I guess I was really really lucky on mine. The seller said the piston hinge was broken, got a GREAT price, called Saunders, and they sent me a replacement (actually, the piston was decommisioned and this was a replacement for it) for like $12 bucks.
I tried to bid on a 16x20 Saunders with a broken piston not long ago and was outbid, dangit! I blame you! I settled on an 11x14 though. I'm sure I'll be in the market again sooner than later though. It certainly was difficult to find any reasonable easels.
"Technology is a big destroyer of emotion and truth. Opportunity doesn't do anything for creativity. Yeah, it makes it easier and you can get home sooner, but it doesn't make you a more creative person. That's the disease you have to fight in any creative field.. ease of use." - Jack White
Mike Kirwan, who is MikeK here, and has just stareted the thread "My First Art Show" has a 4 blade 16x20 easel listed as being for sale on his website. Here is a link:
Why the popularity of four blade easels? Saunders'
Single Size more nearly fit my needs and have steel
drop down frames. The speed type easels would do
me save for the loose paper fit.
I understand that Beselers use steel blades. The
aluminums on my Saunders leave me very
unimpressed. Dan
Ended up buying a Saunders 11x14 V-track for $107 USD shipped (exactly 1/2 of the price of a new one less shipping from freestyle.) I took a gamble again but this one is supposed to be just a year old and I've read that the V-track are some of the best easels made. I'll probably get a 16x20 or even a 20x24 easel easel in the future but I don't really have any plans for bigger than 11x14 until a couple projects are done.
its nuts, when I first started looking, those universal saunders easels (14x17 and 11x14) were going for $30-$40 and I thought I'd wait around for one that looked mint. Two weeks later I check ebay and even ragged beat up looking ones are selling for over $100, just for the regular universal ones!
If you're going to stick to standard paper sizes then get some 1/2 mdf or birch plywood and some 1/2" x1/8" aluminum stock. Cut the wood slightly larger, lay down your paper, put down some foam mounting tape around three edges, stick the strips of aluminium on top and voila, you've got a cheap easel. The thickness of the mounting tape leaves enough room for the paper to slide under. About $20 tops. It's what i use for 16x20 and 10x20.
If you're going to stick to standard paper sizes then get some 1/2 mdf or birch plywood and some 1/2" x1/8" aluminum stock. Cut the wood slightly larger, lay down your paper, put down some foam mounting tape around three edges, stick the strips of aluminium on top and voila, you've got a cheap easel. The thickness of the mounting tape leaves enough room for the paper to slide under. About $20 tops. It's what i use for 16x20 and 10x20.
vinny
great idea. Do you find that it's hard to get square borders?
I think you have to look and wait because I got a Saunders 16X20 and an 11X14 on eBay some time back with very low bids. Like anything they are out there but you have to be patient. Mine are in new condition with no rust and straight blades. I have used speed easels also and they are fine but the edges can curl up and there is no cropping of course.
great idea. Do you find that it's hard to get square borders?
As long as the aluminum strips are perfectly square i think you'd have
square borders. I trim my prints before mounting so that doesn't apply as much to me.
Originally Posted by eric
I settled on an 11x14 though. I'm sure I'll be in the market again sooner than later though. It certainly was difficult to find any reasonable easels.
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