things. I am framing a few ceramic masks for the store. Two have fabric trim, one is a plastic Christmas ornament (Comedy/tragedy), two are magnets, two pairs of earrings, and one plain ceramic mask (no holes in the ceramic).

I am cutting a specialty mat with five openings. The larger masks are going in the openings, and the smaller ones (Magnets, and earrings) are going to be mounted on smaller mat pieces and floated.

None of these pieces are worth much money, but they are all gifts to me. I don't want to wear the earrings, so the mounting does not have to be reversable. (Though I would prefer it if it was.)

Thanks. Sue
 
We used silicone caulk-like material to mount most objects. I have a multi-opening collage framing of artifacts from Jamaica, and the silicone held some coins well. I'd be interested to know what other options are out there, as I always wondered how "archival" (if at all) that was.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by lawnaveframing:
We used silicone caulk-like material to mount most objects. I have a multi-opening collage framing of artifacts from Jamaica, and the silicone held some coins well. I'd be interested to know what other options are out there, as I always wondered how "archival" (if at all) that was.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I give up. From now on, I'm using glue to mount everything and throwing away my Mylar, Mighty Mounts, brass rod and all my sewing supplies.
 
Throw out the silicone. I sew items down when possible. You should be able to do that with the masks. The earrings you can attach using the posts (depending on what type they are). I have no ideas on the ceramic mask without seeing it. Since these are your items, it's up to you how to mount, though using reversible methods would be good practice!
 
Some time ago, magnets were mentioned for mounting things with some metal content. I just bought five teensy little tiny unbearably strong magnets from Restoration Hardware to use on the fridge: forget using them in framing: too expensive. But someone did give us the source for very strong ones wholesale. Anyone remember it?
 
We use no glues to mount objects. If it could hold long term -- which it usually cannot -- it would probably cause some kind of damage over time, and the residue is rarely removable.

I suggest bent-rod mounts. Use brass or stainless steel rod (hobby shop); I like 1/16" diameter. Three or four strategically placed mounts usually work nicely.

Once they're bent to cradle the object gently, cover the entire exposed area of rods with shrink tubing -- I prefer matte black. Radio Shack has an assortment of colors & sizes, but I get it from a local electrical distributor (Panduit brand)

Another possibliity is polyflute. Cut it with an X-Acto knife to fit the contours of the object. Attach the formed mounts to a backing board of the same material with hotmelt glue. I usually cut into the backer and recess the edges of the mounts for best security. Cover with thin fabric. Slip the object into place; this can often be done by deflecting one or more of the mounts just a little.

"...magnets were mentioned for mounting things with some metal content...someone did give us the source for very strong ones wholesale..."

Lee Valley & Veritas fine Woodworking Tools has several sizes & shapes of rare earth magnets. That's what I would recommend for such uses.

To get their *wonderful* catalog full of goodies we gadget freaks simply can't live without, call 1-800-871-8158; FAX 1-800-513-7885; web site www.leevalley.com
 
If it cannot be totally reversed, DON'T, I REPEAT, DO NOT DO IT, EVER!
Glues apart from starch paste have no place in mounting anything!
 
There is one thing that totally mystifies me about the silcone-as- universal-glue-all fallback.

It just doesn't work.

Okay, sure. I read all the stuff about the acetic acid. And I see how that can be a bummer.

I hear the other stuff about "well it can be peeled off if needed." And that one, sad to say is only true over time. Meaning, (hot tip from conservator) the silicone will continue to cure over time. Harder, and more solid. Eventually forming a matrix hard as concrete, and actually extending into the object surface.

I just completed a glue strength comparison in the shop (for an article). Over 10 different types of glue. Needless to say, the reason they call silicone an adhesive and not a glue, it it can't glue for ****.

So, I look at it this way. If has poor short term adhesion problems. It creates long term adhesion problems. And the **** it gives off can be used to make a salad dressing. And then I take the another road. If I am even going to think of using something this nasty on something, there is no going back. As such for the non reversible death mount, I use 2 part, 2 ton epoxy (about 4 min to cure). If I am in a rush I just use the 2 part, 2-min epoxy (holds a ton, and of course sets in 2 min).

