Opinions Wanted Yikes - 16 ft x 12" snake skin

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echavez123

echavez123

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Jan 24, 2008
Posts
838
Loc
Las Vegas, NV
I searched this topic before posting. Customer described the skin purchased in Africa, on the street. I have not seen it yet, but customer will bring it in tomorrow. My questions are:

1) Where to get extra long molding - say 17 ft length
2) Long glazing: I thought I heard of a plexi like material that comes in a roll? Other thoughts for 17 ft of glazing?
3) Matting - I could join pieces and cover the seams with mat paper finish. Any other suggestions.
4) Mounting substrate - what can I use to get the length?

Mounting - this is the big one. I will wait till I see the skin before pursuing this issue.
 
Does it have to be 17' long?

I HATE SNAKES.......
You can get acrylic made probably that big.......

I HATE SNAKES...........
I would splice the mat..........

I HATE SNAKES
And use GATOR or COROPLAST as a substrate.........

BTW...... I HATE SNAKES!!!! And GOOD LUCK!
 
Not sure how delicate or flexible the snake skin would be, but could you possibly position it into a "S" (snake-like) shape that would reduce the size of the frame?
 
1) Where to get extra long molding - say 17 ft length
Have a cabinet shop mill some for you locally - the most cost efficient method

2) Long glazing: I thought I heard of a plexi like material that comes in a roll? Other thoughts for 17 ft of glazing?
Piece together standard acrylic glazing a join it with JLar tape

3) Matting - I could join pieces and cover the seams with mat paper finish.
Fabric mat with the mounting board taped together from the back

4) Mounting substrate - what can I use to get the length?
Fabric mat with the mounting board taped together from the back or stretch fabric over a strainer covered with nylon screening
 
In order of cost, lowest first:

1. Splice standard moulding lengths together and mask the seams
2. Have special moulding milled and finish it yourself
3. Have special moulding milled and finished by others

1. Piece together sheets of acrylic in your shop using J-Lar or other clear tape
2. Have a local acrylic fabricator piece together the acrylic sheets using glue after polishing the edges.
3. Have Gemini/Showcase, Superior Acrylic, or another framing industry/museum acrylic fabricator piece together the acrylic sheets
4. Have Acrylite or Plexiglas produced in the length you need.
 
blackiris said:
Does it have to be 17' long?

I HATE SNAKES.......
You can get acrylic made probably that big.......

I HATE SNAKES...........
I would splice the mat..........

I HATE SNAKES
And use GATOR or COROPLAST as a substrate.........

BTW...... I HATE SNAKES!!!! And GOOD LUCK!
Click to expand...

I'm so with you on that!!! And I wouldn't frame even a skin for any amount of money. This is one I would definitely pass on to a framer friend.

Sorry I'm no help, but good luck on your project.
 
j Paul said:
I would approach it by suggesting that the skin be able to be softly folded back or coiled on itself to fit into a more doable size.

I have a wide format printer so I might also suggest printing a custom background image to use as the mat.
Click to expand...

Good one John!!!!!!! ;)
 
And when you figure out how do it, how much it will cost, DOUBLE IT because it's going to be a huge PIA!!!

Or offer to make the skin into a frame!
 
I did one more than 17 feet long (not a snake, however) couple of years ago. Built a stretcher bar frame and covered with canvas for mounting - item was stitched on. Got clear plastic (not sure what it's made from or called) from my sign shop 24 feet long, one piece. Spliced mats - seams don't show enough to worry about if cut well - one side forward bevel, the other reverse bevel. Got some long pieces of wood cut at a local mill and ran them through the tablesaw to cut the rabbet, then a little router work to round the corners, primer, and paint after joining. Joining was biscuit and glue plus a couple of nails. 1/4 inch plywood gussets stapled on the back at the corners and a couple of intermediate points attached to the frame and the stretcher bar to make it all rigid. Actually wasn't all that hard a job. Biggest issue was delivery - had to build a 2x4 framework over top of a friend's pickup truck.
 
blackiris said:
Does it have to be 17' long?

I HATE SNAKES...........
I would splice the mat..........
Click to expand...

For length, I will have to see it first and check for pliability and crispness. 16 ft is what customer said, TBD.

Nicole, I got the splicing idea from you in a prev post and I have been using it when needed. Thanks
 
JFeig said:
1) Where to get extra long molding - say 17 ft length
Have a cabinet shop mill some for you locally - the most cost efficient method

2) Long glazing: I thought I heard of a plexi like material that comes in a roll? Other thoughts for 17 ft of glazing?
Piece together standard acrylic glazing a join it with JLar tape

4) Mounting substrate - what can I use to get the length?
Fabric mat with the mounting board taped together from the back or stretch fabric over a strainer covered with nylon screening
Click to expand...

Re 1: milling - good idea. Not crazy about finishing myself.
Re 2: glazing - never tried joining with JLar tape. Will it stay tight with changes in temperature? (this is Vegas)
Re 4: Substrate - nylon screening ... is this like the type used for sealing sheetrock joints? Please expound.
 
