[Leica] Any recommendations prints on gatorboard?

[Paul Roark]

I routinely use a pre-coated foam core for heat activated dry mounting
glossy inkjet paper.  The old Technal at 180 degrees f for 1 1/2 min. works
great.  I use some release papers on top and a kraft paper sheet under the
foam core.  The gap has to be adjusted for the thicker substrate relative
to the 4 ply mat board that the press was initially adjusted to.  I use a
formica cut-out from a desk as a cold press after the print package is
removed from the press.  This lets the package cool under even, flat (easy
to clean) pressure.  Probably the major issue is avoiding dust being
pressed into the surface.  Lots of manual air blower action, plus a soft
cloth helps.

I use Lascaux fixative (non-UV) for some protection prior to the dry
mounting.  The thicker Print Shield type UV sprays give more protection but
interfere with the unique look of the B&W dyes on metallic, RC type paper I
use (Red River Polar Pearl  Metallic).

BTW, I'm refining some new QTR profiles for the Epson 1400 family (1430 and
European 1500[?]) that print B&W prints with OEM color dye inks in what I
call an "Advanced B&W" mode.  The profiles use the black ink not only for
the 100% black, but also for 1/3 of the midtones.  This controls
metamerism/color constancy enough for LEDs and hot wire lights (not for
compact fluorescent lights), and the color Claria dyes are stronger than
the Claria black.  When a UV spray is applied to a good glossy paper, the
lightfastness of these is in the Epson UltraChrome class, which is why
Epson names the dyes the "UltraChrome D6"  inkset for their new SureColor
mini-lab machines.

I use a wood frame around the foam core -- no glazing or mats.  Buying the
wood, chopping and nailing the wood frames saves a few more bucks and also
allows the image to be cropped to what is ideal for it -- not some
pre-ordered, stock size.

I have had bad luck with spray glues.  A large panorama that was
professionally done this way peeled off eventually.  Not good.

These low cost glossies really appeal to the the tourist walk-by traffic at
Gallery Los Olivos.  They are also the only technology I've found that can
hold its own in a mixed show dominated by paintings.

(For my top prints -- 100% carbon pigments on Arches watercolor paper -- I
would never consider dry mounting.  All good matte papers are tape hung
under glazing.)

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com




On Mon, Dec 22, 2014 at 8:52 AM, kyle cassidy on the LUG <
leicaslacker at gmail.com> wrote:

> > Subject:
> > From: reid at mejac.palo-alto.ca.us (Brian Reid)
> > Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 07:35:45 -0800
> > References: <E7BA96E0-8EB6-4E72-A42C-E8EBAB935580 at gmail.com>
> > I drymount to gatorboard all the time. It works well. Nothing to it. My
> > trusty Seal drymount press is almost 50 years old and is still as good
> > as new.
> >
> > I don't think I'd want to print directly on gatorboard.
>
>
> Wow. I hadn’t considered mounting them myself, and checking the prices
> just now, it looks to be about 1/4 the price of having it done. I don’t
> have a dry mounter, but I’ve spray mounted things in the past…. This might
> be my new project.
>
> The LUG solves it again.
>
> Thanks!
>
> kc
>
>
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