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Canvas Frames?

jfiscus

jfiscus

Rap Master
We recently learned that we can print on canvas material on our solvent printer, we've gotten a lot of interest just from other employees here, so we ordered a roll to try it out. The prints look GREAT, however we do not have current supplier for the frames that you stretch it onto. We've looked into just building our own, but wanted some "stock standard sizes" we could just keep on hand.

Who do you use?
 
Tim Aucoin

Tim Aucoin

New Member
Here's a link to a video I made a couple years ago. It's how I wrap my canvas prints. I've taken a lot of flack for calling them "Gallery Wraps", but I still stand by it. It's "new school" and I've not had a complaint from a customer yet!!
Just another option for you! :rock-n-roll:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0egG0APVoGY&feature=plcp

p.s. I've got to do an updated one, as I was so HUGE back then (that was over 100 pounds ago!!) :smile:
 
E

edgette

New Member
I ordered in a bunch from a friend who gets wholesale from Darice. They were so cheap I couldn't imagine taking the time to make my own.
 
S

signpro

Manager
I've got an uncle that does all my custom wood work for the shop, been doing wood work for years, has a great shop in his basement. just this week i asked him to make me a couple of frames. we'll see what he comes up with for product and time. i'm sure it'll take more time than just purchasing some cheap ones online, but i know he builds things strong and very nice. plus, he's retired. so i don't pay him much anyways, lunch or a snack and he's happy! can't beat cheap labor (sometimes)

but depending on his time involved, i might end up ordering. i don't want him spending too much time, and then getting only SubWay in return! ha

Darice?
Atlex?
any other places?

i saw some at SGIA last fall that uses "biscuits" in the corners,and as the canvas pulls on the frame and tweak it, you can tap the biscuits into the frame further from the backside, and it expands the frame just a touch, tightening up the canvas again. anyone know what i'm talking about tho? i cannot remember the company!
 
bob

bob

It's better to have two hands than one glove.
The system show in the above mentioned video is hideously expensive, relative to plain old vanilla stretcher bars, and designed to appeal to the hopelessly inept and/or those lacking the basic tool set necessary to do the job properly.

Assuming you're equipped with a staple gun, air is best, electric in second place and manual a distant third , at a minimum and, for extra credit a miter saw or box. It's just as fast to use conventional or homemade stretcher bars.

If you need to mount canvas:

If the size is less than ~36 in the long direction AND both dimensions are a multiple of 2", ease on down to any framing shop or hobby and craft store and buy the stretchers you need.

If the size is >~36 or both dimensions are not multiples of 2" then go to your nearest lumber or home center and buy a sufficient length of brick mold, make sure it's reasonably straight, and fashion your own stretchers.

Don't buy a selection of stretcher bars from some on-line source or another. You'll end up with a pile of stretcher bars in sizes you never use and you're always out of the size you need. Moreover, the stretcher bars you buy on-line are invariably crap, rife with knots and anything but straight. The bars you buy locally are fashioned from clear wood and the difference in cost between on-line and local purchase is pennies.
 
the graphics co

the graphics co

New Member
I buy mine from a company called rexart online, they have just about every variety and size. Just because they are online does not mean they are cheap or low quality. Also, most art supply stores sell a variety of thickness in most sizes of bars up to about 60". Michaels and hobby lobby carry the cheap ones (1/2" thick) if you are in a pinch, those are only in the most common sizes, stopping at 48" I believe.
 
sfr table hockey

sfr table hockey

New Member
The biggest bonus to being able to chop and join your own stretcher bar is for the odd sizes. If your print happens to be 1/8 or 1/4 inch off and you need an exact bar, cutting your own is the only way. Cost is lower as most bar for the 7/8 thickness runs close to the $1 to $1.20 a foot. However if you do not have the saw and pinner and plyers to stretch, T3's stuff he is using is not a bad way to go. As long as it's tight when you are done.
 
Letterbox Mike

Letterbox Mike

New Member
We buy most of ours at local art supply stores as needed. Sometimes we'll do a volume run of a larger quantity of stretched frames, if they're smaller we usually router-cut the frames from 3/4" plywood. Makes for a quick, cheap and strong frame. We did a couple hundred like this once for a pizza chain and it saved the customer a lot of money and got the job done in a lot less time.
 
sfr table hockey

sfr table hockey

New Member
Keep in mind that all wood is acidic and in time may cause issues with canvas yellowing. How much time…. I am not sure, but stretcher bar is made for canvas. Now sure how a person could tell how much better it is for canvas but that might be one thing to think about when making your own.

With photos on canvas compared to art work, does the wood make that much of a difference? If you do artwork then stay with the proper bar. For display type stuff that may only be up for 5 or so years, making your own can save $$.
 
phototec

phototec

New Member
T3 said:
I've taken a lot of flack for calling them "Gallery Wraps", but I still stand by it. It's "new school" and I've not had a complaint from a customer yet!!
Just another option for you! :rock-n-roll:

:smile:
Click to expand...

Tim,

Don't worry you are using the correct term, Gallery Wrap is the industry term for such a product, paintings, digitally printed or photo prints on canvas wrapped on wooden frame, allowing for a frame-less presentation of the finished painting, digital print or photograph. I have been making them for many years, first from my conventional photographs back in the 90's, now from ink-jet prints and I have always called them Gallery Wraps.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallery_wrap

:thumb:
 
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