Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/03/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>>If you have access to a dry-mounting press (or better yet, two presses), let >>the print air-dry until it is almost dry, then place it between two sheets >>of matt board, and place in a heated press for about 30 seconds. Remove >>sandwich, and place in COLD press until cooled off. I only have one press, >>so I simply place hot matt boards under weights for a few minutes after >>removing it from the hot press. The prints will be smooth, but will have a >>tendency to curl slightly. When matted, this curl will disappear. >> >>Dan C. >> >I put the entire stack of prints (10 - 20) in the dry mount press on low and >let them sit for 10 min.. This works pretty well, although again a slight >curl will form. Also if you dry your prints face down they curl less. The >back side (uncoated) holds more water and therefore dries more slowly that >the emulsion side - this is the main cause of curl. By putting them face >down the back will dry at a faster rate, one more equal to the emulsion side. > >Regards, > >Ben W. Holmes > >Boulder, CO >USA > >bholmes@frii.com For quite a while now I have been using Brilliant papers, originally from Zone VI andnow in their second or third edition from Calumet. This paper seems not to curl on drying quite so much as many others I have used. Here are some methods that I have found effective... 1. I use a non-hardening fixer. 2. I dry my prints FACE UP on fiberglas screens. 3. I press my prints for a minute or two, after they are dry, in a dry mount press (a Seal 210). 4. After pressing, I let them cool completely while sandwiched between two sheets of ARCHIVAL mounting board under a forty pound plate of bronze. Some things to keep in mind... (1) Don't put more than two or three prints in the press at a time... (2) put them in the press BEWTWEEN two sheets of ARCHIVAL mounting board from which the moisture has been cooked by the press prior to using... (3) Use low temp on the press, 180-190 deg F or so. Higher temps andlonger times can cause subtle color shifts in the prints. Good luck. Robert