Does anyone here have experience with making their own frames for photos and posters? I think I asked a long time ago, but I never actually did anything. I plan on putting together a wall collage like shown here featuring various musicians I listen to, and it would save me a lot of money to make the frames myself. I've seen Logan come up in searching, and I was wondering if you think their Frame Shop In A Box is a good way to go. Otherwise, what are your suggestions? Thanks for any advice you have.

Charles, it depends on how much you want to spend, really. I've never heard of the Frame Shop In a Box, but just reading the description of it makes me skeptical and even at what, 32% off it's still $340 US!!? That kind of jing will get you a nice little mitre saw and enough trim from your local Home Depot to make hundreds of frames, or if you want to go even cheaper, just get a back saw and mitre box. The only thing you'll have to do is reinforce the corners of your frame with a small piece of 1/8" luan ply on the backside after your pictures are mounted. If you start looking at biscut/plate joiners or corner routing to join the corners, you're running into some $$$. A cheap biscuit joiner is perhaps around $50, a decent one will cost $200+.

Anyway, I'd have a look in one of the box stores, they've got tons of profiles in the lumber section that you might consider making frames out of. Hey, maybe you can borrow a mitre saw from someone.

I'll have to see what my dad has. Thanks for your input. I'm just not handy at all and thought it might be good to get a kit that has all of the steps laid out, with tools for every step.

What about matting? Does anyone have experience with tools for that?

I remember a local framing store that sold all kinds of that sort of thing. Check your local business directory for framing stores...they carry all kinds of matting and materials, most of the matting is only cardboard or bristol board anyway, isn't it?

I dunno, Charles.

I think what I would really be thinking about is keeping all of the purchased photos as standard sizes....5x7, 8x10, 11x14, etc... (Maybe throw 8x12 in there as well). Then you can pick up frames and mats locally (either a nice art supply store, framing shop or even Target) and not have to worry about framing and matting yourself.

I've cut my own mats, though not often at all, and have never bothered with a picture frame though I have all the needed tools in the shop.

Unless you decide that you want all the frames to have the same profile and finish and the same color mat:

- By time you find the right molding and a source for purchasing

- you get the equipment to make EXACT 45° corners

- you deal with staining, painting, or other methods of finishing the frames

- you buy sheets of mat board in various colors

- you buy a mat cutter (even a handheld one)

- you deal with wire, mounting hooks, framing points, etc......

You'd be better off just buying the finished mats and frames.

Don't forget: Every miter cut for the frames has to be exactly 45° (or you'll go through expensive molding really quick trying to get it right), and every other step has to be just right or it goes into the trash: a mis-cut mat, staining on the frame done less than perfectly, etc....

My opinion is that it won't be worth it. There's a reason most homeowners don't make their own frames....

And just think..... the money you save by not having to buy all this stock could be used to buy the entire Buffy series!

I don't know. There are already images I'm going to use that aren't going to be a standard size, and I already have plenty of posters I've wanted to frame for a while that aren't going to be a standard size, either. I think I'm either stuck spending a lot on custom framing or learning to do it myself in some fashion. Maybe there's a cheaper, easier way than working with wood.

Have you considered using mats to "bring you up" to standard frame sizes?

It might be a good compromise to, say, round up that 16x21 poster to 20x24 for example.

You should also hit the neighbourhood garage sales, picture/mirror frames seem to be a pretty common item and you'll get them for a song(and dance?). As Mark said, you can use the mat to bring the size up to the frame size.

You could also check out your local Habitat for Humanity or Salvation Army for such items too. I checked one of our H for H's a couple of months ago, they had all kinds of frames, hardwood(flooring), cabinets ect....definately worth a look.

The only thing I'd be concerned with is trying to make the collage work visually with too many different kinds of frames. I'm thinking the color and style of the frames should be the same (or at least style, but I'd need to control which parts of the collage had which color). On the other hand, it will be hard to make it work if too many of them are the same size. I think it will look more organic to have a lot of different sizes somehow fitting together.

