laminating for preservation?

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thehadmatter

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
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Oct 19, 2007
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I have a client who insists that he does not want to frame three early-1900 documents because he does NOT want to spend the money. But he wants them preserved. His suggestion...can't you just laminate them. This sent me into momentary shock because at this early stage of my game preservation and lamination have not walked hand in hand. Am I off base here? Any suggestions from you more experienced framers?
 
Laminating is adhering a plastic film to a piece of paper. It is NOT archival, nor is it a preservation technique; quite the opposite, it is permanent and will destroy the piece's value.
 
thehadmatter said:
But he wants them preserved. His suggestion...can't you just laminate them.
Click to expand...


This kind of reminds me of Bill Clinton's famous quote, "it depends on your definition of "if"".

I think in this case your definition (from a framers perspective ) of preservation and the customers definition of preservation are entirely different.

You need to explain to him that laminating as he wants will severely limit any potential value. If all he is concerned about is keeping them from getting wrinkled / torn then that may be all he needs. Now there will be a lot of arguments forthcoming as to the framers responsibility and so forth, but... So just make sure he understands that doing so is not "preserving them" but it might add some protection from rips, tears, etc.
 
Add my no way to the lamination.

But you can still meet your customer's need for preservation. University Products, Light Impressions and others sell many different document storage options including sleeves and storage boxes that would keep the documents safe.
 
You could encapsulate them in mylar. It might be close enough to a laminated look to suit this customer. He should be cautioned to not use the encapsulated pieces as placemats, though.

edie
 
That's a good idea, Edie.

Obviously this customer has the impression that laminating preserves things. And he would be right, if we're talking about making a drivers' license more durable. Trouble is, those antique documents are an entirely different matter.

Here's an opportunity for a framer to help a customer preserve items of real value long term. Rather than send him away or dismiss him as an idiot, it would probably be better for all concerned if the customer were informed about his misperception, in such a way that he appreciates the framer's good intentions.
 
hatmatter, I wasn't suggesting that you go ahead and laminate them for him ( that might or might not get you in trouble later ) What I was suggesting is that the two of you had different expectations of what "preservation" was in this case. Customer needs to understand the difference. Some things you just have to say no to. Just make sure your customer understands why, so they don't think you're just difficult or hard to do business with.
 
I've not worked with mylar encapsulation, and frankly, am too new to say that I adequately understand it. Any tips there? Web links to reference?
 
The instructions in your link offer a decent start, but a few details are missing there...

1. All clear polyester film has curvature. Place the two sheets with their convex sides together. This minimizes the "bubble" effect and makes a flatter, better-conforming mount.

2. Instead of laying the tape strips within 3/8" of the document, I suggest no farther than 1/4" from the document's edges, in order to create a pinching action that helps hold the document in place, but no closer than 1/8".

2-1/2. DO NOT USE ATG TAPE, because it would surely fail in a short time. For all clear film mounts, use 3M #889 or 3M #415 double sided tape.

3. Instead of placing the document on the bottom sheet and then placing tape around it, I suggest placing the document under the sheet and placing the tape strips on the sheet while looking through it at the edges. This minimizes the possibility of getting tape adhesive in contact with the document -- which could be disasterous. Be sure you apply tape to the convex side of the clear film sheet.

4. Make sure both sheets of clear film are clean before assembly.

5. After placing tape strips on the bottom sheet, pull their release papers off the corners about 1" only, toward the outside of the mount. Then center the document and the top sheet of clear film (convex side down) on top.

6. Before removing the release paper strips, place a weight in the center of the loosely-assembled mount, in order to prevent shifting of the parts. Again, contact of the document with the tape adhesive could be disasterous. Be careful.

7. Remove the release papers one side at a time and, using the palm of your hand, squeegee the tape bond toward the outside of the mount, being careful not to create wrinkles in the sheets. If you put a document-sized piece of foam center board under your weight, that makes the sheets lay flat, but complicates the tape bonding task a little.

8. Remove the weight and burnish the tape adhesive thoroughly using a burnishing bone. Protect the clear film from abrasion by using a liner of release paper or scrap film under the tool.

9. (Shameless plug with apologies) Buy my new book, "Mounting Objects with Clear Film", from Columba Publishing, the PPFA Bookstore, the PFM Bookstore, M&M, or me. In addition to full details on the Encapsulation Mount, 12 other clear film mounts are detailed to benefit every professional framer.
 
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