General Informaton On Neilsen Style Frames
Neilsen style frames utilize screw in anchors for the hanging wire that can slide up and down the rail on the back of the frame for easy adjustment of the position of the hanging wire. All frames must have a hanging wire in place that pulls tight at 1 1/2 inches from the outside top of the frame. It is important that the hanging wires be uniform in their position because the frames often hang side by side down a long hall and the tops of the frames should be at the same height.
Neilsen style frames can be purchased from many web sites or purchased locally. If you want to purchase locally, you might call the store to make sure they have the sizes you need in stock. Many times the most popular size rails such as 16" and 20" are out of stock, especially in black. Plaza Art on Middleton Street (near Chromatics and Dury's Pro Shop) and Hobby Lobby stores normally carry them. I've not had much luck finding them at Michael's lately.
They are easy to put together. Just open each package and place two rails of the same length at top and bottom and the other two rails of the other size on the right and left. Then take the angled hardware and look at it closely. There will be four pieces with screws in them and four flat pieces without screws. Put the flat pieces down on the table and then lay the pieces with the screws on top of them with the screw slot up facing you. Now you have a corner set. Pick up the set and slide the pieces into the corner of a top rail, then guide the corner hardware into the side rail so that the two rails form a corner. When the corners are pushed together forming a seamless corner, tighten both screws. The screws cause pressure inside the rail pushing the corner pieces hard against the rails from the inside and causing them to hold the corner together.
Repeat this for the top and the other side, leaving the bottom rail unattached. Now slide the (clean) glass into the frame from the bottom (be careful not to get fingerprints on the glass). You might want to use gloves to handle the glass so you don't get cut.
Now slide in the matted photo and the backing board (probably gator board or cardboard). Now attach the bottom rail corners and tighten them. You might have to push the glass up to get it to fit properly in the frame so the bottom rail will go in place. Finally hold down the spring loaded spacers in the center so they are pushing the photo and glass against the front of the frame and push the spacer between the rail and the photo backing board.
By making sure that the metal spacers are properly placed in the back of the frame to hold the glass tight to the front of the frame it makes it easier to clean the glass before delivering it for display. This is a big help to those of us actually hanging the photos.
If you have questions, email me by clicking on the "Contact Exhibit Coordinator" tab at the top and using the form on that page, or call me at 834-4871.
Neilsen style frames can be purchased from many web sites or purchased locally. If you want to purchase locally, you might call the store to make sure they have the sizes you need in stock. Many times the most popular size rails such as 16" and 20" are out of stock, especially in black. Plaza Art on Middleton Street (near Chromatics and Dury's Pro Shop) and Hobby Lobby stores normally carry them. I've not had much luck finding them at Michael's lately.
They are easy to put together. Just open each package and place two rails of the same length at top and bottom and the other two rails of the other size on the right and left. Then take the angled hardware and look at it closely. There will be four pieces with screws in them and four flat pieces without screws. Put the flat pieces down on the table and then lay the pieces with the screws on top of them with the screw slot up facing you. Now you have a corner set. Pick up the set and slide the pieces into the corner of a top rail, then guide the corner hardware into the side rail so that the two rails form a corner. When the corners are pushed together forming a seamless corner, tighten both screws. The screws cause pressure inside the rail pushing the corner pieces hard against the rails from the inside and causing them to hold the corner together.
Repeat this for the top and the other side, leaving the bottom rail unattached. Now slide the (clean) glass into the frame from the bottom (be careful not to get fingerprints on the glass). You might want to use gloves to handle the glass so you don't get cut.
Now slide in the matted photo and the backing board (probably gator board or cardboard). Now attach the bottom rail corners and tighten them. You might have to push the glass up to get it to fit properly in the frame so the bottom rail will go in place. Finally hold down the spring loaded spacers in the center so they are pushing the photo and glass against the front of the frame and push the spacer between the rail and the photo backing board.
By making sure that the metal spacers are properly placed in the back of the frame to hold the glass tight to the front of the frame it makes it easier to clean the glass before delivering it for display. This is a big help to those of us actually hanging the photos.
If you have questions, email me by clicking on the "Contact Exhibit Coordinator" tab at the top and using the form on that page, or call me at 834-4871.