No muss about waiting for the silicone to set. And of course, no escape plan to ever take it off.

But if it ever needs to be actually used, or at least, not destroyed, then you are better of with MiterMan's tool kit he is throwing away. Qucik, find his shop and go dumpster diving.
 
Ok, so I don't use the glue, what should I use if I don't want to see brass rods? Especially on the mask that is about 5x6" with no openings. I can't sew it, as I don't have any holes from which to sew, and I don't want it just sitting on a hook.

As for the earrings, I was already going to sew them on.

More later.
 
Sue...you can still "sew" the larger masks in place even if there are no holes in them. Very thin monofilament line can be used to "cradle" the mask securely to the mounting board. It is very secure, nearly invisible, and totally reversable. I think that this may be the method that someone referd to in a previous response.

jkol
 
"Ok, so I don't use the glue, what should I use if I don't want to see brass rods?"

So put them in inconspicuous places on the perimeter of the mask. It's not like you have to build a cage around the thing. And after they're covered with matte black shrink tubing, they almost disappear. You could even paint them with gouache to match the mask.

Anyway, what's wrong with visible supports? When was the last time you saw a car with no wheels, or a chair with no legs, or a house with no foundation, or...well, you get the idea.

If I saw the mask just there on the mount board with no visible means of support, I would wonder what's holding it. And then I'd have to take it apart and find out.

An urgent appeal to framers everywhere: Please don't torture unsuspecting customers with mysterious mounts that they'll always wonder about. My theory is that invisible mounts cause insomnia, headaches, bunions and heartburn. I think Dr. Scholl and the makers of Alka-Seltzer started this awful rumor that mounts should be invisible.

As Vivian Kistler says: "We're framers, not magicians".

Let it all hang out. Tastefully.
 
Or you could try narrow strips of Mylar. Nearly invisible, and it won't stretch or cut like monofilament line can. On that note, leave the monofilament line in the tackle box where it belongs. Failing that, use your willpower to levitate it in place.

Super timing, Jim!

[This message has been edited by MiterMan (edited September 25, 2001).]
 
I've tried MiterMan's levitation idea several times. It just won't hold up. (ba-dump-bump)

Mylar-D is a very good support, but if you don't want to see rods mounts, you won't want to see glossy 1/16" wide Mylar-D straps, either. Personally, I think Mylar-D is a beautiful thing.

What about tulle? It comes in enough colors that you might find one that would be almost invisible. If the masks don't have too much contour, wrap them in tulle and pull the ends through slots to the back of the mount board. Another version of the same concept is to wrap them in ultra-sheer ladies' hosiery.

You might also use tulle as you would use Mylar-D straps.
 
This is a great thread; good critique of acetic-acid cure silicone and Jim's covered
metal supports should be most useful. One
other possibility is bend acrylic sheet. Strips can be warmed with a heat gun and
formed into the apporpriate shape with a glass pliers.Such small srufaces can be easily frosted fine abraisive or polished
with plastic polish.They can be bolted through the back mat/backing board combination and the backing board can be made
of recycled sheet that has come off of old
frames so that it will be strong, nondonor, and inexpensive.
 
Sue,

How heavy is the mask? And would you mind epoxy mounted magnets on the back of it?

Maybe a variation on the following idea may not work, but I'll throw it out because it may cause brainstorming in addition to the good stuff already on this thread.

A recent job required that I make an openable frame so that a beaded bag could be not only displayed but used. I discarded the expected stacked-moulding-with-cabinet-hinges-between idea because I couldn't for the life of me find small enough chrome hinges (silver moulding). The solution was a double frame that had holes drilled on the bottom of the top moulding so that the rod magnets from Lee Valley would protrude from that hole and fit into a precisely drilled hole in the top of the second/bottom moulding. At the bottom of that hole was a flat-head screw to attract the magnet. Done on all four sides of the frame, it held beautifully.

The bag was held with two magnets inside the bag, with opposing magnets in the back mat. Then a simple brushed stainless steel barrel knob was placed above the bag to hold the beaded straps in place. And, Jim, it's all invisible!

The magnets are unbelievably strong, are strainless steel, and very inexpensive. Lee Valley's hardward catalog (they have several types of products and separate catalogs) is an inspiration for innovative mounting.



