Artwork in Acrylic case

[Frances M.]

Before anything happens to the best framing resource on earth, I have a question. I am placing a folk art piece in an acrylic case, with a strainer base. I don't do many of these and feel like I've been making it up as I go along as far as how to best finish off the "base". My thought on this is to cut an 8-ply mat, with the outside beveled and put bevel edge on strainers, painting sides black to match. For this piece, I think that will suffice, but for going forward I wonder how those of you who do this on a regular basis.

Do you always fabric wrap and if so, how do you adjust your measurements so that ordered case/strainer will accommodate the fabric? How do you handle the corners if you fabric wrap so they are cleanly covered without fraying or added bulk? Not fabric wrapped, just paint sides and match with a similar matboard on top?

 

[EclipseVisuals]

cut an 8-ply mat, with the outside beveled and put bevel edge on strainers, painting sides black to match. For this piece, I think that will suffice, but for going forward I wonder how those of you who do this on a regular basis.

This is a popular and elegant way to finish these cases. Many of our customers do this with a 4-ply matte and a matte white moulding, screwing into the moulding very slowly to prevent the gesso from chipping.

Do you always fabric wrap and if so, how do you adjust your measurements so that ordered case/strainer will accommodate the fabric? How do you handle the corners if you fabric wrap so they are cleanly covered without fraying or added bulk?

Linen is a premium option, for some it is a standard.

1/16" allowance sometimes is not enough and you will need 1/8", thicker materials necessitate a 3/16" allow - this is a case by case issue.

Linen is a traditional material and still has a place acrylic display cases. Acrylic cases are contemporary display options and many customers find the look of the linen to be too dated while serious art collectors will have nothing but it. It would be wise to offer both linen and matboard coverings for the strainer.

Edges and corners may be easily manipulated into shape, the fabric is much more thin and pliable than you'd think. Frank's miracle muck is what we swear by when covering strainers here, you should get some and play with it if you are going to get into this kind of work. Don't forget to prime your strainer before your linen wrap it or the raw wood will show through. Fray has never been an issue (we also source our linen from Frank's).


Last resort you can give me a call and we can send you a complete case with countersunk screws and a strainer covered to your linking.

Good luck.

 

[Lafontsee]

Sometimes we will use a skinny frame moulding cut so the sight-size is slightly larger than the outside of the acrylic case then put a matboard with plenty of support in the frame. The case in this design sits on top of the matboard and is kept in place by the lip of the frame.

James

 

[Rick Granick]

In that case (no pun intended) you have to use an acrylic box with a 3/16" flange around the opening, which is retained by the rabbet of the frame where the glass would ordinarily be. My fabricator calls this an "extender box".
Rick

 

[Lafontsee]

In that case (no pun intended) you have to use an acrylic box with a 3/16" flange around the opening, which is retained by the rabbet of the frame where the glass would ordinarily be. My fabricator calls this an "extender box".
Rick

Not necessarily for a tabletop case. If the client wants to access the items inside, the case can rest inside the frame without the flange lip. For a wall case, we will add the flange lip so it stays in place.

Maybe I misunderstood OP's terminology when they said "base," however, and they were describing a wall-hung case. I had assumed it was for tabletop display.

For a wall case that is screwed into the outside of a strainer, we will generally fabric-wrap the whole thing (cutting the strainer smaller to accommodate the thickness of the fabric).

James

 

[Frances M.]

This is a popular and elegant way to finish these cases. Many of our customers do this with a 4-ply matte and a matte white moulding, screwing into the moulding very slowly to prevent the gesso from chipping.



Linen is a premium option, for some it is a standard.

1/16" allowance sometimes is not enough and you will need 1/8", thicker materials necessitate a 3/16" allow - this is a case by case issue.

Linen is a traditional material and still has a place acrylic display cases. Acrylic cases are contemporary display options and many customers find the look of the linen to be too dated while serious art collectors will have nothing but it. It would be wise to offer both linen and matboard coverings for the strainer.

Edges and corners may be easily manipulated into shape, the fabric is much more thin and pliable than you'd think. Frank's miracle muck is what we swear by when covering strainers here, you should get some and play with it if you are going to get into this kind of work. Don't forget to prime your strainer before your linen wrap it or the raw wood will show through. Fray has never been an issue (we also source our linen from Frank's).


Last resort you can give me a call and we can send you a complete case with countersunk screws and a strainer covered to your linking.

Good luck.

Working with one of yours now. Just wanted some ides for future projects. Hadn't thought about using a finished moulding. Thanks.

 

[Frances M.]

All great info. Thanks! We don't use these very frequently so I want some options for selling. Thanks!

 

[Rick Granick]

Not necessarily for a tabletop case. If the client wants to access the items inside, the case can rest inside the frame without the flange lip. For a wall case, we will add the flange lip so it stays in place.

Maybe I misunderstood OP's terminology when they said "base," however, and they were describing a wall-hung case. I had assumed it was for tabletop display.

For a wall case that is screwed into the outside of a strainer, we will generally fabric-wrap the whole thing (cutting the strainer smaller to accommodate the thickness of the fabric).

James

Right. I didn't pick up that this was for tabletop use. When doing one like that I usually refer to the acylic box as a "dust cover". It's a throwback to my stereo turntable, I think.
Rick