mounting photos

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Rosalyn

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
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374
Loc
Kansas
I've read a lot of the posts about mounting and hinging. Frankly, I'm ready to throw in the towel.
I own and refer to and read Vivan Kistler's books. I thought I was doing things correclty. Apparently I'm not! I've been using Lineco's Self Adhesive Linen Tape to hinge the art work to the mount board. It claims it was safe and even has a picture on the box of t-hinging...

So, I've assumed wrong!!! RIGHT?

On to the most current problem. Customer brings in 10 wedding photos all alike. Wants them all matted, framed exactly alike for Christmas presents.

What do I use to hinge mount these to the mount? If, as I've read, the startch paste won't stick to well to photo paper. . . mylar corners? I certainly don't want the rippling, etc. to happen since I don't know what parts of the country these will all end up regarding humiditiy . . .

Help! Yes, I'd love to attend a school somewhere, sometime, but right now I can't. So for the mean time I rely on lots of books, the internet and the nice people here.

I did a lot of research before I started my business two years ago. Now I feel completely IGNORANT and it gets worse the more I read . . .
 
"The more we know, the more we know that we don't
know." Learning has that aspect to it, but that
can be exciting, if learning is enjoyed.
As to the photos, if they are on resin-coated
paper, they will feel slick and plastic on the
back. Starch paste hinges will not stick well,
but for those items, you can take the adhesive
from your linen tape and paint it onto Japanese
tissue, to creat non-cockling hinges that will
stick. This can ONLY be done when the back of
the item is plastic of this sort (coronally treated polyethylene).
You can also use folded paper edge strips to
secure the photos, if you are overmatting their
edges. A description of this technique can
be found in the Preservation Hinging and the
Hinge-free Support Supplements on the web
site, pictureframingmagazine.com

Hugh
 
Well - I considered Hugh's advice . . . I've researched the archives again and decided to try what Hugh suggested with taking adhesive from the linen tape and applying to the paper hinge. I wanted to order just the Japanese paper for the hinges - but have to make a minimum $35 order with the company I called. I don't need $35 of anything just $5-6 bucks worth of paper - sigh - and can't seem to find what I need from my other two suppliers . . .

Then I began to rethink. Mylar corners, they will show because the mat area won't cover enough of the photo (customer's choice of mat coverage).

I feel these photos need to be hinged because they will utimately be mailed to destinations across the country. I'm concerned about the photos coming out of mylar corners or mounting strips. Don't want them arriving cock-eyed after being mis-handled by the postal service.

Suggestions are open again . . .
 
Rosalyn,

It would be more likely that the photos would shift under the mats when hinged from the top than pop out of Mylar corners applied to all 4 corners of the photos.

You have to consider that the mats will be sort of clamped down on the photos and held there by the glass so there will be constant pressure against the photo edges at all times.

If the frame is bumped or dropped sideways with hinges holding the photo in place, it would most likely be displaced sideways even though the mats are against the edges of the photo.

(I hope that made enough sense to understand.)

Framerguy
 
Hmmmm - okay. I'll see if the littlest corners I have will show . . .

Thanks Framerguy
 
Wouldn't it be nice if all manufactures were talking the same language. No misleading or incorrect information.

Get the FACTS www.\\artfacts.org

The lastest project is to establish standards for adhesives.

We all should support FACTS. We all need to be talking with the same knowledge.
 
JFeig - If you're referring to my original post - I agree. I visited FACTS and read. I'm partially referring to that as adding to my confusion. . . Or maybe I'm just stupid
 
Is Perfect Mount an option for photos as long as the customer knows they couldn't be removed at a later time?

Amy
 
Rosalyn,

You don't necessarily have to use "your smallest corners." You can trim the top of the corner before inserting the photo or putting it on the mounting board. In fact, I have found sometimes a larger corner trimmed gives better support than a smaller corner when the mat doesn't overlap much.

I slide a piece of mat into the corner and cut the top thinner with a razor blade. Don't use scissors. They can leave a "bump" that may dig into the piece. Obviously, you have to have enough overlap so the piece doesn't fall out, but this technique can work when you don't have as much room as you'd like to work with.

Cliff
 
Duh - I've trimmed the mylar mounting strips before but never thought to trim the corners! Excellent idea!!! I'll try that today since my smallest corners didn't work and besides I was concerned about them staying in place since they are so tiny. I'd rather use a bigger one and trim it . . . wahoo maybe I've found an answer.