[This message has been edited by Mel (edited September 26, 2001).]
 
Thanks for all the different ways of mounting these masks. I certainly have a little bit of work ahead of me. Each idea offered has given me ideas of other things to frame. (So many things to frame, so little time!)

As for seeing the mounts, I don't normally mind seeing them, but the idea behind this shadowbox is theater, and the magic that the masks offer. The magic of being someone else for a while, and taking on a different point of view.

I forgot to tell you that I'm also going to do some calligraphy on watercolor paper, and mount it so it looks like it is part of the confetti that is thrown during Mardi Gras. The calligraphy will say, "All the worlds a stage, and the men and women are mearly players."

We shall see how well this works... if I am able to do the calligraphy.
smile.gif
Sue
 
Reading this thread I wonder if anyone has considered using craft wire?

Once in a while I enjoy walking thru craft and fabric stores with an open mind looking for ideas.
------------------
Timberwoman
AL
I cut the mat, I pet the =^..^= cat.

[This message has been edited by ArtLady (edited September 27, 2001).]
 
I particularily like the framing counter.

Speaking of "object mount" and "craft store" in the same sentence. In my area there is a poorly stocked and staffed art store (in other words, a clean craft store) that is wholly owned by a large craft store chain. It is the "high end" framing outlet for this craft store company.
Anywyas, they want to sell shadow box and object mounting, and picture it in all the ads they run. Funny thing is, the Violin, and Christening gown samples they have in the store are actually photos of a violin and chhristneing gown framed.

Even better is the framed Medals display, they actually made in house, but the Certifed Master Framer. All hot glued, with gobs of glue splooching out from every side, and webs of hot glue to make it looklike a tarantula lived in the frame with the medals.

What good will the UV glass, and the artcare board do for the art, if you are gluing to hot glue the fabric?
 
In one of the classes I took, hot glue was used. Apparently there is some available which is neutral. I don't use it, though so correct me if the info is wrong.

A note on magnets, tell the client they are in the package...the piece may hang above a computer system. Or near the digital phone.
 
There really is archival-quality hot melt glue. Check out University Products #978-6315. It is made of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, and is suitable for use in constructing supports & mounts within the preservation frame package. It is stable and probably will not cause chemical contamination.

BUT...it is not suitable for direct contact with items of value, for the usual reason. That is, it leaves a residue that is not easily removed from the item.

Rule #1 of preservation framing: Don't change the item's original condition.
 
I don't mean any disrespect to all the conservation mounting suggestions given to Good ol Sue, however, she did make it clear that these items have little monetary value.

If you are conservation framing, all the above suggestions are valid. It sounded to me like Sue was parlor framing these items, that being the case, I think the simplest solution would be the best way to go.

Glue the suckers down, use silicone or Tacky Glue.

I know Mark said silicone does not work, but I have been using that awful smelling gunk for 36 years without ever having something returned.

Tacky Glue is relatively new to me but it seems to work better than silicone and it is water soluble.

If these items are to be preserved for future generations, please ignore what I have suggested and go with all the other ideas that are to your liking.

John
 
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MiterMan:
Jim, you do realize my tongue was firmly implanted in cheek, right? Just checking.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes MiterMan, for those who know better, your prior posts assure that you were joking about mounting with acid-free hotmelt.

Just the same, an impressionable novice might be out there, studying every word, who may not have noticed your tongue/cheek implant.
 
All of these posts to answer Sue's question on how best to mount the masks are exactly why she came to you for the advice! This forum is a great source of information for framers.

One more thought on Sue's project: It's true the masks she is mounting in the shadow box are not of great monetary value; but, she is designing this project as a display for customers to see what she is capable of doing for them. For this reason, Sue asked you for your BEST judgements on mounting methods.

Thanks to all of you who have answered this post. "Two heads are better than one"; but a dozen or so more is just fantastic.