Jim Miller said:
In order of cost, lowest first:


2. Have a local acrylic fabricator piece together the acrylic sheets using glue after polishing the edges.
Click to expand...

I do know a local acrylic fabricator and they are very good craftsmen and give me decent prices. Hmmm ... I will check them out. Maybe they can create a thin sandwich in which we can slide the flat snake skin into. I thought about encasing the skin in mylar, then adhering to plexi. A thin case made entirely from plexi would allow the viewer to see the skin from both sides. This assumes the skin would hang from overhead cables. I actually discussed this as a possibility with the customer. Will post more when I see the skin.
 
Janis said:
I'm so with you on that!!! And I wouldn't frame even a skin for any amount of money. This is one I would definitely pass on to a framer friend.

Sorry I'm no help, but good luck on your project.
Click to expand...

Come on Janis, it's dead!
 
j Paul said:
I would approach it by suggesting that the skin be able to be softly folded back or coiled on itself to fit into a more doable size.

I have a wide format printer so I might also suggest printing a custom background image to use as the mat.
Click to expand...

Yeah baby, I like it. I have one also and now my mind is seeing all kinds of patterns. Thanks.
 
RParrish said:
And when you figure out how do it, how much it will cost, DOUBLE IT because it's going to be a huge PIA!!!

Or offer to make the skin into a frame!
Click to expand...

I did a quick calc and came up with $1200. Told her to expect $1200 to $2000. She did not flinch!
 
Bandsaw said:
I did one more than 17 feet long (not a snake, however) couple of years ago. Built a stretcher bar frame and covered with canvas for mounting - item was stitched on. Got clear plastic (not sure what it's made from or called) from my sign shop 24 feet long, one piece.
Click to expand...

Yup - I remember our J Glantz & Sons Rep saying something about clear plastic on a roll ... ?
 
Our missionary friends had a 12' python skin on their dining
room wall, and I remember being amazed by it. As natural
as the object is, it might work to use something rustic to
hide mat or frame splices. Like jute or another ropey thing.
 
Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate (Lexan) can be found in very long pieces. It is softer than PMM = acrylic sheet and can be rolled, but must be cut with a saw, since it can be scored and snapped open. You can look for this at plastic suppliers and get it size to fit the frame you design.



Hugh
 
j Paul said:
I would approach it by suggesting that the skin be able to be softly folded back or coiled on itself to fit into a more doable size.

I have a wide format printer so I might also suggest printing a custom background image to use as the mat.
Click to expand...

I'm so with JPaul on this........A coiled up design would be soooo amazing, and IMO more interesting than all stretched out, but either way it should be pretty cool, and a very nice order! Way to go!

Would love to see pics when this puppy is completed!!!
 
OK wait a sec...........
Does she know how freakin' weird this is going to look if its 16ft by 12in long?
How is she going to get it home? And where the HECK is she going to put it?
I say shorten is...... and make it taller than 12 inches........ :rolleyes:
 
I have a source for 1/4" 108" x 192" acrylic..................... Clear continuous cast)

The real questions are:

what they are willing to pay
how are you going to handle this sheet
transportation
hanging
 
I was lying in bed this morning, trying to wake up
and this thread came to mind. It sounds like you're going
to be able to use a single piece for glazing, but if you
had to splice, you could get someone to mill little wooden
cross pieces to cover the edges of the glazing where
they meet. From the end view, the stick would look like
a short, fat T, with the ends of the T covering the edges.

I was also thinking that if you or anyone else ever do
this, it would be good to have it milled so that the lip is
wider than usual. That way, whatever points you might
use to attach the glazing would be hidden. Probably not
what you'd do here, but I'll post it for if anyone finds it
helpful in the future.
 
Good luck with the job and remember measure twice cut once. ;)

I say that because while the one I am working on is only 91" by 18" I measured, and cut to the outside dimension of the moulding. Twice... I now have 4 legs that are 85 1/2" on the inside to get the 18" legs cut from :)... Yep measure once cut twice.... wait... umm. got 6 legs to cut the shorts from....

Last summer we rented a place with a 8 foot snake skin thumbtacked to the wall. I have to say that my first thought was NOT "how can I frame this...." :) More along the lines of "holy poopoo, the snake grew out of this skin...."
 
When the sign shop received our 24 foot piece of glazing the receiver unrolled and uncovered it and laid it out on their 40 foot table thinking it was going to get signage applied. I didn't want to chance scratches from rerolling it so 3 of us walked down and carried it back to the shop. It's about 15 blocks and we did it early before much traffic. Somewhere there's a picture of the 3 of us, one at each end and one in the middle crossing the road at a crosswalk - it looks like we are pretending to carry something.
 
Bandsaw said:
WSomewhere there's a picture of the 3 of us, one at each end and one in the middle crossing the road at a crosswalk - it looks like we are pretending to carry something.
Click to expand...
Isn't that a classic mime stunt?
:popc: Rick

(I guess nowadays it would be called a "mime meme".) :icon11:
 
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