How to make a good printing frame – tips and ideas

Making your own printing frame is not difficult; a basic one can easily be made, a printing frame with a hinge back may require a little bit of skill and some tools. Here are four six (send in yours and it will be even more!) tips and ideas…

Picture frame with glue clips

Malin Fabbri uses an ordinary picture frame when all hinge-back frames are full and holds it together with glue clips (see top picture). Note that this kind of glue clip can be very strong, and if the glass is too thin, it may crack. You can also use bulldog clips or binder clips – same function, different strengths. Do not use 2 mm glass. 4-6 mm is good.
Pros: Very cheap, easy to clean and easy to take the print out. The clips are very strong and will hold the items in place.
Cons: Not possible to check the exposure without ruining the print. If printing something other than a flat negative it’s hard to get enough pressure on the glass without cracking it. Would not recommend it for anything other than negatives.
Cost of material: 1 dollar in a second-hand store for the frame, a couple of dollars for the glue clips.
Good for: Anthotypes, Cyanotypes, and contact printing processes.
A note on materials: If the backing is cardboard, it will soak up water if it rains and ruin the print. Avoid cardboard. Even the harder plywood backings are not perfect. When printing anything other than a flat negative/positive for a longer exposure like anthotypes they warp, so they need to be bent back into shape after each print.

Clip frame with binder clips and a felt

Malin Fabbri also uses a clip frame, modified by adding a felt layer when the hinge back frames are occupied. Make sure the glass is 4-6 mm so it does not crack.
Pros: Very cheap, easy to clean and easy to take the print out. The felt material will absorb any escaping gases and compensate for the unevenness of a plant or object used to make photograms. 
Cons: Not possible to check the exposure without ruining the print.
Cost of material: 1 dollar in a second-hand store for the frame, 1 dollar for felt and a couple of dollars for the glue clips.
Good for: Anthotypes, Cyanotypes, and contact printing processes.

Aluminium printing frame with hinge back

Home-made printing frame by Rosie Horn for printing Chlorophyll prints.

This frame is an improved design on a very simple contact printing frame I made while at University for printing Chlorophyll prints.  It works best to lay the leaves down, the positive on top of the leaf and then put the glass down on them as you can attain the best placement of the positive on the leaf and ensure the leaf is laid out nicely (no ends tucked accidentally tucked under).

I use 4mm glass to reduce the number of breakages, and 22mm plywood and aluminium L brackets to maintain the rigidity.  I use wadding to ensure the positive makes good even contact with the negative (to compensate for the stem of the leaf).

Pros: Very rigid, can be tightened with the butterfly screws as the leaf is compressed.
Cons: Time-consuming to check prints.
Cost of materials: $65

How to make one: Materials: 20mm Plywood, hinges, L-shaped extruded aluminium 32x20x1.6mm, butterfly bolts (we made our own out of threaded rod and wing nuts), washers, 6mm glass, 7mm plywood strips.

1. Joined pieces of thick plywood with hinges, sanded and coated with polyurethane.
2. Extruded aluminium in L shape, cut to length with a drop saw.
3. Holes were drilled through the aluminium and plywood back.
4. Threaded inserts put into the holes in the plywood to take the butterfly bolts.
5. Narrow strips of 7mm ply cut for padding out the space between the back the aluminium – to keep the aluminium on a level with the glass when the bolts are tightened.

Good for: Chlorophyll printing or any paper-based printing.

Historical printing frame

Found in the book Photogenic Manipulation and written by George Thomas Fisher Jun.:
‘Should the object to be copied be at all in relief, such as leaf, grass, &c, it will be necessary to place on the board, first, a soft cushion, which may be made of a piece of fine flannel and cotton wool. By this means the object is brought into closer contact with the paper, which is of great consequence, and adds materially to the clearness of the copy.’
The description continues:
‘…it consists of a wooden frame similar to a picture-frame; a piece of plate glass is fixed in front; and it is provided with a sliding cover of wood, C, which is removed when the paper is ready to be exposed to the action of light. The back, D, which is furnished with a cushion as just described, is made to remove for the purpose of introducing the object to be copied, and upon it prepared paper; the back is then replaced, and by aid of the cross piece and screw, E, the whole is brought into close contact with the glass’
Pros: It does not seem very advanced at first, but the ingenious thing here is the wood that slides to cover the picture. Something I may consider in my next design.
Cons: The frame looks rather deep and may shadow the print. Plus, it will take some time to build.
Cost: Time and materials.
Good for: Should work for most contact print processes.

