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Cesare Berti
5-Feb-2008, 13:08
I recently tried contact printing my first 8x 10 negatives. I used some Ilford Gallery paper that I had in storage. All went relatively well until I hung the paper up to dry, as is my usual practice with RC paper. When I went to check the paper had curled up like a bat folding its wings for his day's nap. Is there a methoed to dry fiber base paper that minimizes curling. As I write this I recall using blotter rolls before RC paper became generally available. Thanks

Sanjay Sen
5-Feb-2008, 13:35
I usually dry them face down on a clean surface, like the kitchen counter-top, to reduce curling. And then when they are dry, they get pressed flat under a pile of books for a few days. Of course, there are many other ways of doing this. If you need to hang them to dry, try hanging two prints back-to-back (or is it face-to-face?). I'm sure others will chime in with their methods.

David Karp
5-Feb-2008, 13:37
I squeegee them off and put them face down on a fiberglass screen stretched tightly across a wooden frame. This works pretty well. Then I flatten the print using a dry mount press. You can also use an iron (on the backside).

Peter Galuszewski
5-Feb-2008, 13:37
Just a humble suggestion - those who have a lot more ability to shed light on this subject than I have answered this question repeatedly here and in other forums - I would suggest that a search would be prudent as it would give you the biggest wealth of information and instantly at that.

dwross
5-Feb-2008, 13:39
Just about the time I was starting in the darkroom, I read an article in a photo magazine that cautioned against the danger of blotting paper becoming contaminated. I couldn't afford to use new blotting paper each time I printed, so, since then, I've used a set of wooden clothespins with lead fishing weights attached to pull down the curl as the paper dries. (I still finish the flattening in a dry mount press, which may not be an option for you.)

Best of luck,
d

mark mccarty
5-Feb-2008, 14:00
One way is after fixing, put the prints in hangers, and wash in hanger-
size tanks. Open the springs first (fibre expands a lot when wet)
and hang them up to dry. Small amount of curl is easily pressed
out with a stack of books.

Don Sparks
5-Feb-2008, 14:32
Just about the time I was starting in the darkroom, I read an article in a photo magazine that cautioned against the danger of blotting paper becoming contaminated.

If the prints are washed properly, contaminated from what?

Louie Powell
5-Feb-2008, 14:44
Fiberglass screens

Cesare Berti
5-Feb-2008, 14:54
Thanks for the suggestions. I will try hanging them back to back, weighted on the bottom and then depending on the results try the iron on the back of the prints.

SamReeves
6-Feb-2008, 10:56
Even face down, some curling will happen depending on the paper manufacturer. A dry mount press is the sure fire way to get those fiber base prints flat.

Herb Cunningham
6-Feb-2008, 12:12
I use fiberglass window screens and then press them either under books or heat up the dry mount press a bit and leave them squashed overnight with the heat off.

Unless they are framed and or mounted, they will try to buckle a bit.

AZO single weight is a real pig to flatten

SAShruby
6-Feb-2008, 18:02
I usually hang them on hooks, and I don't watch out how much they curl. I straighten them in dry press. Works great.

domenico Foschi
6-Feb-2008, 20:41
if you flatten them with the iron, make sure to sandwich them between two 4 ply boards