This may seem like an odd request but bear with me! This place (Frame Central) has come to my attention recently and it’s a business (the DIY part of it in particular) that I think could do really well here in Dublin (Ireland). I was wondering if anyone has used their services and the DIY part in particular and could tell me a bit about it?
I do intend approaching them directly, but would rather have some more information first if possible. Because there’s nothing like it here at the moment I have to go a bit further afield to do my research! In particular I’m wondering how exactly the DIY element works (I’m assuming customers can’t start sawing wood) and how much actual input they have (i.e just how different is it from a regular framers). Any other info good or bad also appreciated.
Thanks a million, and if this is the wrong place or just plain old inappropriate please let me know.
I’ll prefare this by saying I have worked as a custom picture framer for… close to two decades now. Not currently, but I may again in the future, even open my own shop. So…
Frame Central actually have eight locations in Oregon and Washington states. Notice that their do-it-yourself option saves you a whopping 10% off the normal custom frame pricing.
There was a fad of DIY frame shops back in the late 1980s/early 1990s. They’re mostly gone. The ones that still have the option have it mostly for the novelty of it. It doesn’t save money or labor time.
Generally, the customer is ushered through the final assembly steps. The work of cutting and joining the frame and cutting the mat are done by the pros*. That sort of work takes some practice and care to do right. It’s not insanely difficult after you learn how, just not a one-shot deal. Because it’s custom stuff, if you damage a component, it’s expensive to replace.
Are you more interested in the DIY part or the picture framing part? Unless the picture part of it is important, you may be more interested in something like Makerhaus in Seattle or TechShop in various other cities. These are public-access (via memberships) woodshop/metalshop/3D Printing/etc. places spawned by the “maker” movement. My mind drools at the thought of what I could do with such a place.
*: The last place I worked usually ordered the mouldings joined at the factory by the manufacturer.
Thanks to both of you for replying. Garygnu, that’s very helpful, thanks. Any interest in coming to Dublin and working with me?
I would be more interested in the framing/DIY framing side of things and to be honest wouldn’t have the right background for Makerhaus or Techshop.
I hadn’t realised there was only a saving of 10%. Hmmm. In Dublin at the moment (and going back as far as I can) there is nothing between off-the-shelf IKEA frames and high-end framing places. That alone should be a draw. I hope. Perhaps the DIY part doesn’t need to come into it at all…