Linda
 
I am resurrecting this thread with another similar question...
A customer brought in some interesting items he is looking to possibly have framed...
He has quite a few valuable old cameos of varying sizes.
These are porcelain and the colors vary as well- some are matte black (jasperware) and others are pastels (Wedgewood blue and green.) They are, in general, very small and delicate. The largest is the size of my cat's paw and the smallest is the size of her nose, each with miniscule detail.
So, since I have tossed out all my silicone adhesive, ( just kidding!!!!!!!) I am looking for ways that others have used.
I have used Jim Miller's suggestion of brass rods covered with matte black shrink tubing for ceramic tiles and though clunky-ish for these, I may try it. Tulle and stabiltex was an idea that this customer did not like too much because of interfering with the tiny detail. I like the idea of a plexi "cradle," I can't quite picture how to go about it- how do ya get the cameos in the thing? How do ya get 'em out?
We also discussed a table top display- where each cameo would have it's own little nest- kind of a horizontal sink mat thing, with a frame? a plexibox?
But I am really leaning toward NOT doing this at all. Sounds like the makings of a framing nightmare to me.... (screeching violins!)
But I am doing an "advanced search" for ideas here.
Hugh?
Anyone?
Tank you all berry berry much!!!!
Edie the fg
 
Edie - those cameos sound like they are just crying out to be displayed on velvet - the beauty of which is that you can hide all sorts of mounting support under it. You can mount the cameos on different levels and just let the velvet swoop and flow with seemingly careless abandon. (Ooops! Sorry. There for a minute I was beginning to sound like The Goddess.)

I'm assuming that these cameos do not have settings to which you could attach thread and sew them to the backing? Since they are so tiny, could you work a variation on Jim's brass rods using stainless steel straight pins instead?

Kit

------------------
Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana
 
FG and Kit,

Great minds....

I was thinking about an idea that was prompted by a gift CD given to my husband recently, then read Kit's post. You describe it almost exactly, except the fabric is satin and a contrasting ribbon is mounted from the top, draping down diagonally, then tucked under the CD. The purpose of the ribbon is so that when the end that extends below the CD is gently pulled, the CD pops out of the tight sinkmat that is under the flowing fabric. It is easily popped back in, as well.

Whadayathink? I just knew that idea would come in handy sometime.
smile.gif
 
Cameos have a number of things going for them
as framing subjects. The weigh very little,
they should be chemically very stable( unless
they involve shell, which is extremely sensitive to acids), and they should not
suffer from exposure to light. I think the
previous posts have some very good suggestions. If a foam type board were cut
so that it has holes that will just accommodate the cameos, it could then be
covered with fabric. A simple trick, here,
involves rolling gloss acrylic medium on the
board and allowing it to dry. The fabric
(even silk) can be heat mounted onto the
acrylic with a tacking iron. The fabric over
the openings can be slit and folded into the
holes. This should produce openings that
will have tight enough dimensions to hold
the cameos and fabric lined edges that will
allow for smooth insertion of the items. If
the holes are cut all the way through, the
cameos can be gently pushed from the back
for removal.If the holes are too deep, a
fill piece of conservation quality board
could be inserted behind the cameo. If they are not cut through, tabs, such as those Mel described are needed. These are a necessary part of any sink and could be made from a single thread. Plastic covered metal supports could also be used but they might involve more work. The most important thing to remember is that this, as with any unfamiliar technique, shold be practiced with models before it is used. The polystyrene foam should be less likely to
change dimension as the climate changes and
since the only thing anyone has mentioned
that it might give off is styrene monomer,
the only material that one should be warned
about is plastic. If your cameos aren't plastic, this might work.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Susan May:
I forgot to tell you that I'm also going to do some calligraphy on watercolor paper, and mount it so it looks like it is part of the confetti that is thrown during Mardi Gras. The calligraphy will say, "All the worlds a stage, and the men and women are mearly players."

We shall see how well this works... if I am able to do the calligraphy.
smile.gif
Sue<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sue, I hope this isn't too late. The "calligraphy can be done beautifully on your computer. I have about 1800 fonts that we draw from. Just use your favorite word processing program and a fancy paper to print on. Also, don't forget Mardi Gras colors are PURPLE, GREEN and GOLD and you can find usually find a mylar confetti in a party shop. If not, a 3 hole paper puncher and the right sheet stock does the trick. Glue them down with a little bit of white glue.


------------------
curlyframer, CPF
 
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