shadowbox lining help

B. Newman

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Sep 5, 2001
Posts
4,855
Loc
Kodak, Tn. USA
When lining (and using to create a rabbet) with foamcore strips covered with suede matboard, what is the quickest and easiest way to hold the strips in place until the glue dries.

I've used atg, but was leery of it interfering with the glue. I've used clamps, but any that are large enough to reach are much too strong and depress the suede. (What I really need are gigantic clothes pins!)

I thought about pins, but didn't want to take a chance on even a tiny hole showing.

Along the same lines of the clamp question - I have a customer whose mother collected antique vest buttons. She has sewn them (very precisely) to a rag board by pressing the button shanks through the board and tying on the backside. I have attached that board to a foamcore board by lacing through the button shanks on the corners and in the middle.

Now, I am gluing the foamcore to the suede backing, and again, can't find any clamps to hold it until it dries. Obviously I can't put it in any kind of press because of the buttons. There needs to be pressure in between the buttons, but all I can think of is clamping strips of wood covered with felt.

Any suggestions.
 
Potato chip bag clips are big and relatively light pressure. And when not hold suede to fome core they can hold potato bags closed!

I've used 1X3 and 1X2 or any other strip of wood (moulding) to extend the surface area of a clamp to help with depressions. I also set them under a case of glass to hold it flat while the glue sets.
 
Originally posted by Bob Doyle:
I also set them under a case of glass to hold it flat while the glue sets.
Can't do that with antique buttons! :eek: Then I'd have antique button fragments!

The potato chip bag clips are a great idea, but in this case won't open wide enough to reach around the frame to hold the liner in place.
 
Betty, there are clamps that are wide enough that will only apply as much pressure as you put on them. If you use another strip of board between the clamp and the suede it is pretty much protected. (opps. Bob already said that. :eek: )

But, why would the atg interfere with the glue??
You just want a few small pieces of atg for temporary holding?
 
1/4" ATG gves plenty of room for glue, and holds adequately while PVA dries. PVA is best applied in dots to faclitate future changes if required.
 
Okey dokey - that's exactly what I needed to know.

Cliff, I just figured the atg would create some sort of "barrier" between the glue and the wood and keep it from bonding.

thanks
 
Originally posted by B. Newman:
Cliff, I just figured the atg would create some sort of "barrier" between the glue and the wood and keep it from bonding.
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ATG will create a barrier if you put glue on top of it. The ATG is for limited tack points and the glue is dispensed in the areas where the ATG is not.
 
Betty, Did you relieve the foam core where the button shanks poked through the mat? When I do something similar I position the final product on the foam board and gently push on the items being framed to mark the foam board. I then take my trust Keeton coin and circle cutter and relieve the point of contact allowing the mat to lay flat on the foam board support. Attaching the mat to the foam is the same as with the shims...a combo of ATG and PVA. Since the backs of the buttons are exposed, there's no need to take the foam/mat sandwich apart, ever.
 
What? You all aren't mind readers?

I cut the foamcore backing smaller than the board with the buttons so that the entire board would show and be "floated" above the suede back ground. Then I'm cutting an additional suede mat and spacing it to the same level as the buttons/board.

Therefore I didn't want to attach the button board to the foamcore in a way that it couldn't be taken apart at a later date.

However the foamcore, suede backing and mat can all be permanently attached.
 
I absolutely, positively, hated making fabric or matboard strips to line the edge of a shadowbox frame. (and glueing and taping and waiting for them to dry; and trying to make corners that didn't gap). Raphaels has plain wood strainers (straight or wedge) in different heights that you or they can cover with fabric. Put them together like a frame and insert into frame. Perfect corners, and they will never bow. I think they have fabric that matches Crescent Moorman mats (but I could be mistaken) if that is what you sell for fabric mats.
 
I've been using the Lineco Neutral Ph Adhesive PVA, (with the "dots" of glue and atg in a few spots) to glue the side strips in, but for some reason it is just not holding. If I put any pressure at all on it when I'm putting the framer's points in, it just pops loose!

Any suggestions? Should I use another type of PVA glue?
 
Interesting thread ...

There has been mention of "glue", .... but what kind do you use?

I've found that Specialty Tapes filet tape spaced along the length, with dots of Maxim wood glue hold the best.
 
Betty,

Not only does Raphael's have wood strips for shadowbox liners, but your local Home Depot or lumberyard does as well.

I use a lattice strip that I either build like a frame and paint, or I wrap fabric or decorative paper around each mitered piece (including around the ends of the miters) and I 969 it in place. They come in several widths and tuck nicely under the rabbet. You can even butt two together for a deeper shadowbox lining.

I will never use fome core strips again. Ain't worth the trouble and the wood strips look so so so much better.

edie the justtryitandyoullthankmeandpamela goddess
 
I use ATG 969, the super-hold stuff, and I better know everything's right before I put in the strips, because there's no getting those out in case of an oops without destroying them. No waiting for it to dry, or clamping, just a good finger pressure will do. I've never had one warp out or pop out, that stuff holds. Just be sure to use a separate tape gun if you use it very often and mark it very boldly "969", or SUPER or whatever, just so you don't accidentally pick it up when you wanted the 924 regular stuff.
 
Oops, just re-read Goddess's post about 969-ing the wood strips in. I like the idea of the fabric-wrapped wood strips, but wouldn't that affect the acid-free status? Would the fabric be enough of a barrier? Or is it no different than the inside of the moulding/foamcore/matbd combo? Oh, I think I just answered my own question. Duh...
 
Val,

You did indeed. The purpose of those strips isn't to create an "acid free" environment but to finish off the look of the sides of a shadowbox and to help hold in the glass.

Framerguy
 
For shallow shadowboxes (up to 3/4 inch deep) try FrameSpace.

It's fast, easy, permanent, reversible, and looks just fine. It comes in black, white and clear. Neutral pH, no plasticisors, and passes the PAT test. Perfectly safe to use around important art and artifacts. No reproted failures in 25 year history.

If you need the same color on the spacer as on the decorative backing, peel the colored paper off mat board strips and bond them to the rabbet. Use the clear FrameSpace. This will give the FrameSpace the essence of the backing color without changing the allowance.

Watch the 1 min 45 second video on the FrameTek web pages to see just how fast and easy FrameSpace works. It took 1 min and 45 seconds to do 12 x 18 1/2 inch deep shadowbox.

How long does it take you?
 
I love Framespace! I didn't know it comes in white. Never thought of using the colored matbd strips behind the clear spacer though, good idea. Gotta try that, thanks Greg.
 
Val,
Easier than mat board strips, peel the colored paper off the face of the mat board strips that are about as wide as your rabbet depth and bond them to the rabbet. Use the clear FrameSpace and the color will show through nicely.

Pressure sensitive tapes are not permanent. Especially when bonded to wood because the resins in the wood adversly affect the adhesive.
 
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