spray mounting photographs

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scrimshanker

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I've been dry mounting photographic prints on foam core using either dry mount adhesive, or foam core treated with heat activated adhesive for years.
I recently moved to Vietnam, where, although dry mount presses are readily available, I have not been able to source a heat activated sheet adhesive - either here, or in China.
As an interim measure, I've been mounting on foam board using spray adhesives - most recently 3M Super 77
While it does the job, the material is toxic, and the overspray is appalling. More importantly, I have not been able to master a consistent even spray - and I'm plagued by flying gobs of glue.
Is it just my technique.....or do spattering gobs of glue come with the territory?
Thanks
 
It is not you. Super 77 is nasty and not terribly effective. Very often, and probably because you can not get an even application, the prints will bubble up in alarming ways. It is probably ok for short term prints. It seems to work better and longer for smaller prints--up to about 11 x 14.

If you can get rolls of drymount tissue, you should probably bite the bullet and mount with the extra step.

It is more labor-intensive, but if it is available you can make your own heat-activated board by rolling acrylic medium onto foam board and allowing it to dry. You can get a pretty even application using a foam roller. The heat of the press will reactivate the adhesive.

You might also try Positionable Mounting Adhesive (PMA) which is a tissue that uses pressure instead of heat if it is available.

I don't remember its real name, but there is also a pressure-based adhesive board that I have always called sticky board which might be more available. It is pretty unforgiving since the adhesive is very aggressive.

Others may have better ideas. We are really spoiled in the US since we can get about any product fairly easily. Good luck.
 
I agree with what Greg is saying, and I'll just add that you are right, very toxic, and overspray terrible, I can't get near the stuff, ever. IMO do all you can to avoid spray adhesives. How ever Super 77 can produce globs in the spray pattern, perhaps by shaking it more and keeping the tip clean will help, the glue likes to cling to the tip. You need something like Perfect Mount Photo Spray or Scotch Photo Mount designed for photographs, if you insist on a spray adhesive. You could also go with a pressure mount system, a local sign company can offer advice or service to do it for you. Im sure there is board like perfect mount out there just under a different name you will have do more research.
 
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77 spray adhesive was used to do frisket work in graphic design. It was considered a temporary adhesive when allowed to cure before use. I used it and Photo Mount a lot in the 70's and 80's, but quit as soon as an alternative came along.
Neschen makes some transferable film adhesives designed specifically for dry mounting photos that have passed the Photo Activity Test (PAT) and may be more readily available to you.

  1. https://www.neschen.de/en/product/gudy-802/
 
Health risks aside, spray glues are very unreliable. They work on a pressure bonding principle and if you don't
get enough even pressure down you run the risk of getting localised bumps. There is a small window of opportunity
when the glue after being sprayed is ready for bonding. The solvent has to 'flash off'. It takes practice to judge when
it in the right condition. Bond too soon and it won't stick properly. Wait too long - ditto.

Problem is, that were it does stick it sticks very firmly, so removing the photo the have another go is not a option.
Even if you could remove the photo flattening the bumps is nigh-on impossible.

Regard spray glues as a purely temporary method.
 
Amen to the above. Spray cans of adhesive are a recipe for disaster. You will also find that contact adhesives do not bond well with non-porous surfaces like resin coated photographic paper.

I used to use a spraygun loaded with a grey adhesive (whose name escapes me at present) which I bought in 5 gallon containers and this gave quite a smooth spray but, naturally, I only ever used it on cheap prints and posters.
 
Thank you all for your helpful input.
When I moved to Vietnam I bought one 50yd roll of Dry-Lam Colortac dry mounting adhesive with me. Since I posted my query above, I've purchased a dry mount press, and have enough of the Dry-Lam adhesive to mount about 100 large prints. I continue to hope that I will be able to find a locally available alternative to Dry-Lam before I run out.

In the meantime, I'm interested in this advice from wvframer:

"It is more labor-intensive, but if it is available you can make your own heat-activated board by rolling acrylic medium onto foam board and allowing it to dry. You can get a pretty even application using a foam roller. The heat of the press will reactivate the adhesive"

I don't mind the labor-intensive element......but what is the 'acrylic medium' you refer to?
Thanks again
 
I've attached a picture of a gel acrylic medium available here - does this seem to be an appropriate product for making my own self-adhesive foam board?
I see that the base ingredient in gesso is also an acrylic medium. Could gesso be used for the same application?
Thanks
 

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That is the product, but not a brand I am familiar with. And I sure hope it is available in larger sizes.

I don't know about gesso. My first thought is probably not, but that is something I have never tried. Jim Miller introduced me to the uses of acrylic medium some years ago and probably will know the answer.

Be sure to experiment first. I have found that the acrylic medium can be reheated to flatten out bubbles and can often be gently removed from the board by careful and repeated applications of heat. I have done both of these things successfully, but it is not guaranteed that you won't end up damaging the print sometimes.

I don't know much about wet mounting, but there are others here that are experts at it. This might also be an option for you to consider. You might try the search term "wet mounting."

Anything is going to be preferable to that 77 spray.
 
Looks like I'm late to this party...

Yes, as recommended by others above, acrylic medium can be used as a heat-activated adhesive. Be sure to apply it evenly over the entire surface of the mounting substrate with no dry spots, lumps, or ridges. Acryic gel - if it is available - would be better than what appears to be a semi-liquid medium in your photo, because you could roll it on to make a thicker layer.

Roll it on, let it dry, then activate using pressure and heat of, say, 160-170 degrees F for a few minutes, then immediately cool under weight for about a minute.
 
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Jim Miller said:
Looks like I'm late to this party...

Yes, as recommended by others above, acrylic medium can be used as a heat-activated adhesive. Be sure to apply it evenly over the entire surface of the mounting substrate with no dry spots, lumps, or ridges. Acryic gel - if it is available - would be better than what appears to be a semi-liquid medium in your photo, because you could roll it on to make a thicker layer.

Roll it on, let it dry, then activate using pressure and heat of, say, 160-170 degrees F for a few minutes, then immediately cool under weight for about a minute.
Click to expand...

With the humidity there, would it help to mount another sheet of paper on the backside of the substrate, first?
 
Using acrylic gel, you need to allow the adhesive to dry before activating it, so if the substrate warps, you probably can see it in advance. In any case, it would do no harm to apply the gel the back of the board as well (after the front side dries, of course) and mount a sheet of paper to the back along with the art on the front.
 
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