stretching canvas....

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Allen Stover

True Grumbler
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Posts
81
Loc
Columbus, Ohio
Of all the things that come into my shop, I'd have to say that this is probably one of the things that I dislike the most. I'd rather block a x-stitch, sew a jersey in place, or put back together a puzzle...

What type of jobs, when you see them, make you groan to yourself...
 
The one from an artist who knows more that the framer
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We just had one this afternoon for 2 1/2 hours. She came with her mother and would not listen to any of our suggestions. "All I want is a simple black frame with a white mat for these Thai leather cutouts". She must of told us 2-3 times she was a graphic designer and knew how to to things. (a 1" mat for a 9x12 cutout) Now which white should I use :eek: :eek: and do you have a thinner black wood shadowbox frame with more shape?
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BTY she had her mother wrapped around her pinky just so.
 
The list is long:

anything that the customer wants sandwiched between two pieces of glass

graduation tassels

cross stitch on 34 count linen

kids' art where the poster paint has been applied so thickly that it's flaking off in big hunks

all pieces for which 548WO is the appropriate frame choice

I'm sure there are more.

Kit
 
The person that announces loudly that they are a "designer" and proceed to prove themselves wrong. Wasting your, their, and their client's time, and generally creating a mess of the display area. Then blaming it on the provincial tastes of these sub-urban heathens when they can't find the right shade of black or the 7" clamshell profile silver leafed 48" circular mirror frame.."Oh, if we were just in (insert your favorite major urban center here)".

I honestly don't think that they would put up with that kind of crapola in a major urban center.
 
I hated canvas until I got a good pair of canvas pliers and an air stapler. Since I have that, it goes rather quickly.

Now here is my list......

1. Customers who come in with their committees.

2. Elephants. These are very large oversized oriental pieces. They are stuffed about 2" high. They must be shadowboxed. They must be sewn down and are never anywhere near straight. Customers think they can get them done for under $100. They usually take 5 days to complete. They almost always have elephants on them in their design. They are gaudy and full of sequins and very dusty. Everything is sewn on black velvet and they have a lot of braidwork on them. Yuck, I shudder just thinking about them. I now add a very hefty 6-8 hours of labor on these, because I am going to get paid well for doing them. Minimum charge is $600.

Kit,

What is wrong with 548WO? :D Isn't that a good standby for anyone who still wants oak? :D

Candy
 
Mmmmmm, medium oak, I just had a flashback to a whole bunch of cherubs/angels framed in burgundy and hunter green one or two or nine years back.... ahhhhhhh!

Again, as posted on peeves thread earlier, those customers that bring "helper framers". These helpers are usually one of the above mentioned experts, with more opinion than money.

Latch hook cwap

Papyrus

same as Kit- the tempera paint that is flaky and weird kid art of all kinds...although I encourage my kids to make cwazy art, I don't frame it!!

Kinkade puzzles that are treated like they are taking it straight to the Louvre when I am finished framing it

those crocheted name thingies- which, thankfully seem to be falling out of favor

there has to be more.....

that's why the grumble was created, wasn't it? Because of this very stuff?
 
Not to frankenthread, we can add it here as a tangent, but what have y'all ever said "um, NO" to framing?

Didn't someone here once frame an umbilical cord dried in the shape of a heart?
 
Candy- Don't forget that these elephants usually have tiny mirrors glued to them. Most of the time there are gobs of glue where some of the tiny mirrors used to be. Then some of the tiny mirrors fall to the bottom within the frame after you've sealed it for the fifth time, having removed the final round of migrating dust piles.
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Rick
 
"What is wrong with 548WO?"

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But just so you don't think I'm close-minded, I like the elephants.

Kit
 
I don't care what the tread is anymore!!

KIT! HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!?!?

baer

(actually, I really love the elephants, dirt and all. I start at 16 hours and go up from there.
and then there is the sewing and fitting time....)
 
Just last week I had a lady bring in one of the elephants... she couldn't BELIEVE it would be $450 to frame it! Don't you just have a readymade frame for it (Let me look. Oh, yes. Here is my selection of 17 5/8 at one end 18 1/2 at the other by 11 3/16 at one end 12 1/8 at the other. I am sorry, but our selection is low right now. I only have 6 styles from which to choose)And why would you need a DEEP frame like that? Can't you just put the glass right on top? Um, no. Goodbye, go to Michaels. I am sure they will be able to accomodate you and at 50% off, too.
 
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