Pages

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Frame-making

I have spent my occasional moments at home recently working on some lovely pieces which will be going to some nuns who are retiring. I know nuns never really retire; but these women are retiring from running schools and shelters, and handing their work over to community groups. In recognition of their amazing efforts, one of the Boards is giving them some art.

I found out a fortnight ago that they were due in Melbourne on 29 November - minus a week for transporting and two weeks for framing and yep, I've been busy!

But back to the framing.

I needed to house the works in box frames and our local framer Phil, had previously hand-built the frames for me. When I popped in to the shop the week before last to let them know I would need five large frames built and that I could give them 2 weeks to do it in, I was saddened to hear that Phil was heading to hospital for a month the next day. He and Jennifer worked with me to problem solve some options - nobody knew anybody else who could build them.  We came up with the solution of purchasing 23m of moulding, cutting one of the rebates (ledges) off and gluing them together, thus making it deep enough, and only one rebate. Jennifer worked the phones and found the lengths, and arranged special delivery and freight to get them here.

That was Wednesday, we went to Perth. We came back Friday and had to ask my dad to go in to collect them as we got caught in traffic driving home from the airport.

Barry and I got out the band saw and cut the rebates off 12.5m of moulding on Friday night. Then spent Saturday gluing them together and clamping them. Sunday we were at a course all day. Monday we delivered them to the framers for them to cut up and make the box frames. Tuesday we flew to Adelaide and beyond.

I'll show you the pieces soon - here are the soon-to-be-frames!

They arrived in a box, individual lengths wrapped. Apologies for the thongs in the shot...


After the sawing - one length with rebate on, one with rebate off and rebate in hand as well!


We bought these fabulous quick-release clamps and they worked a treat.



A bit of a close up showing the two together...


I was thrilled with what we achieved in the timeframe - Phil and Jennifer helped me find a solution, Barry and I carried it out and the frames are being built. Hopefully all in good time for delivery to Melbourne.

2 comments:

  1. The Board has put a lot of thought into a wonderful gift and you've certainly been rushing around. Looking forward to seeing the pieces.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Robyn - it has been hectic to say the least and I was honestly almost totally stumped when Phil couldn't make them, but we're underway and I hope to collect the pieces at the end of this week. Go well.

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your thoughts and comments; thanks for taking the time.