Foray into frames (part 2)

Template on the floor- Linnea supervises

Step B: Frame as a Linear Weave was may best next bet. After seeing how fragile the rigid insulation might be to dents and nicks, I was eager to use wood instead. I thought about what the limitations of this might be and tried to build in a couple of work arounds to make the process easier. I started by drafting a template on paper, and assembling a rectangular grid over the template to hold the canvasses. Working on the floor of the studio (blocking my ability to paint- yes that is a space conflict), as a dry fit and layout area, and setting up my chop saw in the kitchen table (blocking my ability to cook and eat-yet another space conflict). I walked back and forth, piece by piece, cut by cut.

The result was a sturdy trellis like structure 64" x 32". (it grew beyond the template due to the size of the wood available which was a bit larger than the original intent).

What I learned:

• The template was a great idea- it helped me make sure I was on track for spacing and right angles

• I could really use a dedicated space for cutting and managing sawdust. Sawdust on the wood floor is a recipe for slipping. The kitchen has good lighting, but sawdust and coffee don't mix.

• Dry fits are great- but wood even the slightest bit warped will change the fit. Wait to cut as long as you can.

• Disassemble-able frames are needed- as my studio space can't accommodate full presentation frames given my current space allocation.

• Brad nailers need craft and practice- I slipped a couple times with the brad going through the side of the wood. Very hard to pull out the brad without damaging the surrounding wood supports.

• Cut the longest pieces last.

• Canvases are not uniform- some are as much as 1/2" shy of the full dimension. Meaning any framing system relying on consistent size for friction holds will fail.

• This method is super expensive- about $80 bucks a grid

• This trellis is a space hog- not the most efficient for storage, and if I built 5 of these I wouldn't have space left to paint

• May need to spackle and paint this one so that the brad nails don't dominate visually.

• I should have built this upside down so the brad nails would be hidden from view

• Next time I could mark in pencil a regular spacing to place the nailer more evenly

Cutting custom pieces of shorter bits and dry fitting per canvas. They are each a tad bit different which complicated the full assembly later.

Dry fit with Frog Tape- The canvases aren't uniform making this challenging

Step B: Linear Weave in current form- will spackle and paint to complete. First time using the brad nailer- still learning about where the brad will hit the wood and how to hold the nailer.