The demand for prints on canvas and stretched art on canvas has never been greater. New businesses are formed every month to compete for their share of print-on-demand business and to bid on corporate jobs. Large corporations prefer gallery wrapped art for its clean look and lower production cost. With this demand comes the need to fulfill orders quickly and efficiently.
Thankfully, you can still stretch canvas with an inexpensive pair of canvas pliers and it will provide a tight uniform stretch provided you apply even force in all four quadrants. This comes at a great cost in terms of time and production levels.
Are You Productive?
If you are an artist, photographer or small custom frame shop you may not be able to justify the purchase of a canvas stretching machine. If you only stretch 20 canvas a week you may find that a pair of canvas pliers will do the job just fine. However, due to the demand for art-on-canvas and it’s appeal to homeowners, artists and photographers you may find that you will receive more requests for this service as the word spreads.
As an artist and a former custom picture framer I found that I was the only person in the area willing to stretch art on canvas. It wasn’t that I was fast or even that my rates were that much lower, I simply offered a service that others refused to do. Why? Because stretching canvas by hand is tedious and not particularly cost effective when it can take 15-45 minutes to complete.
If you are a print shop or large print-on-demand service that stretches several thousand canvas a month then you are most certainly losing money if you are still stretching canvas by hand. A typical 30” x 30” canvas takes 10-15 minutes to stretch with a skilled employee. There are individuals that can stretch that same piece in less time but how many of these skilled employees do you have on-hand? A typical canvas stretching machine can stretch that same canvas in 1-3 minutes with an unskilled employee.
What To Look For
As with any piece of equipment there are certain design features that can greatly simplify the process, however, there are some machines that require too much excess canvas or perhaps even require proprietary accessories with each size change. Pneumatically powered canvas stretching machines are better suited for high-production facilities due to the speed and reliability of pneumatic components.
Listed on the next page are the only known pneumatic canvas stretching machines currently employed in a production environment. The information provided is based on claims from their websites. Production levels should be considered as a reference point and should not be viewed as entirely accurate. There are several conditions that determine the efficiency of each machine, size of the print, mistakes, equipment failure, operator error and the need to change the settings on the machine between size changes. It is also worth mentioning that production levels are dependent on the number of assigned personnel, tasks performed by these personnel and the configuration of the production line.
Comparing Machines
The canvas stretchers listed below are listed from the lowest price to the highest and are not being ranked. The purpose of this comparison is so that you, the consumer, can make an informed selection based on the stated features. Some manufacturers produce a few variations of their models and some make even larger models and will do custom orders.
Tensador II T-155G+ $3525
- • Stapling done from back
- Produces gallery wraps
- Adjustable stretching force
- Staple gun (optional)
- Size: 60” x 60”
- Free standing unit
Studio Canvas Master $3500
- Stapling down from the top
- Produces gallery wraps
- Staple gun (optional)
- Adjustable stretching force
- Size: 60” x 60”
- Free standing unit
- 45 frames per hour
Canvas Stretching Machine, ProMod-5 $3550
- Stapling from the front
- Produces gallery wraps
- Dual stage stretching
- Dual foot pedals
- Integrated staple gun, holster
- Size: 60” x 60”
- 96” model available
- Bench mounted
Fast Frame $153,000
- Stapling done internally
- Produces gallery wraps
- Size: 41” x 41”
- Free standing unit
- 80 frames per hr.
Summary
All of these machines will produce a nice uniform stretch. They are all capable of producing gallery wraps in less time than stretching a canvas by hand, however, some models are better suited for high-production than others. Not all of these machines are well suited for high-production. It is also worth noting that the number of machines, personnel assigned to each machine and the overall cost of each machine will determine just how productive and cost effective you will be.
– See more at: http://gallerystretcher.com/what-is-the-best-canvas-stretching-machine/#sthash.PEyEuG36.dpuf