I don't feel so bad now.......(Print Mounting)

I have been getting frustrated lately trying to mount some of my prints. It seems that I am having some trouble getting everything square.

I just received 3 original Fred Picker prints that I won on eBay today.

Out of the 3 one of them is trimmed/mounted a little crooked. It's still a nice print and not a big deal to me.

But it does make me feel a little better knowing that even Fred Picker wasn't perfect all the time

Jim

You should see Weston's prints. The ones hanging at the Weston Gallery in Carmel have dry mount tissue showing on 2 or 3 sides of the prints and they are slightly off.

bmac said:

You should see Weston's prints. The ones hanging at the Weston Gallery in Carmel have dry mount tissue showing on 2 or 3 sides of the prints and they are slightly off.

Click to expand...

Hmmmm... Very interesting.

I'm I being to picky? I just don't like sending out a print that's not close to being perfect. I have several mounted prints stacked up that are "just a little off" but can't bring myself to sending them out.

I'd be interested to hear other opinions on this.

Jim

Jim,
I always tack the tissue to the center of the print and then trim the print. After I cut the hole in the mat, I line up the print in the hole and use some shot bags to hold the print in place. I usually tack one corner of the print to the mounting board. Then the print and the mouning board go into the press. I sandwich the print and the mounting board between 2 clean mat boards and carefully close the press. I let the heater get to about 200f before I start the whole process.

lee\c

lee said:

Jim,
I always tack the tissue to the center of the print and then trim the print. After I cut the hole in the mat, I line up the print in the hole and use some shot bags to hold the print in place. I usually tack one corner of the print to the mounting board. Then the print and the mouning board go into the press. I sandwich the print and the mounting board between 2 clean mat boards and carefully close the press. I let the heater get to about 200f before I start the whole process.

lee\c

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Lee!

That sounds like the way I do it, except for one big difference.....

I mount the print first, then I cut the matt.

I will give it a try the other way next time I mount some prints to see how they turn out. Sounds like it might be a little easier to get the print even that way.

Thanks again,

Jim

Jim, it is never really perfect!

I start by tacking the tissue to the center of the print. Then I trim the print with tissue using a roller blade. Then I center the print on the board by eye with the window mat in place. Then I tack two corners from the center. Then I place in the heat press with two boards - one below and one above. That is all you need.

I follow the same procedure Francesco described. The other little "trick" is cutting the overmat hole larger than the print. I use 1/4" on tops and sides, 7/16" on the bottom, 1/4" above center. This way, I can cut the overmats independent of the print unless the print gets trimmed to an odd size.

start by tacking the tissue to the center of the print. Then I trim the print with tissue using a roller blade. Then I center the print on the board by eye with the window mat in place. Then I tack two corners from the center. Then I place in the heat press with two boards - one below and one above. That is all you need.

I follow the same procedure Francesco described. The other little "trick" is cutting the overmat hole larger than the print. I use 1/4" on tops and sides, 7/16" on the bottom, 1/4" above center. This way, I can cut the overmats independent of the print unless the print gets trimmed to an odd size.

we are all on the same page here.

lee\c

Just a question-Why don't you folks do the sticky corners? It is a hell of lot easier to get things straight.

mark said:

Just a question-Why don't you folks do the sticky corners? It is a hell of lot easier to get things straight.

Click to expand...

Mark,

I have used them and will probably use them again.

I prefer dry mount though. It just looks more "finished" to me.

Jim

mark said:

Just a question-Why don't you folks do the sticky corners? It is a hell of lot easier to get things straight.

Click to expand...

Using the method of cutting the overmat larger than the print then eyeballing the print into place is easier than trying to get those corners aligned.

Mark,
I want my mats to have a little "space" around the print. An Island if you will, with sticky corners, you would have to print on a larger paper. The Azo I print on only comes in 8x10 and 20x24. With a contact print the rebate around the image (on the negative) is clear and prints black. I cut this portion off when I am ready to dry mount and cut a mat for the print.

lee\c

Makes sense. I have never liked "island", as Lee describes it, look for my prints so never even thought about that.

I personally prefer "the island" look. And to my knowledge, AA did it in order to help "preserve" his prints. Over time the shap beveled edge of the window will dig into your dry-mounted print and create a crease, so AA (and probably others I'm sure) added a little bit of extra room around the print in order to sacrifice the print area. Plus the little bit of space gives a good place to sign. -Grant

Mark,
IMO, the island look will allow the whole print to be viewed without the mat trying to interfere with corners and edges of the print. That and what Grant said.

lee\c

Hi Folks,

This is my first post to the APUG forums. Here's Seal's recommendation for drymounting photographs, from their book _Mounting, Laminating, and Texturing: The Illustrated source on methods, techniques and applications_, 1990.

1. Pre-dry fiber-based photograph face down on clean kraft paper. Pre-dry substrate.
2. If exact positioning of photo on the substrate is necessary, tack photo in position. [Directions will given later.]
3. Place materials in dry mount press at 200F for approximately 1 minute. The assembly of materials should be, from top to bottom: Release Paper, Fiber-based photo, ColorMount, Substrate, Release paper.
4. Remove assembly from press and allow to cool under a weight.

Regarding pre-drying, they say:
"With the press at normal operating temperature, place the mounting adhesive on the back of the print to be mounted. This may be tacked through Release Paper.Trim adhesive (if necessary) to print size. Place the print face down on kraft paper and cover it with Release Paper. Insert the assembled work in the press for 30 seconds to one minute. As the work pre-dries, the adhesive will bond to the back of the print. Upon removal from the press, allow this assembly to cool under a Seal weight. Remove the Release Paper and trim excess adhesive and any kraft paper which has bonded to excess adhesive, if necessary (this second trimming is sometimes required even when the adhesive had been trimmed to the exact print size earlier).

This procedure helps assure that the adhesive is properly bonded to the print before mounting it to the substrate. When the adhesive is completely bonded to the print in this manner, it is much easier to trim."

Regarding tacking:
"To tack, simply warm the tacking iron to the medium heat setting. Align the print, adhesive and mount board, and place a small sheet of Release Paper along one edge of the print. Place the flat base of the iron over the release paper and apply gentle pressure. Hold the iron in that spot for about five seconds. The print should be satisfactorily tacked. There is no need to tack the entire edge, or center of the print. One spot works best.... Do not tack opposite edges or corners! Do not make and "X" mark in the center!"

-Peter De Smidt