Print dryers

[Ash]

Merry xmas to everyone I might add!

So print dryers... I just bought a fairly large second hand one. What should I look out for in usage? Any hints, tips, troubles or worries? Anything to avoid?

It's an old metal one, electric powered, with the fabric sheet on top.


Photax
Standard 3 Dryer

[Gene McCluney]

If I were you, I would remove and wash the fabric sheet, as it can absorb a ton of residual chemicals from the formerly inadequately washed drying prints.

These tabletop dryers require close attention. You don't want to leave a print on any longer than necessary...you're not baking a pie.

You should squeegee, or otherwise remove excess moisture from the print before putting on the dryer. I am assuming that yours has a relatively flat surface with a cloth that comes down over the drying surface and retains the print against the drying surface. If you want "gloss" make sure your drying surface is flaw free and as shiny as a mirror.

[Ash]

Thanks Gene. I need to have a proper look on how to remove the sheet, but you're fairly correct. It looks a bit grubby.

Only a couple weeks before I'm back in class, the college has a near-identical model so I may ask for advice then too :)

[Pete Watkins]

Ash,
Don't look at the time of day and think "what a sad twat" . I've been down the pub and I've got to carve the turkey in a bit BUT if I print on fiber based paper I just hang the pictures up in the darkroom. The only way that I've ever got fiber prints flat is by putting them in my dry mounting press and trust me, they come out flat. I've got to decant the port now so have a good day.
Best wishes,
Pete.

[Ole Tjugen]

I'm using one of those old driers too, and consider it one of the most useful things I've ever bought. I set the thermostat on mine to 50 C, and get perfectly smooth prints every time.

[Ash]

So it was a good buy then? :)

Can they be used with RC papers successfully? I'm thinking on the lowest setting of course.

Merry xmas guys!

[Ole Tjugen]

It works fine with RC too. They may actually take longer to dry, since water trapped under the print tends to stay there. With FB it diffuses out, with RC there's nowhere for it to go. The best way to dry RC is to put them loose on top of the canvas, I've found. There's no need to turn down the heat - they won't melt at 50 C. :)

[Ash]

That's awesome news :)

I've been playing shanghai solitaire all afternoon with my new Mahjongg set, so maybe if I get the chance later tonight I'll disassemble the frame holding the canvas and give it a wash before setting the bad-boy up in the darkroom :)

[Ole Tjugen]

One final hint:

Put the canvas back on while still wet. When it's completely dry it will have shrunk just enough to be completely impossible to get back on the frame!

[Ash]

Thanks!!

(after all, turning on the heater would actually dry it!)

[Gary L. Quay]

I've never used my print dryer, but I want to next week. Does it matter which side is up? I don't necessarily want glossy finishes.

Thanks!
--Gary

[Gene McCluney]

I've never used my print dryer, but I want to next week. Does it matter which side is up? I don't necessarily want glossy finishes.

Thanks!
--Gary

Normally, for mat prints you would dry your prints face up against the fabric cover sheet, but with the cover sheet not clamped down very tight, or clamped at all really.
If the canvas cover is too tight it will impress its texture into the surface of the print, if the paper is glossy surface. You only dry face down if you want glossy, and this is hard to achieve anyway, unless you have a perfect surface to your dryer, and you squeegy your prints down, and do other mystic things.

[almostpilot]

Hello, i know this thread has been dead for a long time but...
I just bought a Photax print Dryer, made in Uk, and I want to take off the apron to wash it but cannot in the life of me find a way of doing it...
Can anybody help?

[Louis Pacilla]

Hello, i know this thread has been dead for a long time but...
I just bought a Photax print Dryer, made in Uk, and I want to take off the apron to wash it but cannot in the life of me find a way of doing it...
Can anybody help?

It would help us to help you by adding photos of your particular drum print dryer. I take it it's the heated drum type made for drying (mostly if not only)fiber base paper?
If you could add photos showing the apron and any possible screws or bolts that could lead to access for removing apron.

[almostpilot]

It would help us to help you by adding photos of your particular drum print dryer. I take it it's the heated drum type made for drying (mostly if not only)fiber base paper?
If you could add photos showing the apron and any possible screws or bolts that could lead to access for removing apron.

I am not at the location of my darkroom but i try to find some pics online
thank you!
It is a Photax, prob 60s model or 70s

[almostpilot]

173589

[Louis Pacilla]

As I recall the unit has a couple of long bolts w/ nut's on one side of the end cap that must be removed and then the two end caps one w/ the the controls which has wires connected to it will stay semi together and the other end cap can be completely removed then the apron slides out of a slot in the main body and of course you will slide the hooped side of the apron off the metal U shaped closing rod used to add tension and stretch the apron closed. (The apron will have one end w/ a hoop to go through the closing rod and the other will either have some sort of either doubled over canvas materiel and sown or a small metal rod of some sort either of which are there to attach the apron to the main dryer body)
The main body just has a series of heating elements running through the inner body and they are safe from harm. Once removed you can wash the aprons & then put back on damp then once together you can snap both sides closed and let the dryer dry finish drying and press flat the washed apron. Make sure you rinse the apron very well to get any contaminants out before drying any impotent work. A good way to remove most dampness from apron before returning to dryer is to lay a big dry terry cloth towel out and after getting as much dripping wet moisture from the apron lay flat the apron on top of the towel then roll the towel up like a log then w/ feet step on towel/apron to pick up most of the moisture. You can get wet apron pretty dry this way so the apron is just a little damp when you put the dryer back together for drying/pressing of the now clean apron.

I hope my explanation helps as it's been awhile since I last had a smaller unit like this apart for apron cleaning. However as I remember it's fairly easy & self evident as to what you need to do. This type of dryer is pretty simple and hard to really mess it up. it's truly easy and the job is so not rocket science.

Here is a good side view of what most of these dryers will look like and I believe you can see the two bolts that hold both end caps on the metal body/heating unit.https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/43202-REG/Doran_PRT2C_12x17_Thermostatic_Twin_Chromed.html

[almostpilot]

Thank you. mine is older than the one in the image but i get the idea I think, you basically have to take the thing apart to remove the apron, it is not a matter of just sliding it off the metal rods. i will try!
Funny thing is it came with original instruction leaflet (must be from the 50s) and it says you should wash the apron regularly but does not mention how to take it off at all.