Attaching Laminated Certificate

[Shayla]

Reframing this charter, for a veterans' group. At some point, in years past,
it was laminated on both sides, then spray-mounted to a backing and taped down.
Before bringing it here, they removed that backing.

We're re-matting, and although it's tempting to gild the bad lily and just slap it on canvas MountCor, they'd rather avoid dry mounting.
The whole back is plastic, like on a restaurant menu. Is there a way to hinge it? I could try talking her into letting me tape the edges down
with 889 tape, but she's already asked if I'd cut off the old, since it looks bad. Or, should I just staple it?

And no, they aren't interested in a conservator.

 

[wpfay]

Scan and print, put the original in the archives.

 

[Ylva]

Why not use a few drops of glue on the top, and then overmat it? You are just gluing the plastic, not the document

 

[Shayla]

Scan and print, put the original in the archives.

When paper covered with shiny plastic is scanned, does the shine look show in the image?

 

[wpfay]

Not sure, but you can scan a high gloss photo...

 

[Jim Miller]

she's already asked if I'd cut off the old, since it looks bad. Or, should I just staple it?

Are you sure it's actually laminated? The photos hint that this may be an encapsulation mount sealed under vacuum. If so, then trimming the edges could make it fall apart.

I'm with Wally -- scan, reprint, and give the image to the owner on an external storage device. You could place the original behind the reproduction in the frame, or it could be stored separately.

If mounting that laminated original is your only alternative, then you may be able to use full-length edge supports hidden under the mat.

 

[framah]

When paper covered with shiny plastic is scanned, does the shine look show in the image?

Yes.

 

[Rick Granick]

Are you sure it's actually laminated? The photos hint that this may be an encapsulation mount sealed under vacuum. If so, then trimming the edges could make it fall apart.

I'm with Wally -- scan, reprint, and give the image to the owner on an external storage device. You could place the original behind the reproduction in the frame, or it could be stored separately.

If mounting that laminated original is your only alternative, then you may be able to use full-length edge supports hidden under the mat.

If it is an encapsulation then trimming the plastic might free the document from its current confines. Then, if they do want to frame the original rather than a reproduction, you could do a mylar overlay mount onto a preservation quality board a similar color to the paper, minimizing the visibility of the damaged/missing parts, and then overmat with an appropriately sized opening.
Rick

 

[Shayla]

If it is an encapsulation then trimming the plastic might free the document from its current confines. Then, if they do want to frame the original rather than a reproduction, you could do a mylar overlay mount onto a preservation quality board a similar color to the paper, minimizing the visibility of the damaged/missing parts, and then overmat with an appropriately sized opening.
Rick

Sadly, not.
It's melted plastic laminate.

 

[Shayla]

Are you sure it's actually laminated? The photos hint that this may be an encapsulation mount sealed under vacuum. If so, then trimming the edges could make it fall apart.

I'm with Wally -- scan, reprint, and give the image to the owner on an external storage device. You could place the original behind the reproduction in the frame, or it could be stored separately.

If mounting that laminated original is your only alternative, then you may be able to use full-length edge supports hidden under the mat.

After reading this, I cut a slit on the side, (since she wants it trimmed, anyway).
Sadly, not an encapsulation. Definitely, a 'restaurant menu' melt job.

 

[Jim Miller]

When paper covered with shiny plastic is scanned, does the shine look show in the image?

That depends on the angle of the light and reflections. You can't control that in a scanner, but you can if you photograph it flat on a table. To keep it flat, place it under a piece of anti-reflection glass and move it around to eliminate reflections.

 

[wpfay]

I din't think about it at first, but a flatbed scanner (we have a small 8.5" X 11" one) generates some heat energy and that may have some effect on the plastic laminates.
So it might be best done on a photo copy stand with controlled lighting.
I have a service not far from my shop that will scan things for a reasonable rate. I assumed "scanner' when in fact it is a sophisticated photo copy stand.

 

[Rick Granick]

I've been getting ads for those copy-stand type scanners on FB lately. They look useful. That said, I'm guessing that the small amount of heat and short exposure time of a desktop flatbed scanner wouldn't be harmful to a laminated item. If the laminator machines at FedEx stores are any indication, the heat level involved is much higher.
Rick