Help needed for perfect fiber prints!!!

I am having trouble getting perfect dried 11 x 14 fiber prints. After they are air dried and pressed in a dry mount press, I still see slight blemishes in the paper, such as minute wrinkles. Is this happening when the curled dried in pressed? Is damage done during washing? Should I use a flattening solution to minimize curling before pressing? Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.

What kind of paper? How long are you washing?

Is the dry mounting procedure being done correctly?

I air dry my fibre prints and have a framing shop dry mount them. No wrinkles.

If the press isn't working quite right or isn't being used quite correctly, there is a risk of wrinkling.

I think we need more information regarding the specifics of your drying and pressing process.

Regards,
Bill

If fiber prints are not totally dry when they are inserted in a dry mount press they will wrinkle...they may appear dry and still not be dry enough.

Look back three pages for Kentmere Bromide Graded Paper Problems
That thread deals with your same problem. Dan

You say you 'still see blemishes'. Where they there before?

If the problem appears to be bumps or dimples , like those on a rather large rear end, I think I know the problem.
When hand processing prints , I have noticed the most common mistake any assistant coming into the darkroom and running prints through the chemicals is to touch the back side of the print and gently push*they think* into the chemicals. It is an instinctive move since you are not touching the emulsion so therefore no problem.
Basically this finger tip*with gloves*motion and or with tongs is creating a dimple on the emulsion side of the print and when the paper drys it looks like the print has not properly dried and is blistered.

Every time I bring a new person into the darkroom I watch for this as it is very prone to happen even after warning the person not to do it.

This may not be your problem but be very observent the next time you print and see if you are pushing the backside of the print into the chemicals with your fingers or tongs.

Hello,
I once had the brilliant idea to use my press to finish drying partially dried fiber prints and thats pretty much what happened, big wrinkles all over the place once the prints finally dried out. Solution is 1) to squeegy the prints with great care to get all the surface water off, back and front, befor racking them. If not then there will be wet areas even when the print seems dry. 2) Let them dry, in my experience 24 hours is not long enough unless your in a dry climate. I had to twiddle my thumbs nearly three days this week because the humidity was up over 70% and those 16x20 weren't drying out.

Good luck
Chris

Saganich said:

...squeegy the prints with great care to
get all the surface water off, back and
front, befor racking them.

Click to expand...

Ever try sponging? Photo Grade sponges soak
up a lot of water. You may find your prints dry
faster. I sponge on a counter and have no water
running anywhere. Dan