Ragmount vs Colormount for heat mounting inkjet prints?

[Chester McCheeserton]

Anyone know if there is actually any difference between these products?

I have a big roll of color mount that I've successfully used to mount inkjet prints on Baryta paper to 8 ply museum board, I'm pretty sure Ragmount didn't exist 6 or 8 years ago, I'm wondering if they just changed the name to market it for inkjet prints or are the physical properties different, lower mounting temperature or something....have any of you used both? I don't want to waste the color mount but I also don't want to risk using an inferior mounting substrate if Ragmount is def better..

Thanks

[Drew Wiley]

I have no incentive to try it because I don't do any inkjet printing, which is the only thing it's officially recommended for. It's allegedly more breathable than Colormount, which is on a glassine-like substrate. When inkjet prints are heated up and pressed, they outgas quite a bit or else trap steam, being relatively unbreathable themselves, and are prone to form blisters. You could allow some of this to happen naturally by allowing them to air dry several months prior to mounting. But you'll just have to test. Heat mounting color prints is always a gamble anyway.

[faberryman]

Unless you are mounting large images, you might want to consider not drymounting at all. The notes say that Colormount is a permanent adhesive. If I were going to drymount, I would use something that is reversable. I am not sure if Ragmount is that product, but I would certainly ask.

[Drew Wiley]

The mfg specifications plainly spell out that Ragmount is NOT Colormount at all, and not even intended for the same applications. But "Reversible" is also
often synonymous with failure-prone in warm shipping or display conditions, esp with print media difficult to bond to begin with.

[Chester McCheeserton]

Thanks guys. Yeah I talked to a friend who has used Ragmount since I posted this, Ragmount actually has like a thin layer of paper in the middle with adhesive on either side. Very different then Colormount, which is as you say like glassine. I went ahead and mounted using the Colormount roll I had on hand. Didn't use weights while cooling and one edge popped up but I increased the temp slightly and cooled it under weights and seemed to hold. Knock on wood.

I mount a blank sheet on the back of the 8ply to prevent warping down the road which I'm sure is overkill but I've gotten into the habit. It saves $ and weight compared to having a frame shop mount them on dibond. I don't worry about the reversible part, I want the print flat for good! The mounted prints will go in a frame without a mat so the edges are held down by a spacer and the surface will be protected by plex, optium when I can swing it.

[Chester McCheeserton]

Still I'm surprised other people on here don't have direct experience with both.

[Drew Wiley]

Why? There are cold mount products more suitable. It's a relatively new product with little track record. I test things for years before I trust them with serious prints.

[Chester McCheeserton]

Way more people on this forum have seal heat mount presses then have 50 or 60 inch seal wide format roll laminators, which I've only seen in professional frame shops. Perhaps you have both, but if so, I bet you're one of less then a half dozen on here that do.
I'm aware it's possible to use a small hand roller or spray to cold mount but I don't know anyone serious, as you say, who would do that.

[Chester McCheeserton]

If you don't make inkjet prints and have never used it how are you so sure there are cold mount products more suitable?

[bob carnie]

Way more people on this forum have seal heat mount presses then have 50 or 60 inch seal wide format roll laminators, which I've only seen in professional frame shops. Perhaps you have both, but if so, I bet you're one of less then a half dozen on here that do.
I'm aware it's possible to use a small hand roller or spray to cold mount but I don't know anyone serious, as you say, who would do that.

Hi Chester

I have both , hot press and a cold laminator for mounting prints. I tend to like the cold laminator for inkjets and c prints, but I use the hot press for silver prints. Cibachromes and Silver are never advised to mount with hot. (who prints Cibas anymore anyways)
Also your substrates will tell you which method to use, plastics are not good for hot mounting , due to expansion and contraction, there for I stick to rag and acid free for hot mounts, Sintra , Diabond and Acid free for cold.
On Rag board its usually with hot press due to its thinness, but with that said you can use the cold for rag as well


One advantage of hot press, and yes it works perfectly well for inkjets is when you are precision mounting for Matting purposes , putting a print in position is impossible (or really hard) with roller cold press, but a piece of cake with a hot press.

I no longer do face to plexi which is a specific mount process , and I am no longer mounting silver prints with reversable tissue , as it is almost impossible to use in my shop.

I have seen people put the adhesive on larger boards and then mount small print over time, a quick fix and for small prints you can use a roller , but for bigger prints I would not advise, but with that said I saw a youtube video of a dude mounting 20 x30 prints using cold adhesive rolled onto a board and then the print is adhered and rolled on.. Painful to watch but he thought it was the cats ass.

Bob