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Thread: 8.5'x4.5' shadowbox frame, need advice

  1. #1

    8.5'x4.5' shadowbox frame, need advice

    Hi,

    I'm a woodworker and I got this job to make a frame/shadowbox for a very large piece of art. I have a concept of how to do it but certain details worry me.

    The specs are:

    • red oak frame
    • 2.5" deep
    • 3/4" wide
    • 102" tall x 54" wide
    • 6mm di-bond backing (aluminum veneer with foam core) very rigid and light.



    My plan consists of creating an L in oak where the plexi/acrylic will be captured between the small leg of the L and a filler piece, more or less a 3/8" lip. The dibond after the filler and a 3/4 pine structure for support and serve as the french cleats for mounting.

    My question, is 1/8 plexi going to sag or should I go with 3/16"? 1/4 i feel might be too heavy but I'm open to suggestions.

    attached are some images of my concept in SketchUp.
    NEAR ART 3 side view.jpgNEAR ART 3.jpg

  2. #2
    I think the 1/8" is going to sag, even though it's captured around the edges - that's a mighty big piece. Let's hear what others think though.

    Question: Will the plexi be one piece or two?
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    NE OH
    Posts
    2,615
    I'd recommend calling one of the manufacturers for advice. Acrylite has a uniform load calculator ( https://www.acrylite.co/resources/ca...oad-calculator) that supports vertical orientation calculations for things like windows, but I have no idea what value you would enter for the load per sq ft. My gut feeling, like Frederick, is that it will bow out, if not right away, over time. How do they even ship a 5 x 10 sheet of that stuff?

    I'd also be worried about scratches. Acrylic scratches so easily and is so difficult to clean because of the static properties, I'd be worried it will look pretty bad pretty quickly.

    I know acrylic is available with a anti-reflective coating now, which would probably be a really good idea for artwork. No idea if it's available in the larger sheet size that you need.
    --I had my patience tested. I'm negative--

  4. #4
    I have a similar fear about the 1/8 sagging. The issue is that the piece is 8'x4' exactly and the artist wants a white reveal around the edge.
    Regarding where you buy it, there are several plastics suppliers in Miami that sell acrylic sheets.
    5x10 sheets are extra large sheets, so there are less options available, UV and anti static come in regular size although also its out of the budget. A regular sheets of 1/8 5x10' is $115 and 3/16 is $154, 4x8 UV is almost double and anti static the brand name is almost $1000.

    Paul thank you for that link though, ill definitely going to play with it to see if i can figure it out.

  5. #5
    BTW anti-reflective means that it is slightly frosted, unless the art is mounted directly behind it (like touching), it actually blurs the art if there a gap. I learned that the hard way. So hopefully someone reads this and saves himself a big headache.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    10,304
    I'm not sure I understand the cross-sectional diagram. How are you going to assemble this frame plus art? Is the 3/4 pine permanently fastened to the oak? So the dibond and art load first, from the front, and the glazing goes in afterward? If so, aren't you going to have visible fasteners on the front of the 1 1/8" parts?

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