A fireman's treasure gets an heirloom treatment - he frames …

A retired New York City fireman recently requested a shadowbox for his boots and helmet. He was looking forward to one day giving it to his grandchild and wanted it displayed in a simple, rustic setting.

I cut the frame 20 inches wide by 30 inches high using Framerica[R]'s Boxer[TM] moulding No. 91273 for the front and No. 92273 (stacked) for the extensions. To join the frames, I used Cornerweld[TM] glue and K-inch v-nails. I used acrylic for the glazing.

To create the rustic look, I lined the inside of the box with Framerica's white Rustic Pine[TM] moulding No.83012. I lined the top and bottom first so the sides would provide support and prevent the top from falling. I then used hot-melt adhesive to keep them in place.

The "New York's Bravest" plaque was large, and I didn't want it to dominate the piece, so I positioned it at an angle. To do so, I cut two strips of the white Rustic Pine moulding at 45-degree angles and attached another strip to them with the finished side out. I then positioned it in the center of the box and secured the plaque using hot-melt adhesive.

Finally, I lined a piece of plywood with the white Rustic Pine moulding to complete the back of the shadowbox. Since it was important to the fireman to be able to remove the boots and helmet, I secured the back with hinges on one side and with decorative screws on the other three sides. The fireman can easily remove the screws to access the items. He can then easily reposition the back and reseal the box.

The fireman was delighted with the result, and I was honored to have framed a treasure for one of New York's bravest. FBN

Fred is a 14-year employee of County Frame in Long Island, N. Y., and has been framing for more than 25 years. If you would like to share your ideas, please contact him at (631) 5678889 or e-mail Fred.@CountyFrame.netks

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