Mounting Ilfochrome

[Paul Schilliger]

So far, I have always been mounting my Ilfochrome prints on plastic or aluminium auto-adhesive plates, overlapping them with the matts. But I remember when visi ting Michael Fatali's gallery in Springdale some years ago, I noticed his (beaut iful!) prints where mounted the way black and white prints are mounted, that is with a heat press directly on the matt. I wonder how this process can be achieve d, since Ilfochrome cannot be heated. Two faces adhesive? Ilford's support could not answer me at the time. Glossy polyester require a very smooth surface. Mat paper is less demanding. Does anyone know about this technique?

[Lanier Benkard]

Paul, I don't know the answer to your question myself, but I do remember that the lightroom's website has a whole section on it. Rather than go there myself and then misconvey the information, I'll just point you there: The Lightroom (http://www.lightroom.com).

[Dan Smith]

I do custom photographic framing as a specialty in conjunction with my photography, and Ilfochromes are easy to do. Get a roll of Scotch PMA(Positionable Mounting Adhesive). Per Scotch and Light Impressions both, it it archival. It is pure adhesive on a easy to remove roll. You unroll a bit and place your print on it. I then use the release paper over the face of the print so I don't scratch or ding it, and cut around the print with a razor blade to get the edges just right. Then, turn the print over on the release paper(use a good 100% rag board underneath, making sure no adhesive sticks to it when you place the face of the print on it). Now burnish the adhesive on the back of the print through its backing. The wide burnishing tool makes it easy to do without creasing the print. If your mat board is dirty, you will make craters or scratches on the print-be clean. Then get your mounting board, peel the backing off the print, and place it on the pre-measured marks and you have a nice looking, permanently mounted print. With Ilfochromes you have to be careful and be sure you do NOT put buffered boards in contact with them. Ilfochromes are acidic and the alkiline buffering will bleach out the print where it makes contact. If you use wooden framing, the inside of the frame, next to the matboard and glass, needs to have aluminized mylar affixed to it to keep the outgassing from the wood from the print in the frame.

[Paul Schilliger]

Lanier, thanks for the link! The indications given there go in the same directio n as Dan's explanations. Dan, thanks a lot! I have to try this method. The first question that comes to m y mind though is: will this give acceptable results with the glossy polyester paper too? I have had prealabl e experiences of a very annoying "orange peel" finish on some supports. But I can think, because the adh esive will hold stronger on the polyester side than on the board's side, that it will flatten up with the time. Your indication on buffered boards and how to inactivate wooden frames are precious too. Where do y ou get that mylar stuff? An adhesive film? Thanks!