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Mike Anderson
20-Mar-2011, 11:45
I want to dry mount numerous 16x20 prints - I've never dry mounted anything but am reading up on it.

I'm assuming the most efficient way would be to order 16x20 precut gator board and 16x20 precut mount tissue. Does this make sense, or should the tissue be a little bigger than the final product and trimmed?

The print paper is Kodak Endura and it definitely will "wave" if not solidly mounted. And the print will be borderless, flush to the edge of the mounting board.

Thanks,

...Mike

jeroldharter
20-Mar-2011, 11:50
Are all of the prints the same size and orientation?

matthew blais
20-Mar-2011, 11:54
I would recommend a roll of tissue then mount then trim board.
It would be awfully frustrating to try and line up everything perfectly.

Mike Anderson
20-Mar-2011, 12:05
Are all of the prints the same size and orientation?

They're all the same size, 16x20. They are not the same image so the orientation won't necessarily be the same. Does orientation matter?

...Mike

Roger Thoms
20-Mar-2011, 12:08
I have always tacked the dry mount tissue to the back of the photo, then trimmed it, then tacked the dry mount tissue to the mount board. I also preshrink the photo and mount board in the dry mount press before I dry mount it. If you printed on 16x20 paper then precut 16x20 dry mount tissue would be fine. The mount board should be sized to match the frame.

If I am mounting on foamcore/gaterboard and not framing I trim the assembly after drymounting so that I don't have to fuss with lining everything up perfectly.

Hope this helps.

Roger

jeroldharter
20-Mar-2011, 12:08
I often dry mount several prints in a session. when they are the same size, that is the easiest but the process is the same. 16x20 dry mount tissue is sized slightly larger than the paper. Tack the tissue onto the back of each print. I am careful to leave one edge of the paper clean of the tissue with no overlap so that when I trim the print/tissue combo I have a straight edge to work with. I float the prints so I trim each print to the appropriate size.

Then make sure you measure everything twice. For example, if you leave 3/8" border on the top and sides plus a 1//2 " border on the bottom of the print and you have the bottom mat border slightly thicker than the top mat border then you must measure everything correctly. So assuming a horizontal print that is trimmed to 15x19 and mounted on 20x24 board: 15 + 3/8" on top + 1/2" on bottom = 15 7/8 from 20 inches total = 4 1/8 for the top and bottom. So for this example, you might decide on a 2 inch top mat border and a 2 1/8 bottom border.

Then I cut a jig out of mat board to position each print. A 2 inch top border + 3/8" relief for the float = 2 3/8" x 20" strip of mat board for the jig. Then with a pencil I make marks so that I can center the print easily and tack each print to the board. Then put each item in the dry mount press and then cooling slab in assembly line fashion.

Then I re-measure and go to work on the windows which is the most tedious part. Make sure that you change your blade more often than you think you should. I know some that change the blade after every sheet of mat board. I do it every second sheet for that size. Otherwise you start tearing the window cuts and it ruins an expensive piece of mat board.

Mike Anderson
20-Mar-2011, 12:18
I have always tacked the dry mount tissue to the back of the photo, then trimmed it, then tacked the dry mount tissue to the mount board. I also preshrink the photo and mount board in the dry mount press before I dry mount it. If you printed on 16x20 paper then precut 16x20 dry mount tissue would be fine. The mount board should be sized to match the frame.

If I am mounting on foamcore/gaterboard and not framing I trim the assembly after drymounting so that I don't have to fuss with lining everything up perfectly.

Hope this helps.

Roger

Thanks, it does help. I'd like it to be somewhat presentable unframed, and was thinking pre-trimmed gator board would have a clean enough edge. Are you saying you trim the gator board after mounting, or just trim the tissue and print?

....Mike

Ed Kelsey
20-Mar-2011, 12:25
I use 8 ply board, not Gator, as I had some problems with the tissue adhering to the Gator. I use Bienfang Ragmount or Colormount in a Seal press for 1 minute at 180 degrees.

Roger Thoms
20-Mar-2011, 12:28
Thanks, it does help. I'd like it to be somewhat presentable unframed, and was thinking pre-trimmed gator board would have a clean enough edge. Are you saying you trim the gator board after mounting, or just trim the tissue and print?

....Mike

Yes I mount the print and then trim it with a straight blade with my mat cutter. I have a Logan Simplex 750. I lay a strip of paper on top of the print to protect it and also hold the cutter with very little downward pressure on the print. I keep the pressure on the guide rail.

Roger

Roger Thoms
20-Mar-2011, 12:31
Mike, btw do your prints have boarders that can be trimmed?

Roger

Mike Anderson
20-Mar-2011, 13:03
Mike, btw do your prints have boarders that can be trimmed?

Roger

No.

