more mounting info needed - for lightboxes

[matthewbetcher]

i guess this is similar to the thread on face-mounting, but there seems to be little material information there... so i will ask this here...

my basic question is... what are some ways to mount a clear film to a plexi substrate to be used in a lightbox-type situation?

the reason i ask is that i would like to keep this in the studio vs. spending a bloody fortune to have someone do it for me (it that's possible sans press). i have a wonderful mounter here in the area that could surely do this for me, but due to the size of the pieces i don't want to have to shell out several hundred dollars per piece if there is a way to do it myself.

again, i don't have a press to do this for me so a squeegee type process would be desired and the adhesive needs to be clear as it will be mounting to clear plexi for the project i am currently working on.

any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated (and needed)!

thanks, Matthew

 

[richard ide]

Hi Mathew,
A few of my customers in the past objected to spending several thousand for a couple of days at a trade show. I experimented with many things. The best looking and most cost effective substitute was placing the film between two sheets of acrylic. I don't think there is any way to duplicate face mounting without using proper materials and machinery.

 

[richard ide]

Mathew
Must be getting senile.
One thing you could try: silicone caulking compound (clear is best). Use a hard rubber roller to spread it. I tried this but opted for the mounting adhesive. If you are careful, you should be able to do a good job with no air bubbles. It would be best to let a finished mounting job to sit undisturbed for at least 24 hours and try not to flex the acrylic as it will take along time to cure completely. Price wise the most economical method.

 

[matthewbetcher]

thanks for the help richard. i'm kind of figuring i need to suck it up one way or the other and either plunk the money down for a laminator (the right tools for the job) or have the mounters who have mounted work for me before do it. i was just hoping there was something i was overlooking that would allow me to be a little more "free" in the studio and experiment without the serious financial commitment, but then again... cashflow is so over-rated!