I need a durable adhesive to mount photos to foam core

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vpatron

Grumbler in Training
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
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6
Hi all,

I need to mount 12x16 up to 20x30 photo prints onto foam core. The problem is, the ones I used 3M 77 on last year are starting to peel off or partially peel off so I get giant bubbles.

Is there something I can use to make it last maybe 5 years? Will wallpaper glue work?

I have a client who wants a bunch of our work in his office and I don't want him mad at me next year. It will be in an office environment. I want my photo mounts to look professional, like at the museum, without the museum prices.

Also, where do I get 1/4" and 1/2" black-on-black foam core (again, like at the museum)?

I'm a newbie to framing and such so please be easy on the terminology! (Like what's a wet mount and a dry mount?)

Thanks so much!

-Vince
www.nortap.com
 
Hi Vince. And welcome to the Grumble.

If you want a professional look, why not take it to a professional who can give you that look. It might not be as expensive as you think. Certainly not as expensive as a customer who won't buy your work anymore because the workmanship isn't good quality.

Your local framer has the equipment and experience to help you present your photos with the high quality look you want.
 
Vince,
First welcome to the G.

I find that 77 spray can fail much faster if it doesn't go into a vacuum press while it is tacking up. It may also be the type of paper you are using. Any kind of nonporous paper or laminated prints don't do well with 77 spray. Honestly I can't reccomend anything that you could do without a press if you are concerned about the prints releasing over time. My only suggestion is go to a frameshop and get them professionaly done.

edit: jinx
 
Vince, Welcome. You found the right place. It would be a good idea to follow whats already been stated. If you want a professional look but not the museum grade and pricing, mention this to your professional framer, what options would he recomend? There is a differance between good better and best. Pricing will also vary. If you want to do this yourself I would recomend joining the Professional Pictures Framers Association. Attend a conference either locally or National convention. Take all the classes you can sign up for. Buy the right equipment. As well as read everything you can get your hands on... Good luck now...
 
Welcome to the Grumble, Vince!

You have a couple of options.

The first option is the most convenient, but probably the most expensive on the outset. This option is to get yourself in the dry mounting business. This will require an equipment purchase, such as a heat or vacuum press or roller laminator and materials; fome core and/or dry mount tissue. Next you need to learn how to use this stuff. We can type at you until the cows come home, but hands-on education would be best. A trade show, with education would do the trick. You could plan a trip to Las Vegas in January to the WCAF. You will need to have a dedicated clean space in which to do this, as well.

The next option would be to job the dry mounting out to someone in the biz. Most blueprint outfits will also dry mount as well as us framers. You'll pay more per piece, but you won't have to spend thousands of dollars on setting yourself up.

Something that I would not consider a viable option is to continue using the 77 spray. You have seen firsthand how 'permanent' it is, but the real downside is that now millions of microscopic adhesive particles have taken up malevolent residence in your lungs. Spray adhesive is VERY VERY bad stuff. It is banned in my shop. *cough,cough*

Your website is very nice, btw, the slideshow's a beauty. Thanks for introducing yourself here! Let us know which route you take.

edie
 
Vince, welcome to the grumble. Im sorry I don't have anything to add about the mounting. I did want to agree with Edie...the slide show on your site is fantastic. What an interesting line of work your in. Good luck.
 
Vince, if this job is near your Foster City office, you should contact me. My store is a five minute drive from Foster City. I'm at home now, but I estimate I can mount your photos professionally (hey! no laughing, Grumblers!), for between $15 and $30 each, based on the sizes you've mentioned. I don't think those are museum prices, and I can give you fast turnaround.

If this is near your San Diego office, then I hope you aren't affected by the fires!

Paul
 
Thanks guys and gals! What a friendly bunch you all are!

Thanks for the compliments on our website! My wife and brother are complaining because they want it with more "bang". I'll update that soon.

Well, sounds like I'll go the outsource route for this one. I'll definitely go to the WCAF in January to learn, but can't really spend on that gear until it makes sense. And I'll wear a full respirator next time I do the 3M 77!

I only know the usual Aaron Brothers, etc. type of framers. I'm guessing I'm better off finding a good small framing shop?


