warped moulding or warped mind?

framanista

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
Joined
Oct 20, 2003
Posts
202
Loc
Northeast US
In our shop the boss cuts and joins the frames and I do the mats fillets, and fitting. Every once in a while, he brings me a frame that is not square. It’s a couple of degrees more than 90 on two opposite corners, and a couple of degrees less on the other two. I think that’s called a parallelogram? He says the moulding was warped.

Does anyone else produce the occasional parallelogram frame? What causes it? Would you make another frame when you realize the problem, or would you cut your glass and mat to fit the frame?
 
I would think that in order to produce a true parallelogram with thight corners that the settings on the saw would have to be adjusted. Warped moulding usually produces inaccurate miters, but nothing so consistent as to create a regular parallelogram. Open corners and twisted frames are the usual results.
 
Yes, I've done it a few times. Usually it happens on bowed moulding that can't be clamped straight enough while cutting.
Narrow-faced mouldings will usually give enough to not pose a problem while fitting (just squeeze the longest points together a little). Wide-faced frames will probably need glass and mat adjustments for fitting.
Moulding is generally the most expensive part of the job, so I would probably defer to the frame size and shape.

B.
 
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