Flat prints

[lamda]

I'm getting back into B&W processing after an absence of several years, and I'd like advice about the best way to produce flat fiber-based prints. I read the thread about the change to Ilford papers, which is great, but I'd like advice that applies to any brand.

In the past I've dried on blotters or ferrotype tins, with or without a glycerin solution as a print flattener. One approach I've read about but not tried is drying on plastic window screens. Other thoughts?

 

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

Blotters are a good start but the real finnicky thing is to find a way to dry the print to the core without having it curling. When I'm really exacting, I let the print dry between the blotters at least overnight and then I sandwich it between two sheets of watercolor paper and I iron it at low heat until it's bone dry. It's the next best thing to having a heated press.