Where are the dimples coming from????

Wendy & June

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First of all I would like to thank everyone who has advised me on my other posts.

Just so everyone will know and not think I'm stupid... I'm quite new to framing and am beginning to see that some of the ways I've been trained by a FORMER employee (who had 20+ years experience) just weren't quite right. So I hope I can seek advise from you guys as needed.
I bought my frame shop a year ago and before then knew absolutely nothing about framing. But love it now and truley want to master it!!! So if you will please advise on my next question....

When we drymount there are small dimples on the finished piece. What causes this...the foam core? the adhesive fusion? or our press? No one has complained yet but I'm not happy with it since I'm quite the perfectionist ;)

Thanks again...Wendy
 
A regular pattern of "dimples" or a few small holes randonly placed?

How big are the "dimples?"

Do you use a release board or just release paper?

My first guess would be that your platten is dirty? Is there adhesive or "crud" stuck to the platten?

P.S. Keep asking, how else do we learn? And, there are probably people with the same question that just don't ask, but are thrilled to get the answer!
 
Foam board is usually not (by itself) the culprit.

You may have tiny dust particles lodged either on your print/poster or on the surface of the foam board. When you “seal” them in, they become very apparent.

We have begun to swipe the art (both surfaces), foam board, and dry mount tissue first with a Swiffer®, then following up by brushing them with a camel hair, draftsman’s brush.

Also, we place a clean, smooth piece of mat board between the platen and the cover release sheet to eliminate any slight imperfections that the platen might transfer.

Since we started using this Swiffer/brush process, we seldom have any bumps or dimples in the finished art.
 
Glossy items will always show an all over pattern of dimpling (orange peel) when drymounted. It's one of the mysteries of framing.

Otherwise, the dimples are almost certainly bits of dust or crud in the press with your piece. Either on the platten, or just loose in the mounter.

Get an anti-static dust brush to clean everything that goes in the mounter. I like to get the mounting board, tissue (if I'm not using coated board), print, and release paper all stacked up, and then run my hands carefully over the top of the release paper, and feel for bumps.
 
Sometimes you can get stuff off the platten by heating up the press then clamping a piece of kraft paper in there... sometimes gunk will stick to the kraft paper. I'm pretty sure it's outlined in the Mounting and Laminating Handbook by Chris Paschnernake (I TOTALLY butchered her last name... sorry Chris). That book set me straight on things that my former employer wasn't doing right.

My press had the same problem so I used a release board until I had time to clean the platten... that day never came and I'm still using the release board! All is well... I just need to use a longer dwell time.
 
We do use release paper...and they are small dimples that are not always in the same spot...We do clean the platten often as well as dust the print and foam core...I thought it may be the fusion we use because it feels like it has small hard specks in it...we may not be using the best...I've just always ordered what the business ordered in the past. What is the best fusion to use??? And do you think this might be the problem??
 
Are those dents (concave) into the print or little bumps (convex) that stick out?

That should tell you whther the problem is under the print (board, mounting tissue or the back of the print) or on top (print front, cover sheet/board or press platen.)
 
Glossy items will always show an all over pattern of dimpling (orange peel) when drymounted. It's one of the mysteries of framing.
NoNoNo, NoNoNoNo.

If properly treated, regular glossy paper will show no more effects of dimples or bumps than matte papers.

You can certainly get the “orange peel” with laminates and some specialty “plastic” papers (like the CibaChrome/IlfoChrome), but you shouldn’t see it with a standard glossy poster.
 
Then it will be pressed into your image. It is coming from the platten or maybe even a bad release board? Time for a new one?

PL
 
Thank you...thank you...thank you!!!!
Tried using a release board...(something I was never told about before)PROBLEM SOLVED!!! You guys are great
(I'm beginning to think my trainer wasn't as smart as she claimed to be.)
 
Patrick,

<font face=madrone size=3>Way</font>, too much information!
 
you cut & mount in the same area???? help yourself put down(literally) the dust motes by getting an ionizer -- I use an oreck...it's on 24/7, its quiet, resuable filters, blows alot of air & the concept works! might also look into the ionizing airsupply gadget(sorry can think of the name)..it attaches onto an air supply that you can use to blow stuff away with
 
Wendy,

Even though you have found the solution to your problem, I Highly recommend your purchasing the book Erin suggested. It will fill in the many gaps left by your "trainer".

Author: Chris A. Paschke, CPF, GCF

Title: "The Mounting and Laminating Handbook". This is a Must-Have book (my 2 cents).

Another by Chris is: "Creative Mounting, Wrapping and Laminating".

You'll love both.

Amy
 
Originally posted by Wendy & June:
...(I'm beginning to think my trainer wasn't as smart as she claimed to be.)
Few of us are.

If she neglected that important point, did she tell you about pre-drying the materials? (If you have a vacuum press, this does not apply)

Did she tell you about cooling under weight?

Did she tell you the differences between dry mount tissue and film? How about the differences between breathable and non-breathable tissues/films?

Get thee to a class on dry mounting. Atlanta is just "down the road a piece", and you should find a good one there at DecorExpo, our industry's largest trade show, in two weeks.
 
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