Getting Fiber Based Paper Flat

momus said:

I still dry FB papers by hanging them at one corner w/ a clothes pin in the bathroom.

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momus said:

Almost one year ago to the day I was trying different methods to get FB paper flat (RC has never been an issue). I still dry FB papers by hanging them at one corner w/ a clothes pin in the bathroom.

You know, it works really well, and the papers have a gentle curve towards the emulsion side w/ no wavy edges. The main thing is to let them dry as slowly as possible. When they're dry, they go under some books and come out flat as the RC papers a few days later.

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logan2z said:

Someone like Bob Carnie might and he dries his fiber prints emulsion side down:

Best method for drying fibre paper?

I suspect this topic has been discussed before, but I couldn't find a proper thread. Question: What are your best/most efficient/easiest methods for drying fibre based photo paper? Reveal your McGyver-in the darkroom-skills here and now. Personally I have boiled it down to two methods that I...

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I do it because the prints dry significantly flatter that way and are then much easier to completely flatten in a dry mount press.

I haven't seen any signs of the screen pattern transferring to my prints, but you obviously have and I've heard of other cases in which this has happened too. Maybe as you suggested, it depends on the screen material and how tautly it is stretched, which could affect how much contact there is between the screen and the emulsion during the drying process.

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Bill Burk said:

You may have read my complaint before (there’s probably no “others”). As far as I know, I am the only one with bug mesh screens. It just happened to be the material I had on hand when I made them.

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antonio_b said:

I ran out of old type gummed paper tape, for holding fiber paper on glass plates for drying. I have to order by some art supplies shop. So I was thinking what alternative could work.

I grabbed a roll of Micropore-like surgical tape. After I press the photo sheet on the glass and wipe the excess water, I dry with a bit of absorbing kitchen paper the glass around the edges.
Works well and in fact it's better than gummed tape: no need to wet it, no risk of liquified gum sneaking around.


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koraks said:

Does it work on somewhat larger prints as well

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GRHazelton said:

Way back in the day my Father and I used a commercial print flattening solution which was diluted with water; the prints got a final brief soak and then were ferrotyped or whatever. The active ingredient of the solution was ethelyne glycol, rather poisonous! But I imagine that propolyne glycol would work as well; it is used to treat wood salad bowls to prevent splitting. Both compounds are hygroscopid, thus they help keep the print from drying so completely that it curls.

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Paul Verizzo said:

Ethylene glycol is just anti-freeze. Yes, toxic in relatively large quantities.

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CMoore said:

On a side not....
Can you talk about those photos.?
From days gone by i assume.?
The shot of the building looks nice.!

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GRHazelton said:

My Father, PhD in ChemEng from Michigan, knew that! He commented that one could dip a finger tip in E Glycol and safely note the sweet taste...that taste has killed many pets who found where E Glycol was dumped after changing radiator coolant. I wonder why antifreeze makers haven't switched to P Gycol....cost perhaps?

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antonio_b said:

I was visiting few days sister in a small town in France earlier this year, was carrying a 8x10, few film holders and a box of 50 Fomapan 100. It's cheap film and I was taking random shots here and there.
The house pictured there was built in 1548 for Diane de Poitiers, the mistress of king Henri IV of France. It has kept its Renaissance features like the entrance door of the tower, some windows stone framing and other small details.
The place has a story related our own childhood and I lived there as a 4 years old. I had an Apo-Gerogon 240mm in the bag. So i tried to capture most of the house, with sister and nephew posing in front. I could not have more perspective because this is inside a small square, I was standing at the very opposite corner.

I did previous prints on RC, as well as A3 hi-quality injkets from scan, but nothing is like fiber paper...
This is Fomabrom 112 (matte) in Fomatol P (phenidone ascorbate)

a contact print of the 8x10 negative, and, the 2nd sheet is an enlarging of sister and nephews by sneaking into my Opemus 6x6 the bottom of the 8x10 negative , sandwiched between 2 strips I cut in a 3mm plate of glass, for planarity and hold.


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papo said:

Maybe I missed something, but I'm surprised that I haven't found any mention of the method we use quite often here in this part of the world. After washing, put the print face up on a plate of glass (with appropriate thickness) and fix the border with an adhesive tape, the whole perimeter, about 5mm on the print should be sufficient. It must be the old fashioned brown paper tape which is usually licked to get wet (or passed over a wet sponge, but do not wet it too much). Let the whole thing dry until the next day (don't hurry too much) and then cut the print with the stuck tape from the glass and then cut off the border strip with the tape (or hide it under a passe-partout). Especially with "F" papers the surface will get a very nice smooth look and will be perfectly flat.
The forces which try to contract the print when drying may be quite big with large prints, that's why the glass should be thick enough (5mm for 30 x40 cm will do).

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rodstew said:

Great tip! Thanks for sharing. Simple is best!

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