Hinged glass frame

Nan Wollman uses a large, homemade contact print frame measuring 66×86 cm, constructed with glass, particleboard, and lumber. The frame has a hinged back and was built from scratch using common hardware and tools. Nan has rebuilt it multiple times after breaking the glass.
Pros: It’s sturdy, custom-sized, and the hinged back allows for easy inspection during exposure. The screw clamps work reliably, and the double-handle setup offers better grip and control.
Cons: The glass is fragile and has broken repeatedly. American lumber sizes are inconsistent (e.g., a 1″x2″ board actually measures ¾”x1½”), making construction a bit confusing. Previous handle placement led to a shattered glass pane.
Cost: Relatively low – cost includes 6 mm (¼”) glass, particle board, lumber, hinges, screw clamps, and drawer pulls. Total around $30–$50 depending on material quality.
Good for: Suitable for all contact printing processes including cyanotype, salt, and kallitype. Especially helpful for larger formats that require hinged access.
How to make one:

• Use 6 mm (¼”) glass for the top
• Backing is 6 mm (¼”) particle board edged with 2×4 cm (1×2″) boards
• Groove additional 2×4 cm boards for the glass, cut corners at 45° angles, screw corners for easy glass replacement
• Hinge one long side
• Add screw clamps for closing
• Attach two handles—one on the glass frame and one on the backing—for lifting safely

Glass with no frame

Glass for large format cyanotype from Bryant Riley: This is for a 22″ x 30″ cyanotype print. I use a heavy piece of glass that I purchased from Menards called “Fortress 33″ x 24.25″ Pure View Full Glass Panel; Model Number: 55533249 Menards ® SKU: 1710774”
This is a glass panel that is designed to be used in an outdoor deck railing system. It’s just a piece of tempered glass, 1/4″ thick. Not a printing frame.
Pros: It’s heavy enough to flatten watercolour paper, providing good contact with the source artwork. The edges of the glass are ground (no sharp edges) so that it can be handled safely.
Cons: It’s heavy to handle. Cost.
Additional comment: A large shallow pan that can be used for rinsing a 22 x 30 print after exposure. Available at Amazon: MidWest Homes for Pets Replacement Pan for 42″ Long Midwest Dog Crate, 40.6L x 27.2W x 1 inches, Black, Model 9PAN. 

Portable cyanotype printing frame

For cyanotypes on the go, Malin Fabbri uses two clear acetates, “welded” together, which can be done with a soldering iron, or simply just tape them togeter with duct tape or electrician’s tape.
Pros: Super light, adds no weight to your backpack.
Cons: It does not add much pressure, so the print can get a little blurry. To get close contact with the plant and paper, place a rock on top.
Cost: Inexpensive, or free if you use recycled material.
Good for: It’s great for making cyanotypes on the go, when you take a coffee break or stop for lunch, just pull it, make some prints, and expose them. Bring two light-tight bags, one for pre-coated paper and one for exposed paper. Rinse the prints when you get home.

Have you made your own printing frame? Please contribute

Please send us pictures and a description in this format:

Name of frame

Your Name uses this frame. A brief description of the frame, what kind it is, where you got it etc.
Pros: What do you like about this frame?
Cons: What could be better with this frame?
Cost: How much does it cost to buy, or if homemade, how much to make
Good for: Which process is this good for? Are there any processes it is especially good for or does not work for? Or does it work for all contact print processes?
How to make one (optional): If you made it, please describe how this was done.
Add PICTURES OF BOTH FRONT AND BACK, preferably with a print exposing so it’s easier to see.

Good luck printing!