Mounting without a press?

[Drew Wiley]

There is abundant evidence that, correctly-done, drymounting does not in any manner diminish the archival properties of FB silver gelatin prints, but actually adds protection by sealing off the backside and providing a handling border. For certain historic collections, mounted prints simply take up more space, or they might be dealing withe old improperly fixed prints needing re-treatment. But that "don't permanently mount any print" myth has been debunked many times. Certain hand-coated media on watercolor paper look better deckle-edged and hinged, but who the heck would want to buy a sizable glossy silver gelatin print all wavy, and without decent presentation. Show me a single well-known photographer whose prints were devalued due to proper drymounting - you can't ! Yes, there was a time long ago when people didn't know about proper substrates and so forth, whose ignorance now causes conservators and restorationists headaches. But that fact need not apply anymore.

[eli]

Use Acrylic medium, paste type, together with a barrier layer or two, on the mounting board, which will stop and gases from penetrate the heavier paste medium and the print.

I recommend Golden Acrylics, two or three liquid GAC 100 medium to seal the board from any out gassing on the side the print will be 'pasted to' and Golden Matt Heavy Medium, painted on the support, as the glue, or print , which has much less water to buckle the print or board, which I recommend should be 100 cotton rag, archival, 4 ply, if you want a museum quality piece to sell.

High quality 'hot' in natural 100% Cotton rag (which is made of new, purpose made rags) Water Colour papers, like Arches hot press, a smooth board at 300 lb. thickness will also do as an excellent mounting board, when also coated with the barrier GAC 100 and Heavy mat gel from Golden Acrylics.

Otherwise, use a regular type of mounting board and still use the mediums I suggest, for a better than expected mounting surface.

Do give the backing board 100 percent coatings.over the entire backing side of any board or paper being used, including all four sides, and, test if the mat window board can be safely treated, without buckling, before the window is cut, so the print does no touch any board at all.


Good Luck,
Eli

[John Jarosz]

I have some of my dry mounted prints done at school in 1969 and 70. They are exactly in the same condition as the day I made them. That nonsense about not dry mounting prints has been foisted on photographers by the same types that keep illumination level so low at photo exhibitions that you need flashlights to see the prints.

[Maris Rusis]

There is abundant evidence that, correctly-done, drymounting does not in any manner diminish the archival properties of FB silver gelatin prints, but actually adds protection by sealing off the backside and providing a handling border. ........

Listen to Drew, absolutely true! I have dry mounted photographs from nearly 50 years ago when I was young, broke, and desperate to get stuff into frames and onto a wall. The cheap mount board I used is now badly foxed, brown spots all over it, but the gelatin-silver photographs on it are as pristine as the day they were made.

[interneg]

Hi tack adhesive foils are best for large color prints. There are much easier choices for FB prints.

Oh, very much so - unless there's a good reason not to, into the dry mount press it goes. Must say though that the vacuum presses don't seem quite as consistent as the smaller more traditional ones.

[Drew Wiley]

Vac blanket presses are nice for wet glue laminations, whether artwork or woodworking plys. Just before I retired, I sold several high end German systems to cabinet shops, who had in-house ability to fabricate certain major components themselves. But my regular 500T drymount press is plenty big for me. I've done wet mounting, but it's not very practical in this foggy climate unless you do have a heated vac press. They're less common in framing shops now that large cold mounting roller machines have caught on for big color prints. I have one of those too.

[Ben Calwell]

I bought an old dry mount press years ago, and it is one of the best investments I ever made. I think it’s an old Seal press, the one with the big green and red lights that make it look like a giant frog. I forget what I paid for it. It’s quite heavy.

[Paul Ron]

spray adhesive for photos.

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Photo-Moun...7131454&sr=8-4


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[Bernice Loui]

This would be a "Penny Wise, Pound Foolish" question. Later 1980's decided to get a Seal 210M dry mount press, found a good used one for not too much $. Been using that same dry mount press to this day with zero problems. What has changed are the materials and suppliers related to dry mounting.

IMO, properly done dry mounting with high quality materials remains proven good for longevity and print display. While some archival museum folks frown on dry mounted prints, they have proven to be very stable, durable and appears to aid in print longevity. The prints that were dry mounted in the 80's look much the same today as they did when initially dry mounted.

Highly suggest to spend the $ for a working dry mount press, spend the $ needed for the proper dry mounting supplies then learn how to dry mount. In the long run, this will prove to be the correct choice instead of seeking lower cost solution that could be far more costly with the passage of time.

Posted this some time ago:
https://www.largeformatphotography.i...ight=dry+mount



Bernice

[Tin Can]

and that link produced a link to 8X10 adhesive magnets

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013IVATJY...NsaWNrPXRydWU=

spray adhesive for photos.

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Photo-Moun...7131454&sr=8-4


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