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Author Topic: Stretcher bars and canvas Help  (Read 13702 times)

RobWalters

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Stretcher bars and canvas Help
« on: March 12, 2013, 05:12:38 am »

Hi Guys
I work for a company that deals with large signs and we have just had a large order for some canvas stretching. We have done little bits in the past and I was purchasing the Chinese stretchers bars in boxes of 30, Overall I am not happy with the quality of these bars, the longer ones are warped, they have a horrible feel to them, a lot of the times finding 4 bars that frame well together is a nightmare and getting exact sizes is a real pain, does anybody know of any companies that do exact size stretchers with a quick turnaround time?
Also I wanted to get some sort of coating to go with the bars so any further help would be appreciated
Bob   
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langier

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Re: Stretcher bars and canvas Help
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2013, 04:45:47 pm »

Head on down to your local lumberyard and have them cut the molding to size and join the pieces for you. If you are handy with wood, you can simply buy the molding and join it yourself.

As for coatings, you can run the canned spray which allows the canvas to stay about the same gloss as it has come from the printer or any number of aqueous coatings that can be sprayed, rolled or dip-and-dunked onto the surface to add depth, elasticity and UV/scratch protection. I'm pretty happy with the Clearstar aqueous coatings and have settled on their Satin finish.
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sdwilsonsct

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Re: Stretcher bars and canvas Help
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2013, 06:25:58 pm »

Darron Chadwick

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Re: Stretcher bars and canvas Help
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2013, 01:33:21 am »

Dacor moulding & supply should be able to help
the can even cut stretcher to you exact size and have them
thumb nailed so you can join them when they arrive at your shop

here is a link to they catalog page showing the different size stretcher bars the carry

http://decormoulding.com/catalogpage.aspx?p=120

hope this helps
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Kanvas Keepsakes

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Re: Stretcher bars and canvas Help
« Reply #4 on: May 29, 2013, 09:46:47 am »

Rob.  Get yourself some long 8-10ft sticks from your local cabinet maker shop.  Get 1" by 1.5" poplar sticks.  Then get same length of quarter round moulding in pine.  Connect both to make your own 1.5" stretcher bars.  Use miter to cut 45 degree angles at your desired length.  A little wood glue and nail gun and you can make your own for about .80 cents a linear foot. 
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Peter McLennan

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Re: Stretcher bars and canvas Help
« Reply #5 on: May 29, 2013, 11:47:26 am »

I buy 2" X 3/4" kiln-dried pine in six foot lengths at about a dollar each. My mitre saw and three-inch drywall screws complete the process. No glue, one screw per mitre joint.  Once the canvas is stretched, the frame is very strong.

I can make ten custom-sized frames in a couple of hours, complete with center crosspieces. Most any mitre saw will do since you're cutting a constant 45 degrees across a 2" piece.  A fine-toothed blade is good.
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Kanvas Keepsakes

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Re: Stretcher bars and canvas Help
« Reply #6 on: May 29, 2013, 04:32:31 pm »

Hey Peter are all your prints stretched on 3/4 inch ?  No 1.5" ?
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Jason DiMichele

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Re: Stretcher bars and canvas Help
« Reply #7 on: May 30, 2013, 06:33:09 am »

I second www.ucsart.com. Very high quality stretchers and they are also keyed which allows for the tightening of the canvas if for what ever reason it sags over the years (type of canvas, big humidity changes, etc). Making your own stretchers of this quality (and keyed at that) is probably not worth your time. I would say I'm average when it comes to working with wood. I've contemplated making my own stretchers a couple of times over the years and decided against it. Aside from the fact that my stretchers wouldn't be as good in quality or appearance, I would quite honestly rather be shooting or putting that time into my business for more beneficial tasks.

Cheers!
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Jason DiMichele
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dgberg

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Re: Stretcher bars and canvas Help
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2013, 02:51:52 pm »

Rob.  Get yourself some long 8-10ft sticks from your local cabinet maker shop.  Get 1" by 1.5" poplar sticks.  Then get same length of quarter round moulding in pine.  Connect both to make your own 1.5" stretcher bars.  Use miter to cut 45 degree angles at your desired length.  A little wood glue and nail gun and you can make your own for about .80 cents a linear foot.  

If you are spending .80 a foot without labor they are probably costing you $2.00 a foot if you add in the labor.
That's a lot of work unless you just like to fool with wood.
Putting what I do aside ,Decor Moulding and a dozen other distributors sell full lengths from .45 to .60 a running foot.
« Last Edit: June 21, 2013, 04:43:35 pm by Dan Berg »
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Kanvas Keepsakes

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Re: Stretcher bars and canvas Help
« Reply #9 on: June 21, 2013, 10:41:11 pm »

Dan, are you talking about pre-cut stretcher bars cut to size?  Or long sticks you cut yourself?
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dgberg

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Re: Stretcher bars and canvas Help
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2013, 07:27:19 pm »

Long sticks properly profiled ready to miter and assemble.
The only unknown is the shipping.
Still a lot cheaper then the labor required to make your own.
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