Help with d.i.y. dry-mount-press!!!!

A relative if mine has agreed to build my a dry mount press. Now we need some info on essential parts. I gather that dry-mount-presses (e.g. Seal)contain some sort of padding. Is this padding on only one side of the press or on two sides? What kind of material is it and how is it attached to the press? Is there a known source for this material in Europe? Also apperently the platen is a essential part of a press. Apart from being absolutely flat, what material should it be?

Thanks Jaap Jan

Hi, the pad is just a piece of dense foam rubber with felt on top. You could probably just use a stack of mat board. It is only on the bottom part of the press. The platen is a flat piece of metal that heats up and puts pressure on the print (covered by mat board or release paper.)

Jon

This strikes me as one of those projects--like building DIY nuclear weapons--that one would be better off outsourcing!

Beautiful work on your site, BTW.

Many years ago, when Petersen's Photographic first began publishing, they were known mainly for their DIY articles. Most of those articles were written by a guy named Parry C. Yob. At one point, they published a book that reprised some of the best DIY projects.

One of the plans in that book was for a dry mount press. My recollection is that they were suggested embedding nickel-chrome heating wire in a platen made of portland cement. My reaction was that while the though was good, the idea of a DIY drymount press wasn't all that practical.

But if you could find that book today, it would give you detailed plans.

MikeSeb said:

This strikes me as one of those projects--like building DIY nuclear weapons--that one would be better off outsourcing!

Beautiful work on your site, BTW.

Click to expand...

Your right, i did outsource it! Thanks for your comments

Jaap Jan

Not sure if this might come in handy, but it could give you some ideas...

http://www.bonavolta.ch/hobby/en/photo/press.htm