Paterson Right Angle Magnetic Corners

[pentaxuser]

I have a couple of right angle corners which I acquired when setting up my darkroom. They are made by Paterson and are plastic with magnetic bottoms. I assume they are meant for borderless printing and really I'd need four(one for each corner. While they may hold each corner, they don't appear to be able to hold the paper flat as they can't hold the paper down without creating a white silhouette of the corner and as such merely form guides into which the paper is placed.

Each corner has a rounded raised part at the 90 degree corner as if the paper was meant to lie inside the corner rather than on the easel but this would raise the paper off the metal easel at the corners and presumably it would sink in the middle.

Maybe the raised parts are simply the result of the way the corners are made in the mold and have no function and I am looking for more than is there.

I hope this description makes sense. Anyone use them and am I missing something in trying to work out exactly what they are for?

Thanks

Pentaxuser

 

[clogz]

The rounded raised parts serve no purpose. The paper should really be under those magnetic angle corners and it only works with RC paper.

Hans

 

[Dave Miller]

I have used them, and the raised part you refer to should hold the paper down. It is normally the corners that curl up, so the magnetics should hold the paper flat, however they are not stong enough for anything over 10 x 8. The magnets on mine have lost their strength so don't get used much.

 

[benjiboy]

They used to be sold with a Patterson 12" x 10" easel that had a metal base they stuck to, although as far as I remember they could be bought separately as well.

 

[pentaxuser]

Thanks all for replies. At the risk of being like a dog who "worries a bone" can I ask.
1. Why are they suitable for RC only? Is this due to thickness of FB paper?
2. Are the magnets meant to be strong enough to hold through the paper onto the metal easel below, thus allowing the full magnetic corner to be placed on the paper? If so then a borderless print would require a substantial area to be trimmed afterwards and it begs the question of why you'd use the corners. It would be just as easy to use a border and then trim if you wanted a borderless print. Mine won't hold through the paper like this although as long as some of the magnet area is in direct contact with the metal they're fine. Does this mean that my magnets have lost their power as well?
3. At both corners of each piece the ends are rounded and there is a very small piece of plastic(about 1.5mm) that extends beyond the magnet. If the magnets are meant to be in direct contact with the easel then this would allow only the plastic to be placed on the very edge of the paper. If this is the correct way then it would need only a very small amount to be trimmed but there would be so little holding the paper down that it may not achieve the effect of holding the paper flat.

So far I have come up with reasons why magnetic corners do not seem to be accomplishing anything worthwhile and yet my head says that Paterson must have thought through these "snags" and to have bothered to have marketed this product it must be better than this and it is me who can't see the benefits.

As things stand the only benefit I can see would be for those who don't have an easel for borders which will hold paper flat but have instead a magnetic borderless easel and are prepared to trim the prints to cut away the fairly substantial white silhouette, created by the magnetic corners.

If I am right then I wouldn't be impressed with this idea if faced with making an investment in its manufacture or am I still not grasping the full potential in magnetic corners?

Thanks

pentaxuser

 

[Dave Miller]

The corners are intended to position the paper rather than hold it down. When used like that they provide borderless printing. They will not work with fibre because that type of base rarely lays flat.

 

[pentaxuser]

The corners are intended to position the paper rather than hold it down. When used like that they provide borderless printing. They will not work with fibre because that type of base rarely lays flat.

Thanks Dave. So the two small rounded areas at each end of the right angle corner are to position the paper which is what I had thought. It ensures that the very corners of the paper are exposed by preventing the paper from creeping under the corner and the magnets stop the corners moving once the position has been determined.

It that their only use? I must admit I can't see another way to use them. However this relies on the paper being absolutely flat as the magnetic corners used in this way provide no "flattening" affect at all. I often find that my RC isn't quite flat. It has a tendency to bow slightly in the middle.

I take it that even in good condition the magnets aren't good enough to hold through RC paper?

Finally how does one do borderless FB prints, short of the very expensive vacuum easels or is that the only way?

Thanks

Pentaxuser

 

[MattKing]

Finally how does one do borderless FB prints, short of the very expensive vacuum easels or is that the only way?

Thanks

Pentaxuser

1) use one size larger paper, and trim; or
2) use a sheet of very good, very clean glass to hold the paper flat (may need to tape the paper to the glass, and then use the red filter to position).

(good luck trying to use #2) :rolleyes:

Matt

 

[grahamp]

These corners do work better with RC paper - there is less tendency to curl. If you look at the inside of the rounded ends you will see thet there are a few ribs. The idea is to slide the corners up to the edge of the paper when it is held flat. Friction holds the paper flat and gives borderless prints. At least in theory.

I still have a set stuck to the side of my M605. They come in useful for doing borderless postcards, but the Saunders 4-blade easel would sulk if I used them for anything larger