Which Rising Board

[Richard K.]

Found a fairly inexpensive source for Rising Museum board (Talas in Brooklyn) but am wondering which of Photomount (pH7) or buffered (pH 8.5) is best for:

a) overmats over Pt prints (the print itself is mounted with archival corner pockets onto archival foam-core

b.) silver prints dry-mounted onto board with identical board for overmat

Thanks for advice! :)

[Jim Noel]

Keep the buffered boards away from your Pt/Pd prints.

[Drew Wiley]

Rising has an all-rag nonfuffered 4-ply board in bright white which is exceptional quality
and the same hue of white as their buffered version of rag. The pH is neutral. Sometimes adding a buffer to a non-rag board is simply a trick to make a cheaper pulp-
derived board suitable for artwork, typically sold as "Conservation Board". Alphamat is
the best known version.

[banjo]

if its a good print or art work that you wont or need to keep for ever
then only us PH archival RAG Boards NEVER us plain or buffered
the buffered Boards once you cut them (like your opening) you
have cut though the buffering and in time the belave cut will change
color as it is not buffered and what will it do to your print

NOW if you don't care about archival use any thing
BUT IF IT NEED TO BE ARCHIVAL then only use ARCHIVAL SUPPLIES
with a UV Glass

SO what I am saying the buffering tendes to only be a coating
on the out side of the board!!!!

[Drew Wiley]

Not necessarily. Only the very cheapest boards will have buffered liners only sandwiching something else between. Alphamat Artcore is buffered clear through.
Rising ragboard gets it buffering from the slightly alkaline pH of the limestone springs
they get their pulp processing water from, so the buffering is integral to the entire
board. And with non-rag, wood-pulp based boards, it's more important how the lignin
and tanins and so forth are treated rather than merely the pH. What is and is not
"archival" is really dependent upon the specific print medium. Buffering isn't good for
some kinds of prints.

[Ginette]

100% rag is the way to go over pulp board even if buffered. As Drew explain, conservation board is not the best choice even their name!
I think 100% unbuffered or lightly buffered rag boards will be fine for all your prints. Some are heavily buffered 8.5-9.5%, you can choose the less buffered.
In the past, unbuffered was recommanded for color, blue prints but it seems that this was not proven till this date.
Pt is Palladium/Platinium processes? I never saw recommandations for theses specifics prints. I got a workshop with Grey Hill a few months ago. He is from the Canadian Conservation Institute and a specialist in photos, you can ask him at greg.hill (à) pch.gc.ca

Also I will not use Foamcore even their archival version. If you wish a heavier board that 4 plys, go with a 8plys rag board.

As you're from Toronto, maybe you can compare prices with
WOOLFITT'S 1153 Queen St. West Phone: (416) 536-7878 They have annual sale, you can ask when.

With Talas, you can have lower prices but higher shipping and surprises with duty and taxes.

[Richard K.]

Thanks for all of the excellent replies, guys! I'm still curious about which is better for Pt prints. Seems that the low pH Photomount should be able to do both Pt and dry-mounted silver?

Ginette, why not use archival foam-core? It' s nice and flat and stiff? And the print is not attached to the board, just to corners on the board.

I would use Woolfitt's but they do not supply Rising board anymore. When they did, it was $16 for a 32x40 board, Talus is as low as $10 or so but yes with expensive shipping. If I could find the Rising Photomount locally (Toronto), then I WOULD buy here instead of Brooklyn, although I really enjoyed the Brooklyn pizza tour when I was there a few weeks ago! :) :D

[banjo]

well to not using archival foam-core in hot dry place like Kansas
the foam-core drys out in time!!! and crumbles away !!!
and if using a hot drymount press it crouss flat if you a not
carfull

so use hardbard

[Ginette]

Foamcore can be used as backing but less appropriate for direct contact with the prints than a 100% cotton lignin free board, you should do the same way than your silver prints : back mat full lengh hinged with front mat in 4 or 8 plys.


There are three types of Fome-Cor: original, acid-free, and super thick [...] The surface pH is slightly acidic, 5.5 to 6.5, and it is for this reason Monsanto produces an acid-free Fome-Cor where the surface paper is buffered to a pH of 7.5 to 8.5. The printed literature for this board suggests that it is archival and may be used as a substitute for museum board. This seems questionable because, for example, the surface of this board is made from a Kraft paper and not a purified cellulose, or cotton fiber. It is uncertain how much alkaline reserve the buffer can provide in neutralizing air pollutants and the natural formation of acid during the aging of Kraft paper. There are also questions about the permanency of polystyrene itself. This board is obviously an improvement on the original; nevertheless I have reservations about its archival qualities.
(Excerpts from ART HARDWARE: The Definitive Guide to Artists’ Materials (http://www.trueart.info/foamcore_boards.htm))


Maybe you can found alternative to Rising Photomount. I work recently with Maidstone rag boards bought from Papeterie St-Armand (http://www.st-armand.com/English/E02k-Archives.php) here in Montreal. Maybe you can have a quote from them or have the same product from Woolfit's, see their ads (http://www.woolfitts.com/fulfill/pdf/board_clearance_01_27_11.pdf).

A light alkaline reserve can be usefull for neutralizing air polluants but buffered are very high reserve with pH 8.5 to 9.5. If your prints are stored in archival containers or framed correctly, you may not need such a alkaline reserve. But if you go with unbuffered, your choice will be more restrain than buffered boards.

For specific concerns about pt prints ask Grey Hill, he will certainly answer about. From his last workshop, I retained that buffered can be used without any harmful effects with most photos mediums contrary to that we think about in the past about color, blueprints, albumen prints and cyanotypes. Buffered vs. Unbuffered dilemma seems to be less controversial now for prints.

[Drew Wiley]

There are many kind of foam board, not just the cheapo varieties you see in the art stores. "Acid free" just has buffered paper liners. But there are some premium varieties
from other mfg which are much smoother and actually netural.

[Jim Noel]

Thanks for all of the excellent replies, guys! I'm still curious about which is better for Pt prints. Seems that the low pH Photomount should be able to do both Pt and dry-mounted silver?

Ginette, why not use archival foam-core? It' s nice and flat and stiff? And the print is not attached to the board, just to corners on the board.

I would use Woolfitt's but they do not supply Rising board anymore. When they did, it was $16 for a 32x40 board, Talus is as low as $10 or so but yes with expensive shipping. If I could find the Rising Photomount locally (Toronto), then I WOULD buy here instead of Brooklyn, although I really enjoyed the Brooklyn pizza tour when I was there a few weeks ago! :) :D

Corner the Pt/Pd print under the window mat. Don't use any kind of mounting tissue or glue.