Dry Mount Press Cover?

[Salmo22]

When my father passed, and we were cleaning out his darkroom, I was able to save his Seal 210M Dry Mount Press. I am looking to get input from the LFPF members on what would be a good cover to keep it relatively dust free in between uses. I did some cursory research online and did not find anything "ready-made" for that purpose - maybe I missed something. Your ideas and suggestions are appreciated.

[Richard Wasserman]

An old towel?

[Eric Woodbury]

Pillow case or part of a sheet. I don't cover the closing bar.

[Renato Tonelli]

I cover it with a plastic sheet after it has cooled down.

[Pieter]

I had a custom cover made for mine by Digital Deck Covers. It wasn’t terribly expensive and they might even have the dimensions and pattern on file.

[Salmo22]

I had a custom cover made for mine by Digital Deck Covers. It wasn’t terribly expensive and they might even have the dimensions and pattern on file.

Thanks Pieter. That is what I was hoping to find. I'll reach out to them to see if they kept your order info on file. What year did you make the order with them?

[Tin Can]

I like no cover, I dust it, it is not in DR

I worry about leaving it ON or a bump it on

so I unplug it too

[Drew Wiley]

Nothing vinyl. Towels just add to an unwanted lint issue. You want something inert and breathable so you won't get rust, like Tyvek fabric. Or you can get rust resistant breathable machinery covers from woodworking suppliers like Rockler. Make sure the thing is unplugged! Mine is in a room separate from either the darkrooms or shop space per se, so I leave it uncovered.

[Salmo22]

I like no cover, I dust it, it is not in DR

I worry about leaving it ON or a bump it on

so I unplug it too

My darkroom isn't big enough to accommodate a dry mount press. I've got an area of my garage set aside for cutting mattes and mounting prints. That is where my 210M resides. While I keep that area clean, it still gathers dust over time. My preference would be to have Dan (Stone Photo Gear) make me a custom dust cover for my Seal 210M - I absolutely love his work. Unfortunately, his current circumstances does not allow Dan to take custom orders. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Digital Deck Covers can offer a reasonable solution.

[xkaes]

My enlargers, slide copier, copy stand, and dry mount are all covered with trash bags when not is use. They come in a variety of colors, but I believe Louis Vuitton has more stylish offerings.

[Drew Wiley]

In this marine salt air climate, impermeable covers are voodoo to anything ferrous, even in the back of large industrial building. My dirt cheap simple solution is to simply buy XXL Tyvek painters overalls, and then slit and tape them to make an effective equipment cover. Formally sized and treated permeable equipment covers can be obtained for moderate expense from numerous outfits including Grainger or Rockler, or probably off the internet too.

[Salmo22]

My enlargers, slide copier, copy stand, and dry mount are all covered with trash bags when not is use. They comes in a variety of colors, but I believe Louis Vuitton has more stylish offerings.

Stylish Louis Vuitton options sounds interesting. I'd be in heaven if it matched my man-purse ;)

[Salmo22]

In this marine salt air climate, impermeable covers are voodoo to anything ferrous, even in the back of large industrial building. My dirt cheap simple solution is to simply buy XXL Tyvek painters overalls, and then slit and tape them to make an effective equipment cover. Formally sized and treated permeable equipment covers can be obtained for moderate expense from numerous outfits including Grainger or Rockler, or probably off the internet too.

Thanks Drew. I had not considered Grainger or Rockler. I'll give them a look. Gratefully, marine salt air climate isn't an issue we contend with in Arizona. But we have more than our share of dust.

[Paul Ron]

hang your jacket on it instead of the tread mill.

[Salmo22]

An old towel?


Pillow case or part of a sheet. I don't cover the closing bar.

Interestingly, my father had this press covered with what appeared to be remnants of his old USAF flight suits that mom had sewn together in a nearly custom-fitted cover. Mom was quite the seamstress and quilter in her day. There was much adaptive re-use of clothing articles in my home growing up. I would continue using that if it hadn't been torn-up by my "I'm trying to help" grandkids as dad's old darkroom was being exhumed. If I wasn't now an orphan, I'd have mom make the needed repairs and carry on.

[Salmo22]

hang your jacket on it instead of the tread mill.

:D

[Salmo22]

How about these apples - https://www.digitaldeckcovers.com/seal-commercial-210-m

Digital Deck Covers has a cover ready-made for the 210M press and I've placed my order. Thanks to Pieter for bringing this option to my attention. Once again, the LFPF comes to the rescue.

[Sal Santamaura]

How about these apples - https://www.digitaldeckcovers.com/seal-commercial-210-m

Digital Deck Covers has a cover ready-made for the 210M press and I've placed my order. Thanks to Pieter for bringing this option to my attention. Once again, the LFPF comes to the rescue.

