Taking vector images in a new direction.... This is freaking awesome!

[Guest Schramm]

Well after searching site after site trying to come up with new mirror designs I liked that I could produce fast I was just ready to give up...  I decided to check some vector images for a clients artwork when I came across some vector frames I was using 2 years ago for my website when a idea came to me....

This could be my new mirror frame collection!!!  I mean I have well over 100 of these files sitting on disc.  I went to a cabinet company that I do mirror for and asked him to help bring my vector to life as a mirror frame!  I converted the image to auto cad and took him the file and below is what I came up with!  Now this is unfinished and is only a prototype done as a test and to show in email to some high end clients and designers.  I sent out 50 emails with this design describing my thoughts on what could be done and in 1 day have a standing order from each place for over 200 frames!  Who would of thought that such a simple thing to transform into such a huge order.  Each one will recieve a antique mirror glass and a faux finish or a straight paint finish.  My cost is between $60-75 and we offered them at $195 wholesale based on a minimum of 10 each.  Life is so freaking funny some times!

[Guest Schramm]

By the way that is not 200 from each company that is 10 from each that went for the idea which was 20 companies so far with 10 more on the fence.  A order for 200 total so far, production starts Monday once we have ran a clean prototype of each of the 10 designs I am starting with.  This frame is 40"T x 30"W and took this company about 9 minutes to cut out on a CNC router (fun to watch).  That got me thinking in a entirely new direction that my business could go into which is production.

[Foghorn12 0]

Wow that looks amazing! Nice job and good luck

[tlzimmerman 11]

Pretty sweet looking.  If you don't mind me asking, who and how is someone going to cut the mirror for the inside, I am not that great with glasswork but I assume you are doing it somehow?  Would love to see how you cut curved glass to fit like that.

[TSQUIRTZ 0]

Brilliant!

[bamafan2277 50]

Very cool idea!!

For cutting the mirror I would guess water jet so that you can cut the complex curves to fit that design.

[JoeCamaro 11]

Wow! Very nice! Good for you. It makes me think that most of us stay stuck on the same things. There are so many things we could do.

[JoeDirt 5]

looks great! is it wood? I didn't see where you mentioned that.

[wwpro 1]

I think any CNC router can cut that and much more.

[Guest Marek]

That is bloody brilliant !! Are there contours on the edges of the frame ? Hard to tell from the photo . That would really look nice with some Cherry translucent , maybe use a product to enhance the grain and give it a deep look , then finish with a gold leaf border / design on the mirror . Did I mention I love your style !

[Guest Schramm]

From the outsite looking in it would be hard to tell but I designed a plow path in the back so there really isnt much more of a cut path for the glass then an eyebrow arch which we cut all the time.  In order to make things like this and design them you have to have a strong grasp of both woodwork and glass cutting.  This is cut out of high end exterior grade MDF so it can be used full time in a bathroom or as extreame as steam room.  The thing you have to do when designing this is keep in mind the easier you make everyones job the less expensive the overall project becomes.  I probably have the hardest job as I have to do the mirror work and I have to faux finish each of these mirrors but even that is not very hard as I can spray most everything including crackle finishes.  I have the very first piece coming up to me tomorrow for final inspection and I will finish it over the weekend and then I have more designers wanting these but want to see the finished project.

I will post some pics of the finished piece and I plan on driving down next week to pick up the first batch and video tape the frames getting cut out for a presentation I am making.  I will post it as well.

[C Lewis 6]

sweet. cant wait to see the finished one

[Guest Schramm]

Well I got the 1st one finished that is tweaked with some edge work and definition added and I must say that this was 100% worth my time and trouble!  Doing the layout for the plow of the back allowed for a simple template to be made which is 100% reusable.  It will go into the paint room tomorrow to start a weekend of stages of paint coats and crackles, some gilding and then a chip off finish that should be awesome on this type of frame.  I cannot wait to have the first one done and under my belt as I now have over 40 designers wanting to buy some.  The CNC company has told me that they can produce a minimum of 100 of these daily and my fabricator says they can cut 40 pieces of glass or mirror for them so it looks like an order should be able to be filled finished in 2 weeks per order max.  I can produce the same finish on to about 40 pieces a day.  Now I just have to figure out packaging and a safe ship for the completed piece if it is being shipped.  there is a lot of stuff to keep in account when planning shipping.

Now onto cost...

A non finished frame  $99 add $10 for a template to cut glass

Finished painted piece with straight mirror (meaning regular mirror) $165

Finished piece with a decorative finish and straight mirror $199

Finished piece with a decorative finish and a antique mirror glass $249

The number of people that want these unfinished is insane.  I am friends with over 3000 faux finishers worldwide and have requests for more then 150 of these.  Man why in the world did I not think of this before.  Should be able to post a pic of the finished piece by Wednesday as I have a special crackle product on its way here.

Rob