PaulSF, unfortunately, this is for San Diego. But your prices sound fine, though. And thanks for the concern; the closest the fires came was about 10 miles. Lot of smoke and some tense moments past few days, though. Its sad so many people lost their homes.

Funny you should call it an "office". Even at the tradeshow, they thought we were a big company. It's just me and my wife working from home, trying to get our little venture off the ground, me building our RC plane on the kitchen table, and my brother who lives in Foster City shooting once in a while... :) I've had to learn to be a photographer, RC plane pilot, airplane designer, electronics engineer, webmaster, graphic artist, desktop publisher, video editor, bookkeeper. (And I'm learning the most important role is sales person!) I guess I don't need to add "framer" to the list. :shrug:

Thanks!

-Vince
 
Vince, since you are down in San Diego, I would recommend our two Grumblers that come to mind in that area -- Rob Markoff, and JRB. I'm not sure which is closest to you, but they will take very good care of your project.

If you ever need help up in the Foster City area, I'm only 5 minutes away. Best of luck!

Paul
 
Oh, one other thing. What's a good way to mount these on the wall, especially if it's a 20x30 inch photo/foamcore and 1/2" thick (i.e. heavy) thing? THanks again!

-Vince
 
Use so-called "museum-hangers" which are brass hooks attached to the wall with a very thin, very hard, pin-like nail. They can support very large weights, 20 x 30 should be a piece of cake. If the walls are concrete, use sticky hangers like the guys who make the Phaedra system sell.

BTW if you decide to glaze these, use something 1/8" CYRO Acrylite-FF plex, definitely do NOT use glass in any public place, just too dangerous.

There are a lot of framing related things a newby can do successfully, like cutting mats. You can even make frames if your pain threshold is high and your persistence great. But getting prints mounted so they stay mounted is remarkably hard to do and the toughest nut I had to crack when learning to frame. The stories I could tell, oh the painful lessons learned, oh the framed prints returned for bubbling, rippling, etc. Unless you have some time for testing and developing technique, let a pro mount this batch of prints.
 
Hi Paul, I just PM'ed those guys. Thanks again and I sure will have my brother work with you if he needs framing!

-Vince
 
bill t. Yes, I'm learning that! Fortunately, it's just our own tradeshow display and some demo stuff that I did myself.

bill, what should I use on the foam core back itself that the hook can go into? Can I just make a hole on the back side where the hanger will go into or is there some sort of adhesive thing like the metal teeth I see on wood frames?

-Vince
 
Vince, If you are thinking of displaying the photos with no frames or glazing (sounds like it from your comment about hanging the foam board directly) you will probably want to consider mounting to a more dirable sunstrate than standard foam centered board. There are a couple different manufacturers of rigid foam centered boards (Gator Foam by IP or Rhino board from Gilman).
There are a number of choices for hardware to hang mounted photos. UMS, a sponsor of one of these forums, has a catalog with several options, and depending on your volume need, they can probably be purchased from the framer that ends up doing your dry mounting.
 
I'll echo Wally's suggestion. If you use foam core without a frame they will surely curl up into a gradual arc in a very short period of time. There are better substrates such as Gator Board ... a little pricier, but well worth it.

Also, there are hangers your framer can attach to the back of the substrate which you can then use a regular picture hanging hook in the wall.



Welcome to the Grumble, Vince!

Best of luck to you on your endeavors.
 
Hi Wally and Dan,

Yes, you guys have scared me enough to let a pro framer do it... :) Sounds like all interesting stuff, but not sure if I'll get to the volume where it makes it worthwhile to frame my own stuff.

I've PM'ed a couple of guys that were recommended but no reply yet. Let me know if you know of some good companies in San Diego I can use. Thanks!

-Vince


Dave said:
I'll echo Wally's suggestion. If you use foam core without a frame they will surely curl up into a gradual arc in a very short period of time. There are better substrates such as Gator Board ... a little pricier, but well worth it.

Also, there are hangers your framer can attach to the back of the substrate which you can then use a regular picture hanging hook in the wall.



Welcome to the Grumble, Vince!

Best of luck to you on your endeavors.
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