I have covers for a number of my equipment items from Digital Deck Covers. The only caution I'd offer is that their existing patterns for some equipment can vary a bit from what I consider a perfect fit. That results, I was told, from their having added some designs based on measurements supplied by other customers rather than their own handling of the equipment. I strongly suggest double-checking the dimensions their pattern indicates against your press in light of how you'd like the cover to fit.

[Tin Can]

I hope all know better than to store them closed tight

They can be closed, but not locked shut

I keep clean matte board inside, not locked

[xkaes]

I hope all know better than to store them closed tight

They can be closed, but not locked shut

I keep clean matte board inside, not locked


Good point. I store my release sheets on top of a foam-core sheet.

[Fred L]

I'd go with Tyvek as Drew suggested but if you do, crinkle/fold/bend/twist the crap out of it so it's no longer crunchy and sounding or stiff. This gets it softer as well. I used Tyvek to make covers for my Devere 504 and Focomat V35.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I just use an old sheet, cut to size.

[faberryman]

I don't have a cover for my dry mount press. I have never felt the need for one. The area where I do my mounting and framing is not dusty. I wonder how many frame shops have them? Seems like if there were a need for them, the dry mount press manufacturers or a third party would offer them. It probably wouldn't be too hard to convince people they need one.

[ic-racer]

I cover many things with garbage bags. Then when it is time to collect garbage I use these bags and put clean ones on the equipment.

237167

[Tin Can]

I would love to see some naked shots of that with details!


I cover many things with garbage bags. Then when it is time to collect garbage I use these bags and put clean ones on the equipment.

237167

[Pieter]

I don't have a cover for my dry mount press. I have never felt the need for one. The area where I do my mounting and framing is not dusty. I wonder how many frame shops have them? Seems like if there were a need for them, the dry mount press manufacturers or a third party would offer them. It probably wouldn't be too hard to convince people they need one.

There are very few dry mount press manufacturers any more. I’m not sure they are concerned with selling covers after they just collected 2 to 3 grand for the press.

[faberryman]

There are very few dry mount press manufacturers any more. I’m not sure they are concerned with selling covers after they just collected 2 to 3 grand for the press.

Leaving money on the table. Sort of like back in the day, if you bought a camera at a brick and mortar shop, the salesman could usually talk you into a UV filter and never ready case.

[Salmo22]

I have covers for a number of my equipment items from Digital Deck Covers. The only caution I'd offer is that their existing patterns for some equipment can vary a bit from what I consider a perfect fit. That results, I was told, from their having added some designs based on measurements supplied by other customers rather than their own handling of the equipment. I strongly suggest double-checking the dimensions their pattern indicates against your press in light of how you'd like the cover to fit.

Sal - Digital Deck Covers gave me their pattern dimensions and I double-checked them against my 210M. They were spot on. I anticipate a good fit.

[neil poulsen]

I have a large, Seal Masterpiece 500T that I picked up inexpensively, along with a ton of dry mount tissue. It came with a homemade stand that works fine.

Given the size of this monster, the only place I could keep it is in my garage. So to keep the damp from it, I put an old, thick comforter over the tope. It all seems to work fine. But, I suspect it's not optimum. :o

I also have my mounting station in the area. Someday, I hope to enclose it all with two temporary walls.

[xkaes]

Given the name of your town, I suspect humidity is an issue -- and I hope some others have some ideas, cuz I don't, even though I have a "monster" too!

And I'm glad that Digital Deck Covers doesn't make a cover for the 500T. Given their price for a 210M cover -- $50+ -- I'd end up paying more for the cover than I did for the press itself. I can buy a ton of trash bags for $50.

[Tin Can]

I happily paid $200 for a LN 210m used carefully by a woman photographer

If fact I bought all her gear

I think we do a great disservice posting 'best deal ever'

[Andreas]

My scanner (V750), printer (3880) and screen (CG243) all have dust covers (double sided quilted black nylon) from Digital Decks Covers. I even have one for my keyboard (no idea why I ordered this one, a psychotherapist might come up with some interesting answers).

Haven't done dry mounting for ages (using Kodak tissue, felt like gluing with Araldit) and didn't know it was still done. I gave the press away to a gifted female photographer.

[xkaes]

Haven't done dry mounting for ages (using Kodak tissue, felt like gluing with Araldit) and didn't know it was still done. I gave the press away to a gifted female photographer.

And it appears that she sold it to TIN CAN. You lost out on $200!

[faberryman]

For those who have a cover for their dry mount press, or use a trash bag, what else do you have a cover for, or use a trash bag to cover? Do you have a cover for your coffee maker? Do you cover your TV with trash bags when you are not watching it? Do you cover the furniture in your guest room with sheets when no one is visiting? Always curious about human behavior. Clearly neatnik is a defined personality trait.

