archival heat foamboard????

stud d

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
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Ok I was wondering if any of you read this article in PFM this month? It talks about a heat activated foamboard that has adhesive on it. It is the speedmount stuff from Bainbridge, 150 degrees for 15 seconds. But this saids the drymounted object can be stuck back in the press, reheated and then you can take it off of the foamboard...with no residue from the adhesive. Ok what is up here? Does this sound to good to anyone else out there? And how much does this stuff go for? For Hugh and Rebecca have either of you read about this or have any other info? They said the object mounted was tested by conservators and found the object to be unchanged.

This got me so I had to see what everyone else thought or knows about this.

d
 
We have been using the Speedmount product for quite a while and it is our mounting product of choice for 90% of the work that we choose to drymount. Using it at higher temperatures (170 deg or above) can cause problems.

During my tests as a betatester for Bainbridge, the Speedmount product did not work at 150 degrees regardless of the length of time you left it in the press. My last test took 157 degrees and over 30 seconds to adhere about as well as an old-fashioned "Post-it-Note". The temps were measured using a digital probe, (calibration field verified using ice water and boiling water corrected to altitude) inserted into the Seal 500T-X press, in contact with the Speedmount. The analog thermometer installed in the 500T-X differed from the digital probe by 5 to 10 degrees depending upon which portion of the heating cycle the press was in.

Since I have never been able to get anything to adhere for me at 150 degrees, I would say that there is little likelihood that any adhesive residue remains in the artwork.

When artwork is mounted at 157 degrees and later removed, whether or not there is adhesive residue, the released artwork is definitely curled as if it had been stored in a mailing tube for a while. Most artwork that we mount at this temperature can be removed without any heat applied if you can catch an edge.

Now, SingleStep PLUS will actually work as low as 139 degrees for 30-60 seconds.... BUT, the mount appears to be permanent. Specs are 150 degrees.
 
Rick--
What kind of problems have you experienced at the higher temps--170 or above? I was real keen on speedmount and my local LJ distribution center has its own similar product (a holdover from before LJ purchased the center from another company). Used these for poster prints and some other nonarchival jobs. I've found you really have to go to the higher temps and longer dwell to get a good bond, which means speedmount isn't a particularly great option for inkjet products but seems viable for other applications.
 
Heat mounting is a process that is not used by
most conservators or in museums, so we have to
rely on the thoughtful work done by framers like
Rick to inform us as to how much heat will be
requried to form a successful bond, and what
are the possibilities of releasing the item from
such mounting films. As with static mounting, framers will have to lead the way with testing of such low temperature, dismountable adhesive films.
The manufacturers are to be applauded for involving Rick and others in their testing, since
the framers'practical perspective must be added
to the testing done by scientists at the plant.
Anyone contemplating use of these products, would
be well advised to begin their own tests, with
material of little or no value, so that the working properties of the products can be known.
Since the success of these products depends on
quite specific temperatures and each individual
press may have differing thermal characteristics, each framer should practice extensively with such
new materials.

Hugh
 
Katman,

Higher temps cause the adhesive to melt/bond quicker than the air can escape from between the print and foamcore. The more porous the art, the less pronounced the problem. The result is "bubbles" that come and go as ambient temp & humidity change. We've only had a couple of jobs come back in the early days due to this and the most reminding job is on a piece that hangs in a prominant place in our living room. Those 4 bubbles irk me every time the weather changes; but I'm too lazy to remount it.

I have not yet damaged a digital (inkjet) print with temps below 165 degrees, so we use Speedmount @ 160 degrees for 30-60 seconds. Somewhere at the shop, I have my results using purchased Speedmount and "new process" Speedmount on identical 11x14 tests in the press simultaneously. Results were signficantly different (my opinion).
 
Rick,

I remember an earlier discussion of the bubbles. I haven't observed that problem and haven't had anything come back(yet!). My problem has been an occasional poor bond along the edge of the print. I've increased temp to about 180 for as long as 60 secs with mixed results. I use a 500 tx and I am thinkin the pressure is probably a bit light. We usually run the inkjets through our roller laminator with a cold, pressure sensitive adhesive film. I've done some on the speedmount at about 175 for 30 sec. Usually will only do this if I am pressed for time and we generated the print in house so we know we can print another if necessary. Seen some significant color shifts at higher temps, particularly with HP inks.
 
So has anyone worked with the new product? I know we have many folks on here that use the speedmount or something similiar, but the new stuff? i want to see this stuff in Atlanta to see what is up. I have a hard time believing that this is as good as it saids. I will be open, but it will take some convincing.

d
 
dns,

My first comments were regarding the new Speedmount adhesive product that I was betatesting last fall. If I were going to Atlanta, I'd be scrutinizing the demonstrations and bring my own stopwatch and thermometer.

Don't get me wrong, I like and use the Bainbridge products. There could have been changes in the adhesive formulation since I last tested it, but Bainbridge indicated to me that there would not be any changes to it. I just believe that things should live up to specs under realworld conditions as well as laboratory conditions.
 
I know this sounds skeptical as up until now we mounting experts (particularly me) have touted no such thing as "reversible" once mounted with an adhesive. I have also noted the discussions on TheGrumble concerning this new Artcare Restore product. It is not just marketing hype of the same old SpeedMount, nor is it just a slight updated version, but rather it appears to be a totally new revolutionary concept...hence the new name Artcare Restore.

Since it is a HA (heat activated) adhesive coating on "Artcare" foam and since all adhesive residue appears to be totally reversible by dusting off upon removal "Restore" as in restored to its original state. The jury will be out on this for years as we see actual aging results over time, but at this point and as a result of accelerated testing, et al. it looks as though we need to be open to a new concept. JThere has never before been anything like this, a dry mount board or adhesive that could be mounted then reversed back without absorption and in turn nonarchival treatment.

