How To Crop And Frame A Scratch Off Map Of The World
In this “How-To” I will show you how to crop a Scratch Map to fit into a frame that is slightly smaller than the Scratch Map.
Tip: Always be careful to protect the face of your Scratch Map, you don’t want to damage or scratch the film. When resting the map down, only rest it on smooth surfaces. Don’t ever drag the map when it is face down.
Frame
When buying a frame you will surely become confused about what size to buy. (I know that was my experience). The fact is you will most likely have to crop your print to fit into the frame. I have since found a frame supplier that can provide much better sizes. Check out prices and colors.
This is what you will need.
- Scratch Map
- Frame
- Scissors
- Measuring tape or ruler
- 18′ Double-sided tape
- Tape
Step-by-Step Crop and Frame
1. Take your Scratch Map out of the roll and place it on a flat surface. Put books on top of it to hold it flat and let it sit overnight. This will make it possible to handle when you are framing.
2. Clear your table, and lay the frame face down. Lift the tags to allow the disassembly of the frame parts. You will find a backboard, a sheet of paper and a layer of glass.
3. Lay your Scratch Map on top of the frame and determine where the map has to be cropped. In this case, the map width is a little short but it will work. The height is one inch too high.
We will crop the Scratch Map by cutting off 1/2 inch from the top and 1/2 inch from the bottom. Take down your measurements on a piece of paper. To make up the width we will center the Scratch Map on the backboard and use double-sided tape to hold it in place.
4. Measure and put a mark on each end of the Scratch Map, and connect the lines using a straight edge. Do the same for the top crop and cut along the line with a pair of scissors.
In this particular project, I will be cutting 1\2 inch off the top and bottom, cropping the Scratch Map by a total of one inch.
Tip: Use the backboard as a straight edge.
5. Lay out your backboard and apply double-sided tape. Put the paper down on the backboard. Trim off any paper that is not aligned with the backboard.
Tip: If the paper does not cover perfectly, don’t worry, the overlay of the frame will give you a 1/4 inch tolerance on each side
Tip. It is tricky to get the paper to fit perfectly on the backboard because the double-sided tape grabs and holds the paper. Get someone to help you guide it down.
6. On the back of the Scratch Map, run a line of double-sided tape on each end of the map. The Scratch Map is not wide enough to be held down by the frame, so we are going to use double-sided tape to tape it to the paper.
Do not peel off the protective layer of the double-sided tape yet.
Tip: make sure the top of the Scratch Map lines up with the top of the backboard. (the top of the backboard has the hanger)
7. Lay the Scratch Map down on the paper/backboard. Center the map. Use tape to hold the Scratch Map to the backboard. Tape in three locations, leave some distance from the edge to the end of the map, so the map can be rolled up and the protective side of the double-sided tape can be removed (See Picture).
8. Now that everything is centered and in place, turn up the edges of the map and remove the protective layer of the double-sided tape and tape the map to the paper/backboard.
9. At this point, the Scratch Map, paper, and the backboard is one solid unit. Take the glass (plastic) out of the frame. Clean off any glue or plastic left behind.
The glass in this particular frame is plastic and is glued to the wood frame. It will most likely be damaged when you remove it but we don’t need it so that’s OK.
Tip: If you leave the glass in you will not be able to access the map for scratching.
10. Lay the frame face down and fit the map into it. Return all the tabs to the closed position and Viola! You are ready to display your newly framed Scratch Map.