By the way, I Googled "coffee maker cover" and there are lots of them in all shapes and sizes. There are even coffee maker mats you can place under your coffee maker to protect your counter from your coffee maker. I didn't see any coffee maker mat mats to protect your counter from your coffee maker mat, but they probably have them. Or you could use a plastic bag.

[xkaes]

For those who have a cover for their dry mount press, or use a trash bag, what else do you have a cover for, or use a trash bag to cover? Do you have a cover for your coffee maker? Do you cover your TV with trash bags when you are not watching it? Do you cover the furniture in your guest room with sheets when no one is visiting? Always curious about human behavior. Clearly neatnik is a defined personality trait.

Good point, but I don't worry about dust in my coffee. It won't be around long enough to catch much. dust in my darkroom? That's another matter. Just because I can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there. Dust in/on my slide copier is a problem. Of course, I clean my slides, but covers help keep it in check. And dust on prints can come during enlargement or mounting. Not a total solution -- just an aid.

And no one has ever accused me of being a "clean freak". A "freak"? That's another story!

[Drew Wiley]

Hmmm - one might think of that 500T as an investment worth protecting, given how much they cost new today, way more than a 210M. Replacement pads and new thermostats are still available for these models if needed. The same presses might be sold by DK now, instead of Seal.

Drymounting is still the standard and most practical technique for mounting fiber based prints. There has been some temporary pandemic-related shortages in tissue availability lately. I now use Drytac Trimount, an excellent replacement for Seal Colormount.

[xkaes]

And that reminds me. Other things can happen -- that are not dust related -- that can damage valuable equipment. My 500T is in my darkroom, in the basement, and happens to be directly under part of the exhaust pipe for the furnace. Several years ago there was a nasty storm and a little water managed to work its way down the exhaust pipe -- which ended up dripping onto my 500T. Fortunately, the plastic bag kept the press protected. One of my safe-lights wasn't so lucky. The water got into the drywall in the ceiling, loosening the screws, and the safe-light crashed to the floor.

[Pieter]

For those who have a cover for their dry mount press, or use a trash bag, what else do you have a cover for, or use a trash bag to cover? Do you have a cover for your coffee maker? Do you cover your TV with trash bags when you are not watching it? Do you cover the furniture in your guest room with sheets when no one is visiting? Always curious about human behavior. Clearly neatnik is a defined personality trait.

By the way, I Googled "coffee maker cover" and there are lots of them in all shapes and sizes. There are even coffee maker mats you can place under your coffee maker to protect your counter from your coffee maker. I didn't see any coffee maker mat mats to protect your counter from your coffee maker mat, but they probably have them. Or you could use a plastic bag.

Dust in the press can be embedded or at least leave imperfections in a print. My darkroom is in a garage with a cantilevered door that can push dust and small dirt particles into the interior when being closed. I keep my enlarger, dry mount press, paper cutter and inkjet printer covered when they are not in use, other items such as tanks, gloves, negative carriers, lenses and unopened paper in drawers and plastic bins when practical.

Although I do not have the luxury of unused rooms, there is a tradition of covering furniture in unoccupied second (mand third, etc.) homes for reasons beyond compulsive behavior.

[Tin Can]

Only 2 covers in my life

One for BMW R/75 which I fully sprayed with WD40, then put a cover on in my backyard laying down

The snow drifted over it and Spring came again

then divorced

Next winter I rode it all Chicago winter

The Red Datsun also had a cover as the car had no top

When it rained I stopped, covered my lovely and I stood in the rain to save her

Second divorce

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50792684481_f44df0e6cb_z.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/tincancollege/72kS8A36hB)Marnie Fairlady SP310 1964 in 1994 (https://www.flickr.com/gp/tincancollege/72kS8A36hB) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

[xkaes]

Apparently your problem was not getting a Digital Deck Cover for the wife! I know, I know. Not cheap, but worth every penny.

[Tin Can]

I survive both

I call that a Win!


Apparently your problem was not getting a Digital Deck Cover for the wife! I know, I know. Not cheap, but worth every penny.

[arthur berger]

The digital deck deck cover looks like great idea.Which fabric to choose?? My enlarger covers are kind of. nylon or something shiny and smooth.
What did you order?

[Salmo22]

Sorry for the tardy reply Arthur. I ordered my cover in nylon and the color silver. It is more of a light grey, which I like. I received the cover today and it fit like a glove. While I realize there is more than one way to skin this particular cat, I am very pleased with the Digital Deck cover and I am confident it will help protect my press for years to come.


The digital deck deck cover looks like great idea.Which fabric to choose?? My enlarger covers are kind of. nylon or something shiny and smooth.
What did you order?