Old Studio Photos

I found and scanned these old print photos recently, they are of my first studio/workshop in Broadway. I think this would be about 2003. The room was for many years a grocery shop and made a really nice framing studio, the old stock rooms out the back were my workshop. The huge frame in these photos was made by a cabinet maker and was brought to me for gilding, it only just fitted through the double doors. I really liked this studio but being in Broadway it was very expensive and really I needed more work space instead of a studio, also as my work was/is predominantly trade based I didn't really need a location with passing trade.

Workshop refitting

The workshop is undergoing a refit at the moment, just generally changing the layout and making some more space for storing frames.

World Cup 2014

We are showing our support for England in the World Cup, with this framed flag made from mountboard!

Rack construction

I've finally got round to starting to build a big drying rack. It will be used for holding frames in between coats of gesso, bole, paint and various other processes. There are some big orders coming up in the next couple of months, and we will need every single area of flat shelf space to put frames while they are drying, so it seems like a good time to get this built.

Drying rack

The strange wooden storage rack in the photo at the top was bodged together from scrap wood when we first moved into the workshop, (2 1/2 years ago now) and for a while it was used to store short lengths of moulding. To be honest it was rather useless and has not been used for over a year, it has been taking up space under a work bench since then. Instead of breaking it up for rubbish or firewood I decided to make it into a storage/drying rack for small frames. I have fitted some supports made from scrap wood, and then some MDF and plywood shelves which are also scrap and of not much use.
One 6mm MDF shelf can be seen with lots of 1" drilled holes, this is because it was used as a drilling support when air holes were cut in styrene, used for the protective backings on canvases. This gave me the idea to add some air holes to the other shelves, to allow some air flow for drying. Metal grilles would be more suitable, but these will do for now. I will add another 7 shelves, so in all it will have 14 racks for storing frames in between stages of gilding and painting.

Draught exclusion

The roller shutter door is not the most insulated or energy efficient, especially in this windy weather it is really quite draughty, so this giant tarpaulin has been put up to keep out the breeze. It still needs some work at the top of the door, but it will help keep in a little extra heat.

Insect watch

It has been a rather uneventful and best forgotten week at the workshop for one reason and another, the most exciting event happened today when we found a big grass hopper in the moulding racks. Here he is, sitting on a length of moulding.

Airlines

I've never used air hand tools in the workshop, it's something I've been meaning to do for ages and with the imminent completion of the spraying booth, it was a good time to set up some airlines in the workshop.  Now we have an airline and two fittings (one oiled, one clean) going to the three benches in the clean area, a junction behind the compressor, and another by the underpinner. The tools that we can run on air are: point drivers, staplers, blow guns, and nail guns.

It's nearly over, I promise

The (dragging) on going, and admittedly rather boring posts about the spray booth are nearly over, the hole was cut in the wall today, and just the finishing off to do now. Here is a photo of Ian looking rather pleased about the whole thing.

The motor was mounted to its support frame today, the big hole through the wall will be done on monday... hopefully.

Spray booth update

The spray booth is nearly finished, Mark and Ian worked on this yesterday, the hole in the back of the booth was cut out and reinforced, and some 4" x 4" fence posts were used to construct a support for the extractor motor and fan.

Mounting bench Mk.II

Phil and Mark have near enough finished the mount cutting bench today. There are still a couple of last minute things to be done, like carpeting the large MDF surface, a cutting mat or some other smooth surface on the little flat area on the end, and putting some reference numbers and sample swatches above each mountboard storage rack to make it easy to find the board you need.

New mountcutter bench

Mark has been busy making a new mount cutting bench for the last couple of days, its a great improvement over the last set-up, the mount cutter is held securely in place and there is a large area to support the mountboard as it is being cut. Underneath will be racks for storing mountboards.

Glass cutting bench is finished

The glass cutting bench has been covered with carpet at last! The dividers underneath are split into sections with different types of glass, such as: museum, anti-reflective, float, and antique glass to name a few.

Glue on the glass bench

Here Phil is inspecting Ian's work at covering the glass bench in glue before the carpet is put on top, and then weighted down with a few 8'x4' MDF sheets.

Big rack and under bench storage

I knocked together the framework for the big storage rack today, it will hold frames up to 6ft long, it still needs some uprights fitted, similar to the under bench racks in the photo above. This will allow 2 or 3 frames in each rack, so it should be able to comfortably fit 12 to 16 large frames. 

Once this rack is finished, that will be it for frame storage in the workshop, next job on the list is a display shelf unit for the ready made frames in the reception room.

Work on third storage rack

Moulding racks

I put up some more moulding racks today, just in time for a delivery of moulding for a large exhibition order. In the top photo, all the moulding against the the right hand wall is for Duncan MacGregor paintings, that's alot of frames! The second photo shows some storage for offcuts of moulding.

The samples are on the walls

I have finally got started on putting the frame corner samples on the walls. They are nearly all up, I still have the barewoods, whites and coloureds, and all the ornate/antique style handmade samples still to do. I need to cut some more MDF panels to mount the samples on, as I've run out, so I should be able to get them all up by the end of next week. Then its onto getting some framed pictures, certificates, and examples of framing on the walls. I will have a little space to display some paintings by local artists, in order to get them some commissions and sales.

Glass bench

The glass cutting bench is nearly finished, its had some dividers fitted which allow offcuts of glass and backing boards to be stored underneath, keeping them all organised and out of the way. I still need to get some carpet for the top though...