Picture Framing for beginners

[treeturner123]

Hi

I’ve been thinking of adding another string to my turning bow as it were, by learning to picture frame correctly. It’s very easy to turn a round frame, but….!

So onto the net, but I’ve not had much joy finding any courses within easy reach of South Worcestershire. I’m looking for either Evening courses or a day at a time at weekends as I have a Proper Job as well.

Anyone have any contacts or ideas?

Thanks

Phil

 

[Lord Kitchener]

HAve you had a look at YouTube? There's usually quite a bit of info on sometimes quite obscure occupations, so I expect picture framing will be well covered. I know there is a certain amount of investment involved, you will certainly want a guillotine to do the mitres, and maybe a pinner as well. Axminster do some stuff which will give you an idea of prices

 

[Johnboy]

No need for a guillotine. A good compound mitre saw works fine. A hand saw then shooting board works fine too.

John

 

[mbartlett99]

If you're looking for basic picture framing courses try; Lion Framing, Framers Equipment or look on framersforum.com . All these outfits run regular weekend courses on all aspects, some specialist subjects for the pros and some beginner stuff. Oh, forgot - check Guild of Fine Art as I seem to remember they have a calender of courses.

My wife is a professional picture framer but I don't think she's ever done a round one - you can buy them off the shelf. Not sure about how to do the glass though. Generally the woodwork is the easy bit its having the eye for the layout thats the difference between getting it just right and making it look home made.

 

[Lord Kitchener]

No need for a guillotine. A good compound mitre saw works fine. A hand saw then shooting board works fine too.

John

Just depends on what standard you want to work to. If it's just amateur stuff then I guess your way is good enough. Pros use guillotines.

 

[Johnboy]

No need for a guillotine. A good compound mitre saw works fine. A hand saw then shooting board works fine too.

John

Just depends on what standard you want to work to. If it's just amateur stuff then I guess your way is good enough. Pros use guillotines.

Pros use a guillotine for speed. A mitre shooting board will give results that are just as good and can handle thicker stock but will take a bit longer.

John

 

[Lord Kitchener]

[Pros use a guillotine for speed. A mitre shooting board will give results that are just as good and can handle thicker stock but will take a bit longer.

Why use a spoon to dig a hole, when a spade will get the job done quicker?

 

[neilyweely]

Why use a spoon to dig a hole, when a spade will get the job done quicker?

:lol:

My wife recently started to do some picture framing and we looked into it quite extensively. A guillotine is the only way to go if you are looking to do it for profit. It allows you more speed and is far easier to work to fine tolerances. We were lucky and managed to acquire an 'Orteguiil' for £40 but they can get very expensive. The model we have is about £600 new, and that is the box standard version. You will probably still want a mitre saw, but only to get close to the 'line' , a guillotine is then used to make it perfect.

HTH

Neil

 

[custard]

Pros use a guillotine for speed. A mitre shooting board will give results that are just as good and can handle thicker stock but will take a bit longer.

Having used both a shooting board and a Morso F guillotine for many years I've got to say that's not my experience.
A Morso F is rated for 65mm x 65mm hardwood, and it will easily handle that and more, producing a mirror finish cut at precisely 45 degree and precisely to length.

Unless you have forearms like a stud bull and a remarkably wide mouthed plane you'd struggle to mitre a 65mm x 65mm piece of oak or beech on a shooting board to anything like the same precision.

 

[mbartlett99]

Come to think of it Custard didn't we have this chat a while back when I was looking for an excuse to buy a v. expensive scms?

You were right - Morso only way to go for pro/semi-pro.

 

[custard]

Come to think of it Custard didn't we have this chat a while back when I was looking for an excuse to buy a v. expensive scms?
quote]

I do believe we did!

A shooting board is IMO the best solution for mitring smaller pieces of wood, anything below about 18mm thick and absolutely every time when dealing with anything shorter than about 150mm.

For medium size pieces, say up to about 60mm thick and up to about 1.5m long, I personally would choose the Morso.

Above those dimensions and there's no alternative, it's a table saw or SCMS every time.

However, when specifically talking picture framing it's worth remembering that cutting a 45 degree mitre is probably the easy bit; getting the opposing pieces of moulding to precisely the same length, and ensuring the mitre cut is absolutely flat, smooth and perpendicular to the base of the frame; well these can be more difficult challenges.

 

[angelboy]

I've just picked up (litterally still in the van) a cracking cast iron top guillotine from ebay similar to a morso........I won't upset anyone with the price I paid but it was very very low!

 

[mbartlett99]

Cool. Just take care to calibrate it properly and make sure the blades are properly sharp and you'll be bashing them out in no time.