By Alison Armgard

Janet Berry, CPF, and owner of Frame Masters Gallery in Shelby, N.C., recently headed up a framing project to preserve an entire NASCAR racing uniform.

With the help of John Stalzer, her husband and co-owner of the shop, and long-time employee Joel Hendrick, the group was able to successfully frame both the pants and the jersey for former NASCAR driver Billy Standridge.

To start out, an inverted shadow box was built out of plywood and spruce board. This acted as a base to hold the weight of the suit. The plywood was lined first with foam board, then covered with Crescent Rag Mat, No. 1692 Almond, for preservation of the uniform.

Next, the shirt and pants were tacked and sewn onto the base in several spots. Also employed in this project was the Fletcher Attach-EZ Object Mounting System. Janet has found this method a convenient way to ensure the jersey would be able to stand the vertical challenge once the frame was upright.

All fabric folds of the uniform remain in place with acid-free ringlets, which are shot through the fabric with the Attach-EZ gun and fastened. This technique is very similar to using a plastic ring for price tags at a clothing store, and it has become an effective alternative to the intricate sewing a project like this would otherwise require.

The finished part of the plywood base measured 40" x 80", and a regular glass was not an option due to the size. To properly cover the NASCAR piece, the framers had to special-order a conservation plexi-glass, which was brought in by common carrier. The CYRO Acrolite OP-3 UV filtering was then hand-cut using a blade, as the wall-cutter would not accommodate its immense size.

John best described the actual framing as a two-part process - "the creation of the male and the female components." He considered the wooden box to be the male piece, which is topped off by the female lid made up of the shadow box frame and plexi-glass.

The moulding, selected mainly for aesthetic purposes, is a Satin Black, No. SSB0, along with the SSXBO extender for added depth. Lengths were supplied by Southwinds Moulding, Inc., of Columbia, S.C., and were brought to Frame Masters Gallery pre-cut. The extender simply nests into the main frame with glue and staples to provide extra depth. Because of the weight of the suit, the plywood box was screwed into the moulding.

To finish off the project, the holes from the screws were filled in. A dust cover was then placed over the back, and strap hangers were installed to secure it to the wall.

Janet said the size and weight made this project especially challenging. In order to display the piece, the Standridge family had a custom-made wooden ledge fasted to the wall studs to support the full weight of the box.

Frame Masters Gallery framed two racing suits for Standridge, along with the family's American flag. All pieces were completed in the same manner, with the wooden base and shadow box frame as a lid. The finished dimensions of the flag, however, measured to a whopping 60" x 80".  

John Stalzer (left) and Janet Berry, co-owners of Frame Masters Gallery in Shelby, N.C., prepare to frame a 60" x 80" flag, no small undertaking.

An inverted shadow box was built out of plywood and spruce board to house NASCAR driver Billy Standridge's racing suit.

Framed American flag, utilizing a wooden base and shadow box frame as a lid.