Manufacturing.htm

Florentine Designs Ltd

Florentine designs three dimensional botanical and nautical art, nature themed pictures, hand made works of art in the natural genre, wall decor, shells, minimalist, coastal, exotics, exclusive - unusual shadow boxes, wall art, office art, office decor, prints, frames, conversation pieces, modern natural, natural, something unusual, something different, creative art, hand made, relaxed formal, Florentine minimalist nature theme designs.

Manufacturing & Workmanship

The story of Florentine craftsmanship, from origination to production.

We are one of those rare businesses that exclusively designs and manufactures its own products.
To sustain originality and the very highest standards of workmanship quality we have, for 15 years, steadily
improved and sought to perfect every stage of our production. We automate where appropriate to achieve
reasonable volume but some jobs simply have to be carried out by hand, using learned skills, experience,
keen hand-to-eye coordination and plain hard work!

Most 'standard' picture frames are indelibly 'fixed' in their finish.    Adjusting, improving or generally
altering their appearance is in most cases impossible, at best not easy.   They also (unless it's of
Antique origin), rarely offer the chance to be restored. They may also suffer from quickly style 'dating'.
We try to design into our frames a certain timelessness; Due to the construction from solid natural
wood owners can in course of time 'adjust' the appearance to suit their changed decor.
In years to come, if suitably inspired, you can even change what is inside!

The creation of each frame-design involves at least 28 different skill-driven operations. Here are a few 'behind the scenes' glimpses:

From this:

2 Tons (3000 metres) of various profile/mouldings, newly arrived.
This will soon be gone!

To this:

In our work a very high degree of accuracy is a constant. To help achieve this Italian mitering technology is employed... (the machine shown here has 'microscopic' multi-angle adjustment facility). This is used to mitre-cut the important wide format inner frame and the WS profile.
	Cut-to-size frames are then taken to one of two specially tooled pneumatic-driven router cutters which grooves each corner with a dovetail channel.

	After 12+ hours setting time the firmly bonded frame is worked on our 3ft rolling 'linisher' belt sander. This perfectly flattens and prepares all sides for the next stage in the sanding/finishing process.
Specially formed dovetail-wedges are driven 'home' in each frame corner. These act as a permanent 'clamp', holding corners firm (important during glue-setting time). The resulting bond is exceptionally strong. This helps our frames stay together when travelling long distances especially when subject to the vicissitudes of carrier rough-handling!	A job worth doing is worth doing well

After "squaring-off" frames go to the next sanding area.
Here machine-sanding smoothes first the back, then front and sides.
This operation is repeated using medium, then fine grade papers.
Shown here is the WS model frame, 'squared' in it's profile.

For the "W" models it is often necessary to re-shape the profile
curvature by hand in order to present a perfectly formed frame.

After three-stage machine sanding each frame is hand
finished with ultra-fine/flour paper. Minor remaining defects or
blemishes are quickly spotted and remedied. The frame is
taken to a very high degree smooth finish in readiness for colour application.

Inner Frames are sanded on both faces using a variety of
sanding papers ending in a fine finishing paper.
They then go to await colouring and polishing.

These, as well as the outer frames, are cut and jointed from
single lengths of custom machined timber.
This gives an optimum appearance where the natural grain
flows from segment to segment.

Whilst one team is busy preparing inner and outer frames someone else is constructing the stepped box-inserts. These are fixed with stiffening side glue-block strips to facilitate (when the assemblers fit & fix them) a firm 'lock' into the inner frame. Once assembled they are painted
or stained according to demand.
Seen above a selection has been 'got at' by the designer, sorting
and labeling according to client and model number. Someone else, meanwhile, has cut and 'refinished' the backing boards which will now
be carefully pinned to the stepped inserts.
Next-step...to the studio where the appropriate botanical or nautical
theme is skillfully assembled and fixed in place.


Glass cleaning is a constant task and here each sheet is being checked and approved as absolutely spotless!	After applying the base colour frames are sprayed with a wax based sealer. When dry this is rubbed down with ultra-fine paper and a further coat applied as a base for final waxing. Often this occurs three times in order to achieve the correct-desired standard of finish!	The Florentine "colouring grotto"

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