Can you use a small press for big prints

I have seen a small dry mount press for sale at a nice price (it states that it does 10x12").

Can you use a small press for dry mounting bigger prints (e.g. press one half first and then the other (ideally I want to go up to 12x16)?

Forgive my ignorance, but I have never even seen a dry mount press let alone used one before.:rolleyes:

g'day Mark

with a gentle touch it should be ok

i have an 18"x22" model and only have problems with larger mountings when i use too much pressure when heat sealing

You can but it's a little slower. Lion Picture framing in Birmingham sell an excellent dry mounting tissue, they were linked in with Hot Press Ltd who make dry mounting presses in the UK.

Ian

My old dry mount press does 11x14 or so with one bite. But a while back I mounted a very large poster-type print using 4 separate pressings, and it worked just fine. I have never tried that with a photographic print, but I don't know why it would not work.

You can mount larger prints in two bites but be careful as you can leave a mark across the the area of the print that will stick out past the edge of the plate. Take care not to apply too much pressure when you close the press.

I had so many mistakes with a small press trying to do large prints that I started using self-adhesive board or Scotch Positional Mounting Adhesive for the larger prints. Not a perfect solution, though, since also prone to problems/defects. Recently acquired a larger press, and life is good ;-)

Thanks for all this advice. Unfortunately the press has already been sold. So it's back to the drawing board.

Does anyone know of a source of second hand presses in the UK besides ebay?

Your best bet is try placing a wanted advert in the classifieds here.

There were once a lot of professional darkrooms in most UK towns & cities, many would have had a dry mounting press, so ask around. For instance where I lived in the UK there were at least 4 factories with their own photographic departments, and 2 newspapers. I got mine from a newspapers darkroom about 35 years ago, when the two papers merged.

I may have an article on how to make one, I'll try & find it next time I'm in the UK. Even a broken press is worth buying (as long as it's just the electrics broken). Modern heater pads are a lot better than the old elements they used to use and far easier to fit.

Ian

I haven't seen a lot of cheap presses around. While the evolution of views about conservation of artwork have made other methods of mounting more attractive for galleries and museums (drymounting is considered not to be easily reversible, even with "archival" tissue, thus not an archival method by definition, aside from the question of whether it makes the print last longer or look better), drymount presses can be used for digital output just as they've been used for traditional prints.

I have recently come across 2 Kennett dry mount presses. Has anyone had any experience with these? I have never heard of them.

Also I have seen some presses referred to as 'soft presses' and some as 'hard bed'. Can someone explain what the difference is.

Cheers.