Getting Fiber Based Paper Flat

[koraks]

Believe me it does work and I must have done dozens of prints this way with no damage what so ever.

I've also done dozens of prints this way and it does not consistently/effectively remove the curl from most prints, especially the waviness along the edges remains, and on prints larger than around 5x7". It may depend a bit on the paper used and how it was cut (paper has a 'direction' and it matters here). The clothes iron approach works to an extent, but it's not super effective, overall.

 

[mshchem]

I get nice flat prints from my Pako drum dryer. Fiber prints simply will never lay as flat as a RC print. For display I usually dry mount, keeping unmounted copies of the mounted print in reserve.

Professional frame shops have more options than dry mount.

 

[chuckroast]

I do it like this:

Dry face up on drying screen.

Flatten in heated dry mounting press for several minute, face up, covered with release paper.

Avoiding edge ripple requires that the print be well surrounded on all sides by the release paper and press platen surface, and that the temperature be sufficiently high. I use something in the range of 225-250F.

 

[GregY]

I do it like this:

Dry face up on drying screen.

Flatten in heated dry mounting press for several minute, face up, covered with release paper.

Avoiding edge ripple requires that the print be well surrounded on all sides by the release paper and press platen surface, and that the temperature be sufficiently high. I use something in the range of 225-250F.

Yes. I always use release paper in my press too!

 

[chuckroast]

Yes. I always use release paper in my press too!

I should mention that, when doing this, the back of print is resting on a piece of mat board on the press, not the press' rubber pad.

 

[GregY]

I should mention that, when doing this, the back of print is resting on a piece of mat board on the press, not the press' rubber pad.

Exactly. I sandwich my prints between 2 sheets of mat board with the release paper on top of the print

 

[BMbikerider]

I've also done dozens of prints this way and it does not consistently/effectively remove the curl from most prints, especially the waviness along the edges remains, and on prints larger than around 5x7". It may depend a bit on the paper used and how it was cut (paper has a 'direction' and it matters here). The clothes iron approach works to an extent, but it's not super effective, overall.

I agree to a point, but when I used FB paper I also used a heated dry mounting press and the odd wavy edge didn't matter one iota. The shellac tissue sorted that out when it was stuck down. A badly curled print was next to impossible to tac down accurately so that the print was attached to a mounting board where I wanted it.

Even the edges could be flattened if after the main sheet of the paper had been flattened by the well tried and tested straight edge on the back of the print.

Unfortunately it is the nature of the beast (FB) paper that it will be next to impossible to get it to dry completely flat unless some sort of heat such as a heated drying/glazing bed is used. Even then the paper will try to take on the curl of the heated bed - bring on the straight edge to get rid of that.
Even when I was using a rotary drying drum at work in the 1960's with single weight glossy paper there was still a residual curl which took a couple of days to loose naturally.
Been there, seen it, done it!

 

[koraks]

I agree to a point, but when I used FB paper I also used a heated dry mounting press and the odd wavy edge didn't matter one iota. The shellac tissue sorted that out when it was stuck down.

I understand that, but most of the time I want a print to be flat also if it's not mounted or glued to anything. This is possible in a number of ways, and a clothes iron gets you there to a certain level, but not perfectly so.

Unfortunately it is the nature of the beast (FB) paper that it will be next to impossible to get it to dry completely flat unless some sort of heat such as a heated drying/glazing bed is used.

Taping to a rigid support and then allow it to dry will make FB absolutely perfectly flat. Proper use of a heat press can also accomplish this, but technique/procedure matters. Ferrotyping will also work, but of course affects the surface sheen which may or may not be desirable, and there's of course the technique issue that results in many failures until you figure something out that works.

 

[AERO]

Anyone used a T shirt heated on design press?

 

[koraks]

Anyone used a T shirt heated on design press?

Read from here: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...or-flattening-fibre-prints.68518/post-2868433

 

[AERO]

Read from here: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...or-flattening-fibre-prints.68518/post-2868433

Thanks....

 

[BMbikerider]

I understand that, but most of the time I want a print to be flat also if it's not mounted or glued to anything. This is possible in a number of ways, and a clothes iron gets you there to a certain level, but not perfectly so.


Taping to a rigid support and then allow it to dry will make FB absolutely perfectly flat. Proper use of a heat press can also accomplish this, but technique/procedure matters. Ferrotyping will also work, but of course affects the surface sheen which may or may not be desirable, and there's of course the technique issue that results in many failures until you figure something out that works.

What do you tape it down with? Nothing I know will be any use with a wet print. I have found in the past (I don't use FB paper now) that using a heated drying frame where a fabric apron is pulled over the print face up so that it is taught ever worked completely

 

[koraks]

Gummed paper tape; the kind used by watercolor artists to tape down their paper. It has gum arabic (or something similar) on one side, much like old-fashioned envelopes or stamps. Squeegee or blot the print, put it face-up on a rigid and flat support (I use a couple of old mirrors), then apply the tape all around the print. On FB paper the tape needs to overlap the paper by 5-10mm or so depending on print size. Then allow to dry; the print will pull itself perfectly flat as it dries. When it's completely dry, cut the tape along the edges of the print. The print will end up having strips of tape all around the margins, but these can be overmatted when framing, or simply trimmed. So you need to allow for this margin when printing.
I have heard of some modest success using removable painter's tape on small prints in a similar way, but have never been able to replicate it. Plenty of people use the gummed tape approach; it's one of the 'default' ways of flattening FB prints and works very reliably with a minimal requirement in space and investment.

 

[MattKing]

Butcher's tape has been used by some.

 

[Ron789]

I understand that, but most of the time I want a print to be flat also if it's not mounted or glued to anything. This is possible in a number of ways, and a clothes iron gets you there to a certain level, but not perfectly so.

A dry mounting press works fine without any mounting or glueing. Heat the press to some 80 degrees Celsius, put the print between 2 pre-heated clean sheets of mat board (passe-partout or museum quality) insert hat sandwich in the press, close it, press for a few minutes, take the print out, put it under some weight to cool down; ready and flat. It helps to cut off the edges before pressing.
I also used the method with glass plates and aquarel tape for many years but then I was lucky to find a good dry mounting press for a decent price. Much faster and easier!

 

[msage]

A few years ago Salthill (remember them?) sold a good print dryer that I cloned.
It works better than anyting else that I have tried in the last 60 years of makin' fotos...

I have one of the Salthill dryers, works like a champ!