TomHackett Loc: Kingston, New York

I am working toward an installation of about a dozen photographs, 20"x30" each. With mats, the whole assembly will measure 32"x40". So, I ordered frames 32"x40". They came with foam cores and acrylic glazing. Each piece measured exactly 32"x40". The acrylic and foam core fits snugly into the frame, of course. Delightful!

I also ordered mat board in size 32"x40". Unfortunately, the actual size turns out to be 30.05"x40.125". In order to fit the mats into the frames, I have to try to force them in, potentially damaging the frames or the mats, or both. I can live with the extra 3/64" on the short side, but the extra 1/8" on the long side is driving me nuts. I find myself trimming off the extra 1/8". With my modest tools and even more modest skills, this usually means expending a considerable amount of energy and producing a ragged edge.

Why do companies (the mats come from a very reputable company) insist on giving us such a "bonus?" I understand that 2" x 4" lumber isn't really 2" x 4', but I believe there's some rationale for that. (I've probably heard the story, but it doesn't stick with me.) Everyone accepts that and has learned to live with it. But why is 32" x 40" actually 30.05" x 40.125"?

I often buy my foam cores separately from my frames. I buy them 32" x 40" (nominal), since I can get a half dozen 11" x 14" cores from one sheet more inexpensively than purchasing six individual foam cores pre-cut to 11" x 14". I've noticed a discrepancy before, but attributed it to my lazy measuring habits. Besides there's scrap on both sides, so it never really mattered.

Why is this?

Tom

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Perhaps a question to the company from which you purchased the mat board would shed some light on this.
--Bob

Lucian Loc: From Wales, living in Ohio

Why have they never made a frame in all these years that will fit exactly the enlargement of a full frame negative or digital camera? You would have thought in all these past 60 plus years the negative image size from a print would have matched the frame size. An example is an 8x10, no negative or digital image ever has measure out to an 8x10, 16x20 etc. you always have to crop, why is that?

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I regularly print 8x10 and 16x20 without cropping.

In reference to your statement, "An example is an 8x10, no negative or digital image ever has measure out to an 8x10,", that is just plain incorrect.
--Bob

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

I don't know why a company selling mat board won't sell the size advertised BUT I do know why 2x4 lumber is called 2x4 (although it is smaller). The lumber is measured to the stated size while it is wet and is then dried (either air dried or kiln dried); when the lumber dries it shrinks. As you say, anyone who's ever worked with lumber knows that it is smaller than the nominal size.

Old Coot

As the owner of a Custom Framing shop for over 15 years, there is no reason they can not be cut by the supplier toi the exact size you ordered. You need to send them back and have them cut to the correct size. It's simply sloppy work by your supplier.

Gspeed Loc: Rhinebeck, NY

What he said.

TomHackett Loc: Kingston, New York

Maybe I just need to have the mats kiln dried. -;

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Why do some framers leave no wiggle room?
Just looking at it from the other side of the fence.......
(I'm sure they all are worried about being 125% accurate in their measurements.)

Is the 32" side really two inches off?????
If so, someone really screwed up!
Or does being off 5 hundredths of an inch matter that much.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

All "give or take a scosh"...)

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

I would call the place I ordered from and tell them they are all cut wrong, and ask how they want to handle it.

ecurb Loc: Metro Chicago Area

I take it you never used an 8x10 camera ?

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

2” by 4” is the rough cut size. After drying AND finish surfacing all 4 sides it ends up being 1 1/2 x 3 1/2.

Stan

TomHackett Loc: Kingston, New York

Sorry, it was not 2" off. I said 30.05 when I meant 32.05. The discrepancy was 0.05", not 2.05". As I said in the OP, .05" or 3/64" does not matter that much. It's the .125" on the 40" side that bothers me.

By the way, I noticed that Hobby Lobby advertises 32"x40" foam cores that they even say are 32.125"x40.125".

bleirer

I think the OP didn't order a mat, but some mat board, which is intended to be cut into one or several finished mats. I agree that it they ordered a 32 x 40 mat it should fit a 32x40 frame. But given that every material 'moves' with humidity and/or temperature, it's probably better they give a touch more when you order raw materials. Also wood doesn't move much with humidity along its long dimension, but it does move a little, so you'd need some tolerance there too. Indoors in the winter it's going to be it's smallest.