Oh-Oh-Ovals, again!

[Rozmataz]

I can't believe how much I "love" working with oval frames and artwork. NOT!

I have such an aversion to them but the two I just finished came out pretty darn good.

BUT.... any suggestions on some of my stumbling blocks...

1. When I get the mat back the image area oval and the outside dimension oval never seem to "look" even - even though done on a Wizard... do you compensate for this optical illusion?

2. I had these two (matching) pieces done on a wizard and even provided the frame to be sure the measurements were accurate and I STILL had to trim off the outside edge to make it (stuff it in there) fit!

3. The glass cutting part of it. Okay. I used to do stained glass - so it isn't rocket science - but I guess I just don't enjoy the rough edges...

4. Getting it to "sit" right - so it doesn't look off-center, crooked or whatever it is that happens with ovals. Any tricks here?!

5. Letting the hardware correct any of the #4 issues!!?!!

Okay. Thanks for letting me vent.

After all that one of my best/favorite customers came in to pick up a gorgeous piece done before the holidays and dropped off a nice etching -which was designed with my favorite: a fillet!! and gorgeous LJ moulding!! Cool.

Have a happy!
Roz

 

[Puppyraiser]

1. When I get the mat back the image area oval and the outside dimension oval never seem to "look" even - even though done on a Wizard... do you compensate for this optical illusion?

(This really answers #1-4...) when you 'trick' the Wizard into cutting your oval Outside Dimension, you put in the width of the mat as a reveal and the machine then thinks it cuts an opening in the "top mat" , but in reality it is cutting the O.D. of the oval. BUT because of the bevel, you have to make the mat width 1/8" smaller to allow for the width of the bevel. But cut it an extra 1/16". Then you can make it 'look right' because you have a little Wiggle Room.

5.Letting the hardware correct any of the #4 issues!!?!!

We anchor one end of the wire and d-ring. Then another person 'sights' from the side of the frame, and direct the assembler where the correct position of the second d-ring should be. It looks very plain from the side, for some reason....

[ 01-09-2004, 07:52 PM: Message edited by: EllenAtHowards ]

 

[Kit]

Roz, usually I just eyeball it but when I don't trust that method I use a sheet of planning paper ruled in 1/4" squares.

Draw out a rectangle the size of the frame, center the oval on that and trace around it. Then you can measure where the hardware goes, transfer the marks to the back of the frame, and sleep well at night knowing that the hanging system is attached at evenly as possible.

Was that the question?

Kit

 

[B. Newman]

When we do frames with straight sides (rectangles or squares) and allow the 1/8" space, if the mat moves one way or the other a little, it's not easily noticed. On an oval, if the allowance moves a little, it's not right to left or top to bottom, it "sigoglyn" (I don't know if that's a real word or not. It's a Southern word that means the top moves one way, and the bottom moves the other way.)

Also, when you cut mats using the oval frame as a pattern or sizing, there could be an ever so difference between the top and bottom of the frame. Be sure to put the mats back in the same way that the frame was measured.

I only have the little Gene Green oval mat cutter, but I've never had any problem getting ovals to fit.

As for hanging. I measure down from the top center of the frame, then go out to each side from there.

Betty

 

[gemsmom]

I bought Fletcher's oval/circle glass cutter several years ago. It won't cut all sizes, but for most of the smaller standards, it works just fine.