Drying and Mounting

jcline

jcline

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Dec 28, 2005
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How do people dry larger prints (8x10+) and what do people do about mounting. I would like to mount a couple simple things, but I don't think I really want to pay someone to do it either. I know just slapping them in a frame isn't that good. Whats everyone do? I'm tired of looking at scans, and doing wet prints is awesome, but what to do with them after they're printed.... HELP?!?!?
 
For RC I use a commercial print drier, or even a one of those driers people use to dry fruit. For Fiber I lay the prints out flat over a grill like surface so that air can circulate under as well as over each print. I never dry mount my prints in a press as I think it effects the appearance of the prints. I use Archival gummed paper hanging tape on at least a 11 x 14 inch acid free mat.
 
I air dry my big prints on fibre glass mesh screens (like insect screens) and dry by sandwiching between two pieces of "dryed out" card in a drymount press for 30 secs on a meduim heat. Works wonders. But these are fibre prints not RE.
 
When i had my darkroom i used a small drum dryer, worked great for any kind of paper and then dry mounted. For years i had a business operating about 20 Blow-up shots around the new York area. We did instant blowup to 18 x 24 and then sent them to our office for fixing, washing and mounting. Their are various types of dry mount tissue, they adhere ad different temperatures so as not to melt resin coated papers and such.
 
I'm using RC paper currently. I have some fiber base, but Im still at the keep it simple stupid phase. Sounds like I should goto the hardware store...
 
Once you use fiber paper you may never use RC again. The results as different as night and day. Jim
 
As I'm well aware, just seems like a lot more work, especially considering RC paper seems hard enough when crammed in my little bathroom with the towel over the open window.
 
I get mine from my local photo supply store in a pack of 20 or so (11"x 14") North Bay Photo Supply. Or I buy a full sheet at an art supply store, cost about $7 but it's not acid free. Acid free is allot more. I use a Logan Mat cutter to cut out the mat bevel. For really cheap I get it free from a local recycle group that gets them donated.
 
Long ago, in a darkroom far, far away, I was an adherent of wet-mounting: kept those SW fiber prints really flat.
 
How hard is it to cut your own matt? I really like being able to do everything myself, but this sounds like almost as much of a hobby as photography. :p
 
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