workshop/agony
Agony
Pete Bingham’s Pure Agony, the book, answers
over 160 of your burning questions.
Available for £14.99 + P&P on
+44 (0) 845 370 7037
Send your framing problems marked Agony to: Picture Business,
1 Churchgates, The Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 2UB
fax: +44 (0)1442 289950 or email: pete-bingham@freeuk.com
Q. Mr A.W.K. Ward, a new customer, has a completely separate narrow (12mm) fl at slip results. Generally, terylene or nylon cord are
brought in a hand drawn and coloured map of profi le, completely covered with a couple of layers comparatively stronger than the equivalent wire
Portuguese vineyards located along the river of acid free tape, fastened together with pins and and also neater in use. If she still insists that she
Douro. Apparently it is extremely valuable and then more of the same tape on the underside of must have wire, then recommend stainless steel;
therefore he has, bless him, asked for full archival the slip, applied in such a way as to completely Lion sell one called ‘softstrand’ that is easy to
standards in the framing. The only problem is cover the underside of the mitres. Line the rebate use and has none of the obvious disadvantages
that the image area is a whisker short of fi ve and of the larger slip as well for a belt and braces associated with brassed wire. If it was me, I
a half feet long. It is, however, on quite stout solution. Now, the backing; this can be created would fl atly refuse to use brassed wire because
paper and in excellent condition considering its by carefully pairing together two pieces of cotton dangers to her work and my reputation. Don’t
age. Now, even one of my limited experience board by means of joining bevels and judicious miss the opportunity for some more business
can see the many problems here, not least of application of the aforementioned acid free tape from her either, all her other stuff needs the
which is the total unavailability of mount board to hold it together. Back all this with 6mm thick brassed wire replacing too.
of such gargantuan proportions, not to mention marine ply coated with a couple of applications
the backing. I have appraised him of the potential of polyurethane varnish, edges bound with the Q. As usual, I enjoyed our chat at the Spring
diffi culties but have assured him that I will do ubiquitous acid free tape and I reckon that you Fair and again was impressed by your cheerful
my best and seek expert advice on how best should have something that the Conservation attitude – and this on the next to the last day. Is
to proceed. So, here I am once again to throw Police couldn’t fi nd too much to complain about. it that you’re just a really good actor, or do you
myself prostrate at your feet begging for advice. I really enjoy a week’s demonstrating?
trust the extremely expensive dinner that I bought Q. A new customer recently had some work Brenda & Terry Cartwright, Bordeaux.
you after the second day at the Spring Fair will go collected by a friend; two days later the customer
some way to lubricating your good will. appeared in person and told me that she was A. Love it, absolutely love it! There’s always a
By Email, name withheld due to threats of not at all happy with the Terylene cord that I terrifi c atmosphere on Lion’s stand and then
physical violence. had strung her picture with and demanded that there’s the chance to meet lots of friends that I
I replace it with brass wire, at the same time wouldn’t otherwise get the opportunity to do –
A. To some people, a bag of chips and half a making it clear that she considered it highly like you two; and yes, we’re defi nitely coming to
pint of bitter probably does constitute a hearty unprofessional to be using cord instead of brass see you this year.
meal, but hardly in this context. However, in the wire and that all the framing in her home had
spirit of comradeship I will endeavour to rescue brass wire on it. I told her that I didn’t have
whatever good reputation you ever had and offer any brass wire in stock and that although I
Bingham’s battles
sage advice on how to go about this. Amazingly, was not happy with her inferences that I was
you are correct about being unable to get mount unprofessional in my work, I would seek expert
board of this sort of size, backing is a matter advice and, if necessary, obtain some wire and
I’ve just discovered in the last
for later. In any case, if my memory serves me change the cord in due course. I can handle her
few days that some kind soul has
correctly, your mount cutter is a 1200mm or offensive attitude, but would also love to be in
hacked in to my email account
48” Fletcher, so you wouldn’t have been able to a position to quote her chapter and verse on
and sent an email to everyone
cut it even if board had been available. I would the merits or even better the faults associated
(I think) on my contact list and
abandon the idea of a mount altogether; no with brass wire and the advantages of cord.
matter what you do, it would not work as you I’ve already mentioned your name to her and
made a desperate plea for a loan
would normally expect a mount to function. That explained who you are, so it would do my pride of £3,000. My apologies for any
therefore only leaves one option; a slip, or slips, a great deal of good if I could wave something
worry this may have caused and
to be accurate. Whatever form the slips take, under her nose from you. Love the column and
with immediate effect please
their primary function is to separate the artwork thanks in advance.
from the glass, in the same way that a mount Su Stanley, Peebles, Scotland.
do not send any further emails
would, except that a mount can be cut from
to salmonpete@hotmail.com
cotton board, which would be to full archival A. Here’s some juicy stuff to chuck at her. First of My new email contact address
standard. A standard rebated slip would mean all, the correct name for the wire she’s referring
is Pete-bingham@freeuk.com
that the artwork would be in direct contact with to is brassed wire; it is actually brass plated
Please use this for all future Agony
raw timber; hardly museum standard. Of course, steel and there are cases where the steel has
the rebate could be lined with an acid free tape, rusted under the brass coating but not been
questions. Ah, the joys of modern
but this would still mean that the timber would visible because of the plating; the wire then communication!
be too uncomfortably close to the artwork. So, suddenly fails with predictably catastrophic
28 picturebusiness
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