I'm having these printed on a Lightjet. I was planning on 16x20 borderless. Going to a larger size with a 16x20 image with a border would cost significantly more.

...Mike

Mike Anderson
20-Mar-2011, 13:23
Here's a corner detail of a prototype I made:

http://images.nikonians.org/galleries/data/13981/proto-corner.jpg

This was wet mounted on foam core and the foam core trimmed around the print.

Problems:
1) I don't have a proper space to do wet mounting so looking to dry mount.
2) rough edge of foam core - I could probably do better with a better blade.
3) foam core will warp at large sizes, hence considering gator board.

I'm trying to achieve something that will look fairly clean unframed efficiently. If I can't achieve a clean aligned edged I'll look for the most minimal metal frame I can find (no glass, glass ruins the look I want).

For efficiency I'm looking to standard sizes and "off the shelf parts".

I appreciated all the advice everyone.

Thanks,
...Mike

Roger Thoms
20-Mar-2011, 13:24
No.

I'm having these printed on a Lightjet. I was planning on 16x20 borderless. Going to a larger size with a 16x20 image with a border would cost significantly more.

...Mike

I see, so trimming after mounting might not work so well. In that case careful positioning is your best bet. The problem is that if you get everything precut it not necessarily going to all line up, just depends on the tolerances of the different manufactures.

If you haven't had the prints made yet you might consider a small boarder on the 16x20 paper so that you can trim everything to match. Just a thought.

Roger

Mike Anderson
20-Mar-2011, 14:04
I see, so trimming after mounting might not work so well. In that case careful positioning is your best bet. The problem is that if you get everything precut it not necessarily going to all line up, just depends on the tolerances of the different manufactures.

Yeah, that's my main worry.



If you haven't had the prints made yet you might consider a small boarder on the 16x20 paper so that you can trim everything to match. Just a thought.

Roger

I need to give this more thought. I really appreciate your help.

...Mike

Bruce Barlow
20-Mar-2011, 14:23
Find a friend who's done it and recruit them to help. First time can be difficult, and stressful. Having someone who knows looking over your shoulder will help in many ways.

Drew Wiley
20-Mar-2011, 14:27
I predry each print and board in sequence. Then I drymount the tissue ONLY to back of the print using release paper, within a sandwich of scrap rag board to evenly
dissipate the heat. Afterward, when the print is cool, I trim the borders of print on
the cutter, so the tissue dimension comes out precisely the same as the final print itself and is incapable of shifting. Then I return align it on the final mount, spot it with the tacking iron, place this between two sheets of scrap ragboard again, and do the
final mounting. Then under a large sheet of heavy plate glass for cooling flat.

Mike Anderson
20-Mar-2011, 14:57
I predry each print and board in sequence. Then I drymount the tissue ONLY to back of the print using release paper, within a sandwich of scrap rag board to evenly
dissipate the heat. Afterward, when the print is cool, I trim the borders of print on
the cutter, so the tissue dimension comes out precisely the same as the final print itself and is incapable of shifting. Then I return align it on the final mount, spot it with the tacking iron, place this between two sheets of scrap ragboard again, and do the
final mounting. Then under a large sheet of heavy plate glass for cooling flat.

That sounds like a great plan! One question, how do you predry?

Thanks much,

...Mike

Drew Wiley
20-Mar-2011, 17:22
Best to work during dry weather, because board or paper re-absorb humidity rather
quickly, but if you predry and then immediately mount prints individually, you can
work in rainy weather too. In other words, complete one image at a time, rather than predrying a bunch of boards and stacking them for use. To predry, just take a couple oversize sheets of 4-ply ragboard or other smooth acid-free board and make
a sandwich out of them, with EITHER the print in the middle or your final mounting
board, though you must obviously do both before final mounting. Slip the whole sandwich into the mounting press for about 30 sec. Close the press, but do not clamp it fully tight like you would in final mounting (to either apply the drymount
tissue or permanently the final print). In other words, just drying things does not require full pressure. I like to actually flip the mounting board over, and do each
side about 30 sec to keep it from warping. Then place it under the plate glass until
cool and flat. But before you even begin, make sure your press is properly warmed
up, dry the outer sandwich boards themselves, and make sure there are no stains,
bumps, or grit from foreign matter on them. Check frequently, or any bit of grit will
end up putting little dents on you prints and full clamping pressure. As you dry board
you might actually see steam coming out. But don't overdry, especially the prints
themselves.

Lynn Jones
21-Mar-2011, 10:29
I've been doing this for 6 decades and those 3 16/20's will never be precisely the same size. Trim the tissue so that it is about 1/32" smaller than the print, then mount to the board. I personally don't like gator board or foam plastic, or whatever, I like the PPA recognized 1/8th inch thick board. You should be able to get this at your art supply store although you may have to special order it.

Lynn