That's something you'd have to think about, for sure, but remember you can always paint or stain the frames the same or similar colour. Personally, I think different types of frames would add some interest to the collage, but that's entirely up to you, of course.

I figured the variety would come from the different types and colors of the shots, but it would all be unified by the type of frame. I'm sure there would be a way to make it work with different types of frames, but I'd doubt my ability to tie it all together. It's already daunting.

I don't like the look of frames, they are so last century. I mount all of my photos in clear Lucite. I don't know brand which the local art store carries, but they are similar to these: http://www.boomusa.com/boom_item.php?type=accessories&id=6713 but are fastened with clips instead of magnets, which make it easier to use a mat (rather than relying on the back plate color).

I have made some picture frames. Without fancy wood working tools, it requires a Good framing clamp. Key is the word "Good". Trying to line up, glue and tighten 4 individual pieces of wood together without having them pop out on the corner can be very challenging. Luckily, I was going for the rustic look with old barn board so imperfect joins added to the look rather than detracted.

Of course, that was before I owned a router and now a lot of better jointing methods are available to me to help solve that problem.

Here is a good page of pictures of joining methods from a quick google that will help..
Wood Joining Pics.

Chris brings up an interesting possibility:

Years ago, I did a gigantic job right out of photography school: $13K worth of food photography prints for a department store chains' cafeterias. To keep framing costs down, I mounted each photo onto Gaterfoam (Foam core board) to make each photo rigid (Shut up, Peter) and then mounted an undersized frame behind the photo to help it stand off from the wall and "float". In other words, with 30x40 prints, I made simple 1x2 frames that were, say, 26x36.

If you do, this, you avoid traditional matting & framing. You can also make the 1x2 "frames" yourself because they don't have to be perfect...they're behind the photos. Finally, and maybe best since we're talking collages, you can make some frames with 1x1s, some with 1x2s, some with 1x3s, etc., so that some photos "float" further out from the wall and can therefore overlap ones under it a bit.

A can of black paint comprises the "finishing" stage, and hanging them is easy!

I would have them professionally mounted though (shut up, Peter!).

I like your idea Mark.

That's a very good idea. That sounds like the way to go.

Thank yuuuu. Thank yuu verry much....

(Please read in early, pre-fat Elvis voice)

A cheaper and lazier version of Mark's idea would be to mount the posters to the foam core and just use four wood blocks (of equal size and depth) near each corner to make them float off the wall. You could drill in to the top blocks at a 30° angle upward from the horizontal and use those holes to grab screw (or nail) heads for mounting, like so:



The anchors might be overkill, but I got carried away...

What part of "shut up, Peter" didn't you understand?

Thanks for the idea.

I used full frames to add rigidity to the large prints but, yes... Peters right and a simple cleat along the top would likely do fine.

I'd use a French Cleat to attach the whole thing to the wall, though....

Before someone asks:

On which side is supposed to stand the viewer? This diagram is not clear at all.

Beaten by a French cleat. What could be worse?

Beaten with a 2x4. Well...you asked.

What's the best length of 2x4 to use in a beating? Too short and there's not enough weight behind it. Too long and it moves too slowly. Hmmm...

Well, I prefer to use one approx. 27" long, but if you prefer a two handed grip, about 31" seems quite good. Uhhh...I've never tried either of course

I think a piece the length of your arm would be about right. For me, that's about 31". I guess you're right on.

Or you could save some coin and just use the guy's arm to beat him with.

You guys are the best.

Yeah, we know.

Oops. I didn't mean to include you.

How embarrassing!

You did mean to include me, right?

Right?

I'm not sure who you are!

Hey, only my mix CDs are virtual!

I'm still a fan of this idea, but I was wondering if any of you had any experience with these Auralex SonicPrint panels. I'm a little skeptical of the print quality, but it would nice to be able to incorporate some room treatment into the wall photo collage idea. I would only do a handful of the pictures, ones that I would want at a larger size, which is why the print quality would be a major factor. The different printing technique for those pictures might also make them stand out in a bad way. Anyway, has anyone tried these?