BIG ripples on dried Forte Elegance

[Pandora]

I'm hoping you darkroom experts can help me. I made a 16x20 on Forte Elegance and left it for about 4 days on my drying screens in the darkroom. I've just discovered that it has big, and I mean as big as your fingers, ripples in the upper half - but not extending all the way to the edge. I've had the small ripples along the edge of a print before, but these are further from the edge and much bigger.

Question - is there anyway I can get rid of them? I hate to have to reprint this thing and am hoping someone will have a solution for me. I tried using my big drymount press at it's hottest setting but it doesn't completely eradicate them.

BTW, the print was in the archival washer less than an hour, and I use Perma Wash to cut washing time.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give...

 

[fschifano]

Here's something that has worked for me with double weight papers up to 11x14. You'll have to rewet your prints first - give them a good soaking so that they are saturated. Place the prints on a smooth clean surface and sqeegee both sides of the print to get as much water as you can from them. Place the prints between layers of clean towels and place a weight on top. After a few hours the prints will be damp, but not completely dry. Then you can use the press to dry them completely. I use a print dryer similar to the Doran 11x14 model with the canvas covers, but your dry mount press should also work.

 

[Aggie]

Do not use the dry mount press to dry your prints, I know others here will give you all the horror stories of this.

When you are in the darkroom working with the print, how do you transfer it from tray to tray? Fiber is delicate, and I have seen people who have handled it not so delicately from tray to tray end up with those ripples. Even how you take it out of the washer can effect it and cause ripples. Gently grip it and use both hands to evenly distribute the pressure when doing any transfer of wet fiber paper. Use gloves if you are afraid of the chemicals.

Once the print is dry, and you have tried the sela press to flatten it (when it is dry not when it is damp) you can further work with it between two heavy sheets of art paper and iron it with a clothes iron. This should get those last few ripples out if they are not stretched beyond hope.

 

[Bob Carnie]

Hi There

good suggestions above

I have this problem from Nov till May here in Toronto, It is a humidity problem that is a real pain in the a... to solve. Your paper is too dry<
Solutions that we do
1. Raise the humidity in drying room and press room, prints should not have a chance to dry out.
2. If the above solution is not practical for you, we use a spritzer on the back side of the print and sponge off the distilled water and then put them immediately in the press.

consider a iron and how it works with a cotton white shirt.

during the summer months here the humitity raises above 60% and there never is the problem you describe.
Controlling humidity is a constant problem when making prints .

 

[Pandora]

Thanks to each of your for your input. I will resoak the print, keep the humidity up and let it dry and hope that the ripples come out.

I use one pair of tongs to transfer the print from tray to tray - thanks for the tip about using both hands - I'll remember that.

Yep, I tried drying a damp print once in my dry mount press - I learned it doesn't work! I think fschiano was referring to the round drum dryer with the canvas belts, right?

Thanks again for coming to my aid here!

 

[fschifano]

I think fschiano was referring to the round drum dryer with the canvas belts, right?
[/ QUOTE]

Nope, it's not round, though I do know what you're thinking about. It's a flat thing with canvas covers that stretch over the print and hold it flat while it dries.

 

[Claire Senft]

what I do to flatten prints

I will take completely dry prints and lightly dampen the back side with a cloth and put them into my press between a layer of 4 ply board for about 20 seconds. I keep the front of the print dry. They have all been ripple free for me.

 

[KenM]

Here in Alberta the humidity level is usually very low. I found that if I squeegeed both sides of a fibre print, it would curl substantially. I could still flatten it in my press after it was dry, but I found that if I only squeegeed the emulsion side and laid it emulsion side down on my screens, it would dry very flat, with only a few minor curls.

The extra water on the backside slowed the drying process, and avoided the curl.

Give it a shot - perhaps it'll help.