Archive 2017 · Dry Mount Problem - Ripples in large prints

jek-wy
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Dry Mount Problem - Ripples in large prints

I'm using a Seal Masterpiece 210M dry mount press. When dry mounting images that fit within the press completely I have had no difficulties. When expanding to larger prints that I need to press in 2 or more sections I tend to get a ripple in the photo (bows out) - often somewhere in the first section I press.

I'm using 'Expression ColorMount Dry Mount Adhesive' and I am mounting to mat board. The recommended temperature is 190° and I've got it set slightly above 200° which reads about 190° on the thermometer.

Below is a snapshot attempting to show the bow effect. Does anyone know what causes this and how I can avoid it? I would like to dry mount some large images for a show this weekend and am having no success.

http://www.wyjim.com/misc/DryMountRipple.jpg

Jim

Mar 14, 2017 at 11:40 PM

tntcorp
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Dry Mount Problem - Ripples in large prints

trapped moisture. have you try overlapping your press between sections?

if rippling are consistently appearing on the initial or subsequent sections of print, perhaps your press is not maintaining constant temperature between sections or there exists a wide temperature gradient from center-to-edge of press.

perhaps you can pre-press some dummy prints or press with a cover page allowing the press to maintain temp stability between sections?

Mar 15, 2017 at 01:17 PM

jek-wy
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Dry Mount Problem - Ripples in large prints

Thank you! I'll work with that tonight. Yes - the rippling is appearing on the initial section of the print. I'm in Wyoming so thought I didn't need to pre-press and dry my media, but that may be part of it too. I'll pre-press some dummy prints tonight and see if that helps!

Jim

Mar 15, 2017 at 07:32 PM

Alan7140
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Dry Mount Problem - Ripples in large prints

Additional to pre-pressing/drying out the mount board, as far as the join/overlap ripple goes you need to use a spreader plate - a sheet of rigid, smooth aluminium will do - that is larger than the dry mount press platen. Put this on top of the silicone release paper you have covering the print surface between it and the heated platen before closing the press and make sure that the spreader plate sits over the whole mount board area and protrudes well out of the press at the area you are going to overlap (and make sure that the join is well overlapped.

Don't use too much heat - work out the minimum temperature needed to firmly stick down the work. Once bonded, and without letting the print cool down, rotate the work 180° with spreader plate still in situ and stick the other part down, again - it's important to use the minimum temperature necessary. As well, set the press (if possible) to the minimum pressure needed to stick your print media down firmly, and no more than that.

It takes practice to get all these variables right, so try using waste prints and mountboard first. Lever-over presses are harder to use than those with screw-down platens like the Ademco presses which allow pressure to be more precisely controlled, and which also allow a spreader plate to protrude all the way around. Ademco Press illustraton

Mar 16, 2017 at 04:40 PM

jharter
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Dry Mount Problem - Ripples in large prints

As for the recommended "spreader plate" i.e. a layer above the print, above the release tissue, and below the platen: I use a large sheet of 2-ply mat board. That is cheap, easily available, and works well for me.

Pre-pressing the mat board to get the moisture out is a little tedious but necessary for multiple passes. I try to overlap passes by a solid margin.

Mar 16, 2017 at 06:13 PM

JohnBrose
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Dry Mount Problem - Ripples in large prints

I've never had real good luck with multiple presses of the dry mount press, but usually try to overlap the section that was just done with the new section and i know it's important to have a level platen and the same pressure. I typically just have my lab print and mount anything larger than my press.

Mar 16, 2017 at 07:20 PM

jek-wy
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Dry Mount Problem - Ripples in large prints

Great thoughts and suggestions! I was participating in an expo this weekend and had to resort to T-hinging for the event.

tntcorp - following your post I started at the beginning, made certain all dry mount press adjustments were set to manufacturers recommendation. I waited for the press to toggle it's 'ready/heated' light on and off 3 times (manufacturer recommendation), then ran a dummy print through a couple times, pre-dried the print and mat with Kraft paper (came out kind of wavy) - then pressed the print. I only pressed the first section and it came out bad.

Next I dry-mounted a 12x18 - realized it had bulges in it. So - it's just not me and multiple sections - I can mess up a single also.

Alan - I know the previous user of the press had success with multiple sections without the spreader plate - but I will go there if I need to. This is the first I've heard of that. Your heat comment gives me hope, I'm going to really back off on the temperature and see where it adheres and if it causes the ripples I'm getting. I'm using the tissue manufacturers recommendation but I don't know that my press thermometer is accurate. Good suggestion on practicing with waste prints and mount-board, I'll do that. That Ademco press is a very interesting looking press!

jharter - will the mat-board function the same as aluminum for the spreader plate? As I mentioned earlier - I'm having problems with single mounts - so I need to back way up and get the basics down. I did try pre-pressing the mat board and photo, it got crud on the photo. Seal instructions tell me to dry both this way. I think I may have been using a terrible quality Kraft paper.

John - I can see the advantage of having the lab do the work! I'm not ready to give up on this yet though.

Thanks everyone,
Jim

Mar 18, 2017 at 06:43 PM

elkhornsun
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Dry Mount Problem - Ripples in large prints

For very large prints I let the lab, WHCC, do the matting. They can handle the large sizes and they provide a wide range of mount materials so I can provide a more rigid backing (like masonite) for very large prints. Larger than 20x30 a print should have a stouter backing and it should be double matted to prevent any flexing of the frame from causing the glass to touch the print.

Mar 25, 2017 at 05:19 PM

jek-wy
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Dry Mount Problem - Ripples in large prints

elkhornsun - Thank you, I think that is excellent advise and will consider that in future orders. It turns out that Alan7140's advise about heat solved one of my biggest problems:

Alan7140 wrote:
Don't use too much heat - work out the minimum temperature needed to firmly stick down the work.

I turned the heat way down, and slowly brought it up until the adhesive melted. I've had success with all prints that fit in the press. I am going to try a multiple section press very soon and was going to respond following that. If I have good success I'll report the method that worked.

I appreciate all the excellent resources on this forum!
Jim

Mar 25, 2017 at 07:33 PM

jharter
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Dry Mount Problem - Ripples in large prints

My process for dry mounting fiber pased prints was to pre-dry the board for 2 minutes under pressure. Then I had a sandwich that included a 4-ply board as a spacer on the bottom, on which was the real 4-ply board with the print Tacked to it, on which I placed an oversized sheet of silicon release paper, on top of which was another 4 ply spacer board. If I recall, I was using Seal MT-5 tissue at about 185 degrees for 2 minutes. If I was doing 20x24 prints I had to overlap so I would do each section for 2 minutes with a large overlapping area.

Mar 25, 2017 at 10:10 PM


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