Where to buy mounting press in UK

[Snapper]

I'm looking to buy a dry mounting press. Can anyone answer the following;

* where can I buy one in the UK - I have never seen them advertised?
* how much do they cost?
* is there a big s/h market?
* how big are they - I'm looking to mount up to 16x12" prints

Thanks.

 

[Leon]

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Snapper]

Why didn't I think of that?

Are there any alternative ways of mounting 12x10" FB prints that doesn't involve the large cost of getting a dry mounting press? Adhesive sprays - do they penerate the print? Cold mounting adhesive sheets? Household irons?

 

[127]

If you're doing it regularly, I'm sure nothing beats the tool for the job. However I dry mounted a 20 or so smaller prints earlier in the year with just a regular clothes iron (actually my girlfriend did most of them, and I cut the mounts).

There's a bit of a knack to getting the right amount of heat for the right time, so practise first, but the final results were fine.

Ian

 

[Ailsa]

Might also be worth trying MrCad, Dead Link Removed , tel (020) 8684 8282.

 

[Leon]

i dont dry mount my FBs - i dry them as flat as possible, then put in a big book with lots of other heavy big books on top of it for about a week. I then get some mount board, cut 4 strips of acid free paper and fold my own triangular photo corners from them. I put on on each corner then tape over the corner with archival tape. the window matt covers the paper corners and the back of the mount board is is taped tightly to the matt.

It works really well, and saves on a large amount of space and cost (mounting tissue etc)

 

[Helen B]

As Ailsa suggested, Mr CAD is a good source. There were a few s/h presses in stock the last time I skipped round toyland. Alex keeps his prices fairly high though. If you are close, and you've never been before, Mr CAD is worth a visit. And you get to visit Croydon as well, the most modern city* outside Albania. Trams! Car Parks! Bold 60's Architecture!

Best,
Helen
*Ooops, sorry, it's only a town. Sore point. Shouldn't have said that. Now I've really put my foot in it.

 

[Les McLean]

I'd also suggest MR Cad but would strongly recommend that you haggle for the best price.

 

[Tom Stanworth]

I'd also suggest MR Cad but would strongly recommend that you haggle for the best price.

You'll choke when you see his enlarger prices.....

I'll second les as they are so rare on ebay. I have one from Mr Cad and it is a 20x24 vacuum model in great (newish) condition. It was £450 (Fair price). Larger ones are no more expensive as they are less desireable due to size. HAGGLE and be aware that his prices vary quite wildly as does his descriptions of condition. He will deliver for a reasonable price, but you may have to wait until his delivery van is going to your vicinity (He's in Croydon and he delivered to Bedford for about £10-15)

A 20x24 will give you some comfort space to mount 16x12 with 4" borders (plenty IMHO).

I would very strongly advise you NOT to go for a pressure based mount that is smaller than the mountboard size. I know you can clamp it in several areas until the whole mat is covered, but this is a pain and often leaves pressure marks.

My vacuum press is fast and does a perfect job, every time. My clamp type one was a huge time consuming pain.

A very worthwhile investment for 100% flat prints. I only wish mine was twice as big (for now I mount 20x16/20x24 prints to 2 ply 20x24 board to keep them flat and then use conservation tape to make pockets to hold these in the right place in the window mount sandwich, so a bigger press is not essential right now. I just dont know what I will do with the 40" FB prints I'm planning to make...

Happy hunting!

Tom

 

[Dave Miller]

If you're doing it regularly, I'm sure nothing beats the tool for the job. However I dry mounted a 20 or so smaller prints earlier in the year with just a regular clothes iron (actually my girlfriend did most of them, and I cut the mounts).

There's a bit of a knack to getting the right amount of heat for the right time, so practise first, but the final results were fine.

Ian

And don't do what I once did; use a steam iron

 

[Dave Miller]

I'm looking to buy a dry mounting press. Can anyone answer the following;

* where can I buy one in the UK - I have never seen them advertised?
* how much do they cost?
* is there a big s/h market?
* how big are they - I'm looking to mount up to 16x12" prints

Thanks.

As Leon said one source is Ebay, they come up at regular intervals, several in the last month. Check out this one.Ebay
The mechanical clamp type are heavy. Generally you need a press larger than your print, but you can mount larger prints by moveing them and taking several "bites" at the job. Vacuum presses are also available, which are a lot lighter, but fetch much higher prices.