Photo Drymounting Help

[MerpsMom]

I need to drymount about 12 individual semi- to- glossy 4 x 6 photos for a collage. I'm using meltable tissue at 3 minutes, 180 degrees, new release paper folded over the photos with a very smooth matboard as the buffer between the platen and the photos. The photos are being mounted on matboard so they can be backbeveled.

I'm still getting some orangepeel. Is it possible to really eliminate it or is that a pipedream? I'm pretty picky so maybe I'm overly concerned, but I hope someone can give me a magic formula........in a hurry: must be done today!

Cathie

 

[Jeff Rodier]

If you are mounting on matboard with matboard overlay your photos will be as smooth as the board you have chosen. Some boards have less smooth construction than others so once you find the smooth one you need to stick with that. Hope that smooths out your situation. If you say smooth enough times it no longer sounds like a real word.

 

[MerpsMom]

I found an old Elizabeth Dow that was super smooooooth and am using that as the overlay.

You know what else? Old wrinkled meltable isn't nearly as effective as a piece off a new roll. I'm not sure I'll ever please myself but I'm armed and now going off to work! Thanx, Jeff.

Cathie

 

[Jim Miller]

If you eliminate the matboard overlay, and have only the release paper between the photo and the heated lid of the press, that might reduce the 'orange peel' effect.

It won't help you today, but in the future a Perma-Lon Release Board from Kool Tack probably would be the best way to avoid 'orange peel'. And incidentally, you can buy any matboard you like with Kool Tack's adhesive (30-seconds, 160 F degree) pre-applied.







I am a Kool Tack user and occasional consultant.

 

[Jeff Rodier]

It won't help you today, but in the future a Perma-Lon Release Board from Kool Tack probably would be the best way to avoid 'orange peel'. And incidentally, you can buy any matboard you like with Kool Tack's adhesive (30-seconds, 160 F degree) pre-applied.

I get a chuckle out of this every time I see it. What would be the cost of a board coated with adhesive and then shipped to a framer, $50. If you use the exact same board every time you could buy some quantity but for one up there could be no profit in this proposal.

 

[more_so]

Have had good results using Crescent #215 Hot Press Illustration board as a cover, no release paper. Extremely smooth surface. You gotta cut trim the excess tissue first so it doesn't stick to the board, that's the downside. Takes about an extra minute for the heat to penetrate the board.

 

[Jim Miller]

I get a chuckle out of this every time I see it...If you use the exact same board every time you could buy some quantity but for one up there could be no profit in this proposal.

Your amusement is well taken, Jeff. Who would want to pay shipping for a single sheet of matboard?

A lot of framers might buy a carton of matboards with the latest-technology low-temperature, fast-bonding dry mounting adhesive pre-applied. The boards don't have to be all the same; buy a mixed carton of different colors & board types. White alpha cellulose might be good for most dry mounting, but black-core black matboards work very well for bevel-edge trimmed, float mounted papers with ink on both sides, such as newspaper articles and magazine pages.

Using a pre-adhesive board is faster and more convenient than using separate film or tissue, and the adhesive is the latest technology (low temperature, fast bonding, reversible). That explains why pre-adhesive boards are fast replacing the use of dry mounting adhesives on rolls, but there's no reason to dry mount only on foam board. Since matboard is thinner and has a harder surface, it has advantages in some applications. Eventually, we will probably be able to buy pre-adhesive matboards from our local suppliers.

For many of us, a mixed carton of 25 sheets of pre-adhesive matboard might last a year or so. The cost is quite reasonable by the carton, and I guess it would be even better if you buy a pallet of them. You should check it out, Jeff.

 

[PaulSF]

Another option if time and materials permit is PMA. It's strong enough to hold a 4x6 photo, and you'll get zero orange peel.

 

[MerpsMom]

Jim, I didn't know Kool-Tac had that product. That's good news; and since my local carries Kool-Tac, they may have the matboards as well.

I don't do a whole lot of dry-mounting anymore so I'm a little out of the loop.

Paul, will PMA hold up over the years? I've seen some photos release from it, but maybe they just weren't done well in the first place?

Cathie

 

[Jeff Rodier]

PMA is made to go through a cold roller press. The reason you have seen it released is because it was used with out the roller press.

 

[PaulSF]

My store is closed, not my problem anymore!

Jim, I didn't know Kool-Tac had that product. That's good news; and since my local carries Kool-Tac, they may have the matboards as well.

I don't do a whole lot of dry-mounting anymore so I'm a little out of the loop.

Paul, will PMA hold up over the years? I've seen some photos release from it, but maybe they just weren't done well in the first place?

Cathie