Question Getting Blueprints framed before Christmas

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k2500guy

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
Joined
Jan 16, 2008
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132
Loc
North Chesterfield, VA
From what I've read on the grumble, it would appear that it's a bad idea to frame blueprints. Rather, it is advisable to have a copy made and frame that. Here's the problem. Customer wants to get it done as a surprise Christmas gift for his wife and due to some logistical problems, I might not get it until Dec. 23.

I'm hoping to get them earlier, but if I don't get them in time to get a copy made, is there any way I should frame it? Do all blueprints fade quickly? I have seen them. His wife brought them in earlier for a price quote. They have been tightly rolled up for about 60 years (house was built around 1950). The image is in good shape, but it is printed in reverse from what I have normally seen. In other words, it is printed white on a blue background. Does that give any clue as to how it was printed? Also, if I can frame the original, I was wondering how I should mount it. Was thinking of using Perfect Mount. Any suggestions?
 
This cannot be done correctly in the time allowed. Blueprints are both UV and heat sensitive so making good copies in a timely fashion would be difficult. Getting the originals to relax enough to hinge mount will be a challenge, and any manner of contact adhesive should be ruled out if preservation is a goal.

We still want to solve the customer's problem...Suggest a gift certificate for the framing of the blueprints so they can be handled properly.

There are a lot of good, maybe even great, ideas at this time of the year, but there are some things that can't be hurried along for the convenience of the last minute spouse.
 
Between now and Christmas day you could probably pile up enough weight on a careful matboard/foamboard sandwich with the blue print carefully slid inside to get it to stay flat enough to slide it into a nice sleeve or encapsulate it to give as a gift along with the framing GC.

A recent job with the ratty rolled-up book of tattered blue prints flattened out in about a week's time. But I had about 60 pounds of weight (every weight in the store) on it for that length of time.
 
So, if I can't get the copies in time, what about if I shrink wrap the blueprints along with foamboard to the finished size? I would think that would keep it flat, but would the heat from shrink wrapping damage it? If not, then, I could go ahead and put the whole thing together including the matting and glass, and then after the holiday all I would have to do is replace the original with the drymounted copy.
 
A Fedex Kinkos store should have a large-document photocopier suitable for blueprints. Once your in the store, you can copy a page in about 2 minutes. Unless some slow person is ahead of you.
 
Personally, the only thing I would do with the time constraints you have is to frame the originals for now and then after xmas, they bring them back in allowing you to get copies made and then reassemble with the copies.
This way the gift is still available for xmas and in that short time, nothing will happen to the originals in the sense of fading. They don't fade that quickly.
Make sure they fully understand the reason for copying.
 
I get blueprints copied here at a print shop that prints blueprints in about an hour.
 
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