Just because it has never been done before does not mean it is impossible today. Think about airplanes, computers, email or the plastic horse shoes I am putting on my endurance horse. Times change, and so does technology. I am the biggest skeptic of them all, and always am looking out for all framers...and it looks to me like this product works.

That said...you need to be aware of its differences. Let's look at traditional SpeedMount first. It does not hold aggressively like some other permanent HA boards, but it does hold. The concept is for it to hold in place, smoothly and entirely but perhaps not aggressively. Tear strength is not the issue with these products, but rather their holding, noninvasive nature. There are many variables at play. Low bonding temperatures and quick dwell times being the most limiting. These two will activate and hold in place for as long the framer or viewer wishes, just do not pull on it. The lower temperatures make it safe for heat sensitive inks at 150 degrees.

Same is true for Artcare Restore. New product, new concept, new rules. Do not pull on it to test the bond, you may remove it. It needs to cool under a weight as any removable adheisve. Also since it is thermoplastic, it reactivates when warm, hence sitting in a hot car might release the bond, or on a poorly insulated outside southern exposure wall in Phoenix, Palm Springs or Tehachapi.

Once removed from the board, and cooled, the adhesive will dust off the back of the image that had been mounted. Some very porous papers such as newsprint may appear to have some tiny fiber absorption under black light and a little separation, but the bulk of items are smoothly removed with no hint of adhesive remaining.

I will be in Atlanta at the NB booth and will be demonstrating and discussing this new revolutionary product with everyone. Let's chat! And yes, I have begun to mount assorted originals of mine with Restore HA, and I am a real purist and always overly protective and cautious. In fact I only mat with 100% rag museum boards.


Chris A. Paschke, CPF GCF
Framing Industry Mounting Specialist
FACTS Tapes and Adhesives Committee Member

Designs Ink
785 Tucker Road, Suite G-183
Tehachapi, CA 93561

P: 661-821-2188
F: 661-821-2180
www.designsinkart.com
 
Maybe I let my mockingbird mouth overload my hummingbird ***? Not quite, but I did receive a phone call today and was told that changes were made in the product after I had last worked with it. I had hoped to get this comment in before Chris' comments; but didn't make it.
 
Just because something is called archival doesn't mean it can be used for everything but this does sound like a great product, I can't wait to try it. As a person who does watercolors, it would be great to mount them, no more wrinkles, but still removable. Would I do a valuable watercolor belonging to someone else, probably not, but I would mine and so would many artists. What about those awful Iris prints that won't stay flat after being stretched? If it is nondamaging, maybe it would be great for that. How about tightly rolled prints, diplomas that the customer insist be flat, photographs that poof in the middle, I can think of lots of places it could be used and then as a professional framer, give it a little time and some testing, then maybe it can be used even more often.

The framing industry is changing so fast and so many new products are coming out, as framers we all need to look and try, then decide if it's for us or not. Read the spcification sheet, understand what it is supposed to do, test it and then decide.

Nona Powers, CPF
www.nonapowers.com
www.artfacts.org
 
I acquired a small piece of the Restore HA and split it into 4 8x10 pieces. I'm impressed. I dont have enough to try as many combinations as I'd like, but first impressions are really GOOD. My comments may not be as eloquently worded as Chris'. I also overlook the specs on permanent and reversible... don't know where that came from.

I mounted a piece of tissue (1 ply Kleenex) paper at 155 degress for 15 seconds. Later, followed the removal instructions and did not have a problem. Though I don't have sophisticated instruments, I couldn't detect any residual adhesive on the tissue paper. I also mounted a piece of laser printed 20# paper (ink side down) and removed it later. Same results.

As it stands now, I wouldn't have any problem using it to mount limited edition artwork; but would include a copy of the removal instructions inside the framed package so that any future framer would know that the artwork has been mounted using the Artcare Restore product and to not cry "**** oh dear, the original framer just dry mounted your limited edition artwork".

I don't know if it means anything, but the adhesive glows under a black light and the surface of artcare foamcore doesn't glow.

The only unanswered question that Nona tells us to ask is "Does it meet FACTS standards...

>> FACTS FRM2000
>> Sections
>> 4.07 "Safe for artwork"-shall mean that there are no known effects, or
> known harmful effects, or shall have been proven to be safe for use in
> framing of the artwork or item.
>
>> 4.08 "Stable"- subject to minimal change physically, optically and
> chemically.
>
>> 5.02 All procedures that include attachment to the artwork shall be
> reversible without damage to either the artwork or its support.
>
>> 5.03 All attachments to the item shall be removable without damage to
> the item or its support.
>
>> 8.01 All attachments shall be removable without damage to the artwork,
> item or its support. (Standards Articles 5.02, 5.03.)
>
>> 8.03 Textiles shall not be mounted with adhesives.
 
Rick's observation that the tissue glows under
black light is most thought provoking. Such
flourescence in illumination by UV light can
indicate many things: presence of oxidized material, some hydrocarbons, or as is far the
most likely possibility in this case, the presence
of optical brighteners. If that is the case, it
should not be a problem, since this material is
heat and not water activated. There is little
liklihood of transfer of the brighteners during
heating. Blotter that has optical brighteners does
present a problem, since they may move when dampness is involved. Even though Rick's examination results most likely do not indicate
any problem, his use of UV is an example that should be followed in consideration of new materials.


Hugh
 
"I don't know if it means anything, but the adhesive glows under a black light and the surface of artcare foamcore doesn't glow."


Rick

Did you use the black light to check the side of the Kleenex that was attached to the board?
 
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