Framing and matting

[Lordstan]

So I am finally getting around to finishing the basement. As part of this, I am creating my man cave. My wife was the one who really pushed for finishing the basement. She always complained about the money I spent because it was all sitting in boxes. Now that it can be displayed, I think it will be easier for her to understand.
It's not finished yet, but I wanted to discuss whether anyone else here has done matting and framing themselves. When I lived in Maryland, for 2yrs in the late 90's, I had a play room and spent a considerable amount of money framing items. This time I felt I could try doing my own framing and keep the extra money to buy more stuff. I was inspired by someone on another website.

Tools:
Logan Compact Classic Mat Cutter approx $100(Cheaper on ebay)

Rag mat boards (100% cotton rag-highest quality archival board) $18 per sheet 24 x 48
Frames Prices varied - Found great frames at Ollies/Kmart/Dick Blick and others
Double stick tape
Artists tape - Similar to masking, but used to adhere prints to mat board.
Backing/Foam board.

So I assembled my supplies, plus a healthy supply of snacks and beverages, and away I went.

LMK what you think.

1966 Sport Magazine and 1986 AS program. Both are full magazines.



Batting Sequence photos of Gehrig and Ott. Both taken just prior to 1936 WS.




1951 Calendar with Cuban league Schedule card below it.


2 newspaper centerfolds. Top one is from 1939. Bottom one is from 1937.



Lou Gehrig day Ticket matted with a print I made of a Kreindler Masterpiece.




Jordan cut Matted to 10x12.


Mel Ott signed Carters Kittens print. It read "To Sweets and his Triplets, may they all be safe, Mel Ott" Frame is 11x14


Mel Ott signed Pic Magazine cover. Signed to Chamberlain Brown, With best Wishes, Mel Ott. Frame is 11x14


Walter Payton 8x10


1927 Strength Mag with Lou Gehrig Cover and 1928 Mag with Ruth cover.


FYI: The most expensive frame of the above was the LG Ticket frame. It was $30 at Ollie's Outlet.

I'll post more tomorrow.
Mark

[gashouse34]

Wow...it all looks fantastic. Really love the Ott peices..framing really brings the collection to life and it makes a huge difference when you can appreciate it on a wall or shelf. Look forward to seeing your other peices.

[mr2686]

Mark, everything looks fantastic! You are absolutely right about saving money by doing the framing and matting yourself, especially on project with one and two openings in the matting. I'm still a little lazy and haven't been cutting the matting myself, but I've developed a relationship with a local framing shop and they've been cutting my matting for real cheap, and then I pick up a frame on sale from a local chain like Aaron Brothers and then put them together myself. Saves tons of money and allows you to get stuff up on the walls that much quicker. Just curious, how are you keeping your magazines secure and from moving within the frames?

[Lordstan]

Thanks guys.

Here is another of my favs.



Mike,
I held the magazine in place with foam board.
The Strength magazines are sunken into cutouts in a piece of foam board the size of the frame. I put another thin piece of mat board behind them to secure them in place. The Sport Mag and AS program are held in place by strips of foam board on all 4 sides of the magazines.
The frame above has the original type 1 print and Sporting news book I got in a trade with Jimmy(kingofclout) along with a 1927 copy of a Police Gazette. The Gazette is complete and in a Protective Mylar(I think) bag which is also sunken into a mat board cutout. The tag sheet was already separate from the picture when I got it, so I framed it as well.
Mark

Oops I forgot. I changed the Matting on the Gehrig piece above. I'll have to take a new pic and post it.

[mr2686]

Thanks Mark! I also use strips of foam board on each side of the magazines but wanted to see if you used a different method. Seems to work pretty well and haven't had any problems with magazines moving within the frame...well, except once but I droped the darn frame and also broke the glass. Oops!!

[Lordstan]

Originally Posted by gashousegang_1

Wow...it all looks fantastic. Really love the Ott peices..framing really brings the collection to life and it makes a huge difference when you can appreciate it on a wall or shelf. Look forward to seeing your other peices.

Thanks Brandon.
I agree with you about framing making this stuff pop.

The Ott items are some of my favs, especially the Carters Kittens print.

Some background for those that are interested.
Carter's Ink Co is the company behind these prints. The print is entitled 'Carter's Kittens'. Carter's kittens were introduced in 1943. This artwork by Albert Staehle. This ad appeared in Life Magazine in 1944. The kitten mascot featured prominently in ads for Carter's up until the late 1950s. The original advertising print features a mother cat and her 9 technicolor kittens. Each kitten is colored in a shade of ink that was manufactured at the time by Carter's Ink Company.

[Lordstan]

Originally Posted by mr2686

Thanks Mark! I also use strips of foam board on each side of the magazines but wanted to see if you used a different method. Seems to work pretty well and haven't had any problems with magazines moving within the frame...well, except once but I droped the darn frame and also broke the glass. Oops!!

Mike,
I have found that frames don't respond well in general to being dropped.

Mark

[Lordstan]

I think it looks better this way. I couldn't separate the pics more in the new frame as they have the original tape still intact, keeping them together.

[CW]

Those all look great! Perfect pieces to compliment a man cave, and smartly done at a fraction of the cost for professional framing.

[mcgwirecom]

Mike, nice job. I have been doing matting and framing for my own stuff also. Once I found out how much they wanted and how easy it was to do. Recently did my first shadow box with a circular mat cutter.