Dry mounting color images

Help, dry mounting with seal press and colormount transfer paper a

Kodak matt color image. I set my image between two matt boards and

put it into my press at 185 deg f. The image was ruined it looks like

some of the matt board transferred to the surface, or the surface was

destroyed by the heat. Any clues? I could hinge the print to the

overmatt, but would like to cut a floating matt. I do b&w mostly and

never had this problem before.

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thanks

Hello Kenneth,

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I have drymounted many color photos. I use the RC colormount

tissue, (tacking iron first on top corners), to 3/16" foamcore,

and sheath it between release paper (like a wax paper). This

is then pressed (between 2 boards)at 200 F for about 20 seconds,

max., then maybe another 15 seconds. Afterwards it should be put

under a heavy "iron plate" to cool for several minutes. I use all

this equipment at a local photo supply store. I cut my mattboard

later, and hinge it to the top of the foamcore with gummed

linen tape.

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Good luck,

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Phil Lau

Ken,

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My utmost sympathy. I did precisely what you did and ended up

with precisely the same result - the oversheet stuck to the front of

the colour print.

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I indulged in an exploration of language...and then tried to

recover the mess by dissolving the papaer off the front of the print.

It did remove some but at the cost of ruining the surface of the

print.

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The cause was the moisture contained in the print and the

oversheet before they went into the press. I mount mine out in the

shed in the dead of winter and there is enough rain in the air to put

moisture into both surfaces.

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For the future I am going to dry the oversheet in the press for 5

minutes before I start mounting todrive out all the moisture, and put

the print and matt in my Nova print dryer for 5 minutes on low to do

the same.

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That and the fact that summer is coming and the inside of my shed

gets to 48 degrees Celsius should dry things - including me - out

thoroughly.

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Dick Stein

We drymount all of our exhibition photos and for the most part

achieve excellent results. We use a Seal release paper (cat. #A492)

they refer to as a protective overlay, sandwiching the print and

mount tissue (generally Techmount TM2) between two sheets for 30-60

seconds at 175-180 degrees. The print is then trimmed and mounted to

3/16 foamboard for 60-90 seconds at the same temperature. The only

problems we have experienced is with too much heat causing glazing or

trying to use the release tissue for too long. I would guess that

twenty to thirty 16x20 prints is about the useful life. Drymounting

can be frustrating and we expect the odd mess but out of maybe 250

images a year we manage to only destroy a few, normally courtesy of

the heat or pushing the products beyond the useful life. Hope this

helps. Kevin, Kevin Oke Photography