Amy -- I've read about Perfect Mount. The ads say for photos . . . but don't like the idea of the photos not being removable. I guess it wouldn't be any different than the portraits that come from the photographer mounted on 'whatever'. It also concerns me just how to get the photo centered in the mat area with perfect mount without running the risk of bending the photo trying to get it set just so. There's probably a perfectly easy sollution to that but my pea-brain doesn't see it yet. Maybe cut the mount to the size of the photo after mounting and 'sink' mount it to another mount for matting-- ? Sounding like a lot of work -- but I'm pea-brained . . .
 
P90 works great on photos. If you are working with photos larger than 8 x 10 they will be better mounted to perfect mount or the like. You can either t-hinge or hinge to the back of the mat center top and one side to help hold it, not all sides unless you want it to buckle. Works for me. The p90 will not show through the photo as the heavier tapes will. I wanted to e-mail you but no address.

[ 10-29-2003, 05:20 PM: Message edited by: JPete ]
 
JPete -- I thought P90 was in a since just like the Lineco Self-adhesive hinging tape I was using that I read I shouldn't use on photos:confused:
 
I going to step out on a wobbly limb here.

Those wedding photos are contemporary? They are almost certainly RC (resin-coated) and, while not indestructible, I am of the opinion that they are not likely to be harmed with a couple tabs of framers tape or similar.

Even if starch paste and Japanese hinges worked well on RC prints, I don't believe they would be a sensible use of time.
 
Ron, that's kinda the premise I was going on but had become completely confused by some reading I had done. So you think it's okay to use my Lineco self-adhesive or should I get some P90.

Those mylar corners are murder getting them lined up proper and keeping my fingers off the photo . . . I did three today and finially took a long break. Quit for the day on those actually. Of course there's probably an easier way. I just don't know it.
 
I'm going on the fact that the linen tape would leave a small bump show up through the photo and P90 or a similiar linco doesn't. The tape sticks great to the photo and with a quick burnish of the back of your thumb it holds to most boards without a problem. These new photos can be replaced.

Now if you are looking for "do no damage to an old photo", that is another ball game.
 
I had been worrying about having used the Lineco on someone's photos and any adverse effects but can't really remember any except my own. Until today that is! Remember a customer's 11x14 that I probably used the lineco on. Then remember I took the portrait so I have the negative if anything does happen to it. silly me
 
Conservation purists, please don't hurt me.

Roz, Is there a reason you are not mounting the photo's?

I am not a fan of mounts in the press, I hate the orange peal effect, even if minimal. I really like the look of nicely printed photo. So I use perfect mount (PSX) from Crescent.

Generally speaking, I cut my mats as always, then cut the PSX 1/8" less than the outside dimension of the mats ATWA (gives a little wiggle room for eventual centering).

Center the photo on the PSX, cover with protective sheet and roll from center out to corners with a 6" brayer. Attach mat finish the fit and your on to the next.

Good Luck!
 
I don't think Rosalyn mentioned how big these prints are. I'd be more likely to mount an 11x14 (Perfect Mount on Super Smooth) and probably hinge a 5x7. Like JPete, I'd prefer something thinner than linen tape for hinging.

Rosalyn, I hope this thread isn't just adding to your confusion. After you look at the supply catalogs and the tape boxes, and you hear from the framers who want to use Japanese hinges on the $5 Portal poster 'cause it might be an heirloom some day, you need to look at each case individually and use your own good sense.

It helps to have a good variety of materials and techniques available and be open-minded about trying new ones as they become available.

Two years ago, on this forum, I said that my mounting press was my single most important piece of equipment in the shop. The closest thing I had to mylar corners was a box of photo corners. Now I turn the press on once-a-week (to mount all those Portal posters) and I go through Mylar corners like Jolly Rancher candies.
 
There are 8 - 8x10s and 2 - 5x7s and as I said I've done three with mylar corners which wasn't going so easy so I quit on the project for the day and did something else.

I've never dry mounted anything because I have trouble with the non-removable side of the idea. Once I used one of those adhesive mounts on a cross-stitch of my own. After it hung in my daughter's room for 12 years the mat needed replaced. When I did so I wanted it off the mount to clean it. OHHHHHH yuck. sticky mess.

In this case I think the lady would have heartfailure if I dry mounted them.
 
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