seeking small, lovely picture molding - chopped!

July 1, 2009 11:52 AM

I'm looking for small wooden picture framing molding, but not the minimalist/arty/metal-looking stuff. Hoping to find a good price from an online supplier that will chop the molding for me. Also, I'm picky and I tend to like the embossed molding I see - but the minimum widths seem to be 1" or wider. I'm framing postcards and other small items.

I tried Googling for "small picture frame molding" but didn't get much of interest. Even 1" wide might be a possibility, but I haven't fallen absolutely in love with any of the suppliers I've found (everything is either too big, too boring, or too expensive).

My taste is reflected a little by this company (another page, but there's no pricing or buying information on their site. Also, when I called, I got a message saying they were on vacation until next week. I suspect everything is very expensive - and it's also not quite as small as I'd like (yes, they offer custom molding, but that's got to be very expensive).

I've framed with fillet before, but I'd rather avoid that.

posted by amtho to media & arts (5 comments total)

This would probably do the trick for you http://www.rockler.com/CategoryView.cfm?Cat_ID=331
posted by zeoslap at 12:31 PM on July 1

On chopping it, go to a crafts store or art supply or even woodworking and get a miter box and some small saws. You can "chop" this stuff yourself. The odds of getting someone to cut something to the right length with the correct miter and the right stock for an inexpensive price seems unlikely to me. Just something to throw out there....
posted by amanda at 1:00 PM on July 1

Just as an example, here's some molding that is sold cropped for an inexpensive price - however, it's fancier and bigger than I want. A 12" x 12" frame of this would be $9.96 (although I'd have to assemble it myself).

Thanks for the suggestion about the miter box; I've heard that it's really difficult to cut all four 45-degree angles precisely, and it seems like it would be easier to ship these pre-assembly, so (although I do enjoy woodworking), I think I'd prefer to have the molding pre-cut. I'm all about assembling it myself, though!
posted by amtho at 1:09 PM on July 1

Do you know anyone who does woodworking? One of the things you tend to collect as a woodworker is a box of wood that's too nice to throw away and too small to be of much use. A year or two ago, one of the woodworking magazines ran an article on frame designs that were simple to make, but would probably fit your aesthetics pretty well. (No embossing, but some nice inlay designs.)

You would probably be stuck cutting it yourself if you went this route, but with the right tools that isn's so bad.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 1:48 PM on July 1

this is my go-to frame place. they cut everything to size for you and assemble the frame as well. you have to put in the glass, print, foam core, and then attach the pegs to hold said pieces inside the frame plus hanging hardware. good selection & not too pricey.
posted by apostrophe at 8:37 PM on July 1