Roll Paper and Large Prints.

[Pat Kearns]

Instead of dry mounting with a press why not use linen tape at the top of the print to the mounting board and overmat the print?

[Greg Blank]

There is a lot of helpful advice in these repsonses so I appreciate all that have replied.
I like dry mounting, for a several of reasons:

From what I have read through the years, dry mounting with low temperature adhesive provides a barrier to contaminates. Using a low temp acid free adhesive allows the print to be removed from the mat board.

One of the reasons I don't overmat, is that I allow for a window a small amount larger than the print with a beveled edge, at the bottom I sign the matte, so the window allows for this.

[bob carnie]

Hi Pat

I cannot imagine not dry mounting the large fibre murals, even with the best humidity and drying conditions the prints do tend to curl way worse than small prints.
the handling of a large print is much worse than when making 20x24 ( where you can have a workflow that does not stress the image) but I have used troughs, and as well monster trays and in all cases the stress on the paper is probably the most difficult aspect, or reducing the stress of printing murals.
Ink jet prints or lambda prints are less of a problem and they can be hinged at larger sizes and you can feel comfortable presenting that way.

Bob

Instead of dry mounting with a press why not use linen tape at the top of the print to the mounting board and overmat the print?

[cyrus]

How about a simple household iron instead of a press? You just have to go over the photo a few times.

[emh]

I built rolling trays out of gutters, with end caps. Very inexpensive, and easy to make. You can cut them to any size you want.
I dry mount, too. Fiber paper is difficult to keep flat without dry mounting. My press needs to do the mounting in sections, but I've found a few frame shops/galleries that let me use their large presses. Sometimes I give them a smaller version, in exchange for use of the press.

[Asher Kelman]

I'm wondering about processing the paper! Are there supersize drums for 30"x40" or 24"x48", for example?

Tray work would seem to be a problem as getting the entire thing in without a time difference between one end and other would appear to be the great challenge?

Asher

[Greg Blank]

I almost forgot I started this thread. I get busy I looked at the whole shebang, videos on you tube, etc. I did finally get a large refrigerator tray from Home Depot it was barely adequate, after three prints I had one that I could use. The tray was too small, with a bit of finess I managed a 24 x30. I had it dry mounted by a local gallery and frame place that had experience. I would have bought a large piece of PVC with end caps and floor rolled it. But the immediate requirement and the potential to realize a sale precluded the investment in a new piece of drain pipe versus one that had sewage previously run through it I thought my reputation deserved just a bit higher standard than that).

With the Jobo stuff I have been doing its got me thinking about doing custom darkroom consulting and custom repair & fabrication here on the east coast. Once I master Tig welding I intend to build stainless sinks and other processing gear. With my electronics background of the past five years I am certain I can build custom processors.

I'm wondering about processing the paper! Are there supersize drums for 30"x40" or 24"x48", for example?

Tray work would seem to be a problem as getting the entire thing in without a time difference between one end and other would appear to be the great challenge?

Asher

[Asher Kelman]

I almost forgot I started this thread. I get busy I looked at the whole shebang, videos on you tube, etc. I did finally get a large refrigerator tray from Home Depot it was barely adequate, after three prints I had one that I could use. The tray was too small, with a bit of finess I managed a 24 x30.

I'm so impressed, Greg! Did it work on the first try? With your drain pipe rolling drums, how do you get the liquids in fast enough and what diameter do you use?

What's needed here is a processor where the paper is just fed in, 30-40" wide, LOL!

Asher

[Greg Blank]

Asher, I did not use a drain pipe. For a pipe you would use the diameter of the pipe comparatively to the short dimension of the print. The length can be the full 40" for a 30 inch wide print you would need about a 12" wide tube. I say about,..Since PVC only comes in preset sizes. Then you would still need to figure the chemistry addition and removal issues. You could just estimate the time to remove the cap and put it back on relative to the total development time. Fixer and stop steps are not a big deal. Another thought would be cutting or drilling a hole in the cap big enough to fill and drain the chemicals. I can see building a large stainless drum and driving it with a larger motor base if one intends to do a lot of big prints.

I might add that the quotes for big enough pipe were in the neighborhood of $100.00 for end caps and a much longer section than I needed.
The printing paper already had cost me around 400.00, frame and matting also well over 100.00 so at the time I was thinking how to make the process a bit less expensive.

I'm so impressed, Greg! Did it work on the first try? With your drain pipe rolling drums, how do you get the liquids in fast enough and what diameter do you use?

What's needed here is a processor where the paper is just fed in, 30-40" wide, LOL!

Asher

[LF_rookie_to_be]

If you look hard enough, you can get a drain pipe as well as end caps for free at construction sites. For the filling/draining issue, look at how the caps on a Cibachrome drum are constructed - and then improve on that. For B&W, one drain+fill cap will do. Cut a larger hole in the middle of the cap and glue a cup on the bottom surface. It should be half-open at the top. For the light trap, put four sections of a slightly larger cup almost the length of the first cup in front of each opening. If the cap leaks, gaffer tape will help. Use neoprene glue for PP/PE pipes.