Mounting Challenge

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Kittyfaces

Kittyfaces

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
Joined
Feb 23, 2004
Posts
359
Loc
Kennebunk, Maine
I have a 30x25 printed image on cardboard that I'd like to mount, preservationally, if possible. It is 3/16" thick. It is about 60+ years old. The fibers of the cardboard are soft, loose and degrading so nothing, water activated or otherwise, will stick to it.

Mylar/Milenex was considered, but we really don't like the way it looks, especially on a piece this large. I'm considering some sort of acrylic mount similar to what one would use to mount an unframed mirror. Perhaps some felt padding between the cardboard and the mount... I worry about the center bowing though.

Any better ideas out there? I'm in a little bit of a crunch to get it done so when it comes to inginuity, I'm choking.
 
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You could use an acrylic overlay mount if the image surface is stable and would not be damaged by direct contact.

If the direct contact it would be OK, use a sturdy, rigid mounting board. Cover it with a few layers of needle-punched polyester batting, then fabric. The thickness of the cardboard should nestle into the padded, fabric covered background, giving the item good overall support without adhesives of any kind.

For the best results, use 98% UV-filtering, abrasion-resistant, optically coated acrylic, such as Museum Optium Acrylic. DO NOT USE GLASS FOR OVERLAY MOUNTING. More information is in the archives.
 
Well, the edges could be covered. This piece has unusual shape though. It's mostly 30x25 rectangular, but at the top there is a section that juts out. It is a combination of notches and a curve that was cut out by hand. I'd be very lucky to cut a window mat just right. I'd love to do this as a sink mount, but I know I can't cut a top window mat that would be just the right shape for overlapping.

The idea of the design was to float mount the piece on a background color, then bump up the window mat 2X revealing about 1" of the background color. The window mat will have a secondary raised arch cut at the top to go around the unusual shape.

This piece isn't stable enough for the overlay idea, which would be a great solution if this piece was.
 
Given the instability of the card board, it sounds as if a sink/overmat (closed with linen tape lashings) may be the only safe option. Cutting one side of the mat free hand may not be as challenging as it sounds.


Hugh
 
Odd Shaped Mat

To cut an odd shaped mat without a CMC, lay some mylar over the piece being matted, draw the desired opening shape on the mylar, cut it out of the mylar, and transfer the outline of the opening to matboard using pencil. Cut the shape out of the matboard using a hand-held cutter like an Alto, Dexter or cube cutter, in combination with your straight line cutter.
Marge Miccio
http://artifactsgallerytrenton.com
 
Erin there is a framer near us that does have a CMC and he would be willing to cut for us. Hope you and yours had a good holiday ;)
 
Cutting odd shapes is a practical task for the CMC.

When you find a cooperative CMC user, provide a digital photo of the shape, which may be imported into the design program and line-traced. The shape may be scaled and cleaned-up in the program as needed, then saved as a cut-file. This work will probably cost more than the actual mat layers.

Once a cut-file is created, it may be used to cut multiple layers of 4-ply matboard slightly larger than the item, for a sink-mount of he proper depth.

Scaled slightly smaller than the item, the same cut-file may also be used to cut the opening for the window mat to hold the item in the sink.

CMC technology is our friend.
 
What Jim said.

Except that I think its important to tell your customer that even preservation framing will NOT preserve this piece.

It's on cardboard...and the acids in the board itself will eventually destroy it.
 
Oouuuu... I like the Mylar template idea. It's not the hardest cut in the world... a few notches and an arch. it's the measuring that has been the problem. Someone, once upon a time, trimmed this piece by hand and it's hard to know if my measurements will line up with the piece... the mylar template will solve that problem!! I love the Grumble...

Bob... is it the guy in Saco?
 
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