frames

[paulr]

A long time ago I used to get do-it-yoursel wood frames from Westfall Framing in florida. They sold good quality moulding in a several different woods, cut to size and routed for corner inserts. It was simple to glue and assemble and finish them.

They're long gone now ... anyone know of a shop doing something similar? I'm also curious if there's a good place to get Nielsen frames for cheap.

thanks,
P

[Paul Butzi]

There are lots of places to buy Nielsen sectional frames for cheap. Most of them seem to do a lousy job cutting the moulding.

I've had good luck buying #97 Nielsen frames from www.americanframe.com

I used to use Documounts (www.documounts.com) and was satisfied. But last time, despite my careful checking that they'd purged my OLD address and were planning on shipping the order to my NEW address, they instead shipped it all to the OLD address, where it all promptly vanished. And it took me two weeks to straighten out, which left me stuffing prints into frames the night before I was hanging the show. As you can imagine, this left me somewhat less than completely gruntled.

So now, I just buy it all from American Frame. They're cheaper, too.

Dan Smith does the wooden frames with the corners routed. I have no clue about the price or quality, sorry. I just know that one Christmas when I needed a wood frame, I went downtown to DS, they cut the frame and handed me the parts over the counter, and I went home, cut a mat, framed a watercolor, wrapped the whole thing, and put it under the tree for my wife, all in the space of about two hours. (www.danielsmith.com)

[Hans Berkhout]

I find the IKEA wooden frames "RIBBA" pretty good and not expensive. "European" sizes, you have to get used to that. See Google for catalogue.

[Carlos]

I agree with Hans, Ikea wooden frames "Ribba" are very good and not expensive. The only thing is the 16x20 matt it has to become 15 3/4 & 19 3/4.

[paulr]

I'm definitely looking for custom sizes ... someplace that cuts unfinished moulding for you.

[Scott Fleming]

I like metal frames. The chops at Michaels and Hobby Lobby are a nice extrusion. Michaels has the shinny black painted ones and Hobby Lobby has the more matte anodized ones. Not being a volum buyer (yet) this is the easiest solution for me. It helps to know which day a shop stocks its chops as if you just wander in there on any given day they may be out of the very one you need.

[Brian Ellis]

I buy my Nielson frames from Light Impressions. They're probably not the least expensive seller but I've never had a problem with the corner cuts, the glass, or anything else.

[John Hennessy]

I second the motion for www.americanframe.com.

They sell both wood and metal and, unless the size is huge, the wooden frames are assembled.

"Econowood" or something like that includes several simpler moldings good for photographs.

[CXC]

I've been happy using www.framesbymail.com. They custom cut to 1/16", the frame, and if you want, plexiglas, a window mat, a secondary mat, and a backing foam sheet. You get everything but the hanging wire. The last frame I bought from them (11 3/8 x 30) came fully assembled, though I was expecting to have to assemble it myself.

[Erik Gould]

Uh, Westfall Frame is still around. http://www.westfallframing.com/ I've used them, they've always been great, they have terrific customer service and good quantity discounts.