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Thread: float frames for alt prints?

  1. #11

    Re: float frames for alt prints?

    Quote Originally Posted by Drew Wiley View Post
    In principle
    Ha, 'round here that's almost guaranteed to provoke a "here, hold my beer"...much obliged, though. FWIW, UT's printmaking program consistently ranks in the top two in the country, so I might take a stroll across the quad to see what kind of handholding's available before going too far down this path.

  2. #12
    Les
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    Re: float frames for alt prints?

    Ahemmm, do let us know what actually works (today). My ideas are close to 35yrs of age and based on state-of-the-art materials and utilized by a pro-eccentric framer....pretty much reflecting what others said.
    Les

    On occasion I noticed there is real life outside the GG/viewfinder.

  3. #13
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: float frames for alt prints?

    Creation Bear - Not hot enough here this time of year for beer; but I have my own compete framing facility, and have equipped and advised museum shops handling some of the best photo collections in the country, even been offered to join one of them, so ... "in principle", you can hold your own beer, thank you.

    But yes, a stroll to a competent shop would be well worth your time. Understanding current sealant options is somewhat trickier because so much has changed in just the past few years as certain ingredients have gotten harder to get. True alcohol-based shellac was the traditional choice (not to be confused with lacquer or varnish or polyurethane etc). So once again, "in principle" avoid anything needing a significant outgassing time; and in terms of a "plastic" barrier, that should be inert too - polyester or mylar or polyethylene (never vinyl or PVC). .... Best, use inert backings themselves instead of any kind of plywood or masonite etc.

    And yes, I realize that the mention of alcohol in shellac might tempt one to think it is similar to hooch; but it isn't. Ironically, more shellac goes into those chewy centers of See's Candy than anything else. Yep - we've all eaten bug skins; so maybe that will give you cause to drown your sorrows in a Hamm's or Coors or alas, Keystone or some other abominable Frat student beer.

  4. #14

    Re: float frames for alt prints?

    Ha, Drew, no worries--in the words of a famous Arkansan turned Californian, it ain't braggin' if you can do it, and I've no doubt you've got the proverbial T-shirt. At any rate, I'm having Kevin Leahy down there in Felton make my next pair of boots--I'll let you know how that goes if you're like me and need to squeeze out a few last miles before you fetch up on the porch.

  5. #15
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: float frames for alt prints?

    Felton? Been a long time since I lived in that area - over 50 yrs ago. Didn't know there were any bootmakers there - are you sure it ain't a bootlegger? My last pair of boots was made by Esatto in Vancouver WA, and I hope they'll last the rest of my life, hiking-wise. My previous pair of custom boots lasted 8 re-soleings and nearly 30 yrs; gosh knows how many thousands of miles of backpacking. Moving too old and slow now to wrack up those kind of distances; but as long as I can put one foot in front of the other, and still keep a step or two ahead of the mountain mosquitoes, guess I'm still in business.

  6. #16

    Re: float frames for alt prints?

    Quote Originally Posted by Drew Wiley View Post
    My last pair of boots was made by Esatto.
    Ah, I'm afraid Esatto went the way of the "Tennessee Deardorf" enterprise--I'm actually having to ice my ankles after the heel counters of my second pair broke down after just a couple of years. Hopefully the Leahy's will see me through to the Happy Hunting Grounds.

  7. #17
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: float frames for alt prints?

    Hmm ... Sad to hear that. Once the enterprise shifted from the original bootmaker to the next generation, there were allegedly some issues. My pair has been wonderful, and still holding up great after 20 yrs. But back then, they were made in Portland.

  8. #18

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    Re: float frames for alt prints?

    I recently had an image framed in a float style frame with glass. The image itself was permanently dry mounted to foamcore/gatorboard, which was then mounted onto the backer matte board (removable) but could have used anything including wood. In the frame the glass was separated from the image/backerboard by use of clear spacers along the edge. This look gives a drop shadow on the image and frame with no matte board in front of the image. The spacing between image frame is about 2 inches all the way around the print.

    This style also solves an issue with putting 8x10 horizontally in 11x14 frames having different border widths top vs sides which bothers me as a web designer. - uses 10x12 or 11x13 custom frame instead so the borders are nice and even all the way around.
    The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
    http://www.searing.photography

  9. #19

    Re: float frames for alt prints?

    Quote Originally Posted by esearing View Post
    The image itself was permanently dry mounted to foamcore/gatorboard, which was then mounted onto the backer matte board (removable) but could have used anything including wood.
    Excellent, very useful, Eric. I was thinking about dry mounting all of my prints as a matter of course, so I was wondering how that might integrate with the wood cradle board concept. I'd definitely like to see an iPhone snap of that at some point, just to get a feel for the relationships between frame/mat/image area--I'm especially interested in how much "paper" people are leaving exposed around the image area. (FWIW, I think my beau ideal of a framed print would be an 8x20 sans mat/glass in basically a wainscoting panel of 18th C English walnut...don't think that's happening soon, though.)

  10. #20
    Corran's Avatar
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    Re: float frames for alt prints?

    I haven't seen it yet, but a gallery I am working with was going to float mount an 8x20 contact print (exactly 8x20 paper) similar to that style. I've been wanting to do that, and I have done some 5x7 contact prints that way, by archivally taping them to mat board and floating that inside an 8-ply mat (so there is an air gap between print and glass). I like the look but I doubt it's truly 'conservation' quality. On the other hand I think nothing is perfect, only levels of mitigation.
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