Problem with Bienfang Release Paper

[wskmosaic]

I am a new user of Bienfang release paper in the dry mounting of fiber black and white prints. I'm using an old Seal Commercial 200 dry mount press; have replaced the foam pad and adjusted the pressure to what seemed right, without any experience to guide me. I keep the temperature at the level recommended by the tissue I'm using--never more than 180 to 225 degrees.

The system seems to work ok, but the Bienfang release paper I'm using develops ripples after one or two uses and has to be discarded. I believe it should last longer than that; is there something I ought to be doing that I'm not? Could the wrong pressure adjustment account for the wrinkling, and how would I fix that? The paper is expensive to go through it at that rate.

I keep coming across people who use kraft paper against the print instead of release paper. Is this recommended?

tnx
Warren

[Peter Galea]

Put your release paper, print and mounting board between two pieces (a sandwich) of matte board, then into the dry mount press.

[Drew Wiley]

Right. Do not use the release paper directly against the hot platen. Put a layer of board inbetween. Do not use Kraft paper or you risk contamination to the print as
well as failure to release properly.

[wskmosaic]

Drew and Peter:
I have tried (once) with mat board between the release paper and the platen. The relese paper still rippled.
Warren

[Merg Ross]

Eliminate the use of release paper and try a 2 ply acid free board instead. This process has worked well for me for 40 years with b&w gelatin siver. Check out Strathmore for an appropriate smooth board.

[Jan Pedersen]

I use a sheet of 4 ply Artcare Alphamat, no release paper. Works well. 2 minutes at around 210 degree but i assume that temperature setting can vary so test before you comit with a fine print.

[Doremus Scudder]

Warren,

If you are trimming the print/mounting tissue so that the tissue does not extend beyond the border of the print (as I believe you are), you do not need the release paper at all.

I use a piece of 1-ply cotton rag paper (Renaissance interleaving paper from Light Impressions I believe) over the print face and then sandwich the paper, print and its mounting board between two 4-ply pieces of cotton rag mount board. At times, I eliminate the top sheet and just use the 1-ply. I've never, ever had the tissue bleed out beyond the print border and stick to anything else.

Ditch the release paper, which is to keep extra mounting tissue from sticking to the platen when the tissue extends beyond the work being mounted and is then trimmed afterward.

Best,

Doremus Scudder

[Chuck Pere]

I have a 210 but the pressure adjustment on yours should be similar. With all assembled materials in the press(print, mount board , tissue, release paper and if you use them as I do a top and bottom piece of large mount board) the lever should be at 45 degrees when closed but not pushed down to locking. You adjust the angle (and pressure) using the big knurled adjusting screws after loosening the locking nuts. Clockwise to lower the arm and counter-clockwise to raise. After adjustment put the press in locked position and tighten the locking nuts finger tight. If you have problems I can make a copy of the pages from my manual for you.

[Drew Wiley]

I've never, ever had a problem with release paper. At a loss to explain what the
source of your problem is. Have you checked the temperature of your press with
melt strips, or simply by using the readout dial (these sometimes go bad and need
replacement)?

[catshaver]

I've had this issue also, even with the release paper sandwiched between rag board. I used to use just rag board, but sometimes the image would adhere itself to the ragmat ever so slightly and then give the emulsion side a texture that I'm not so crazy about.

What I do is prepress the release paper/mount/ragmat sandwich first, before adding the photograph. This sort of conditions the release paper to behave when the actual drymounting occurs.

You should be able to get many many applications from the same sheet of release paper.

[Michael A. Smith]

Use Strathmore Bristol Board instead of the release paper.

Michael A. Smith

[Photomagica]

I've noticed the same thing and wondered if the ripples would actually be a problem. My tests indicated there was no negative effect in using somewhat rippled paper, so I've just been ignoring the ripples.

I do use a piece of board between the Seal/Bienfang release paper and the platen and I heat my materials in the press to remove moisture before mounting. Now this is my experience and though based upon tests - your mileage may vary. Run tests with your materials and see how bad the ripples can get before they affect the surface quality of the print.

[Ed Kelsey]

I use Bienfang's Release Board.

http://www.mmdistributors.com/Release-Board-p/bien%20release%20board.htm