My usual procedure for pre dry mounting bw prints is thus: After drying, I flatten my prints via the heat from a dry mount press. As I prepare a print for dry mounting to an archival board, I tack a piece of mounting tissue of approx. size to the back sided of a print leaving at least one edge of the print a la natural or left alone as is. This "left alone as is" is my guide for trimming the print with a 36" Rotatrim, using that one side as my "rule". My reasoning is that if one side of the paper (print) is "straight", then 2 other cuts will make the print square & then the 4th side is cut as well.

My question is: after the print drys, I am assuming that the print is still rectagular in shape & straight on all four sides. Is that true or does the paper take on weird sizings due to shrinkage in the drying phase????? If straight sizings is off, then my dry mounting cuttings would be off as sometimes I suspect.

I hoping I am making myself clear on this issue. If not, please ask for a rephrasing. And if you follow similar procedures, perhaps make suggestions.