The Seal plare is definitely steel (heavy) not aluminum. Try a sheet of MDF
or go to a counter top shop and get a stove top cut out, laminate on
particle board, heavy and flat, mine was free.
On Dec 28, 2017 12:12 AM, "`Richard Knoppow" <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Seal is the outfit I was trying to remember before. I have a Seal press
but not the accessories. The Seal flattener was I am sure made of aluminum
but shaped as you describe Russ. The advantage of steel is that it has much
greater heat conductivity than steel so will absorb heat better. If you
can find pictures or drawings of one a sheet metal shop or specialty shop
could make one up. The two sides are just flat but I think the Seal
flattener has a handle or handles on it. I am pretty sure it was painted. I
suspect they turn up on ebay occasionally.
I wrote a long procedure for dry mounting based on the Seal method
which includes using the flat plates. Dry mounting has fallen out of favor
because it is difficult to remove prints to repair them if necessary,
however, I still think it does a neater job than other methods and seems to
be quite archival. However, the flattening method works fine for, for
instance, mounting conventional photographic prints using archival tape
hinges or corners and covering the print with a matt cut out to frame it.
The print still needs to be flattened so that it won't curl during dry
weather, etc.
Curling of conventional paper comes from the emulsion shrinking at a
different rate than the support. Same with RC. By drying using the press
and a sheet of release tissue over the emulsion side the moisture is driven
out of the support side eliminating the curling. Does not work well for RC
since the support is sealed.
This BTW was the idea of drying on screens. The paper is placed face
down on the screen which tends to equalize the rate of drying of emulsion
to support side. Sort of works. Old fashioned blotter books also usually
have a sheet of wax paper interspersed with the blotter sheets. The paper
is placed with the emulsion side facing the wax so that the emulsion side
must dry out through the backing. Does work but the dry mounting press
method works better.
I have to find my procedure and re-write it (I am sure) and post it
here if there is any interest.
I am drawing blanks again, specifically on the type of mounting for ant
art that is fastened together at the edges and the name of the cut-out to
mask the desired area.
On 12/27/2017 7:45 PM, Russ Gorman wrote:
Hi Adrienne,
The one I have came from Zone VI - not sure who originally made them, but
it is literally a piece of steel with the ends bent up, then out (so two
bends at each end) then powder coated with enamel. Any sheet metal place
could make one easily and quickly for half the price of the one you link to
below.
__ __
\____________/
Any reasonably sized town usually has a metalworks place that would do this
for you. 1/16 inch steel is what mine is made from. ( I think steel comes
in gauges not inches but don't know the conversion )
It works great and I use it for dry mounting all the time.
It has two holes drilled through the hand grips to hang it on the wall when
not in use.
Ideally you would have it powder coated ( enamel) which the shop could
direct you to or spray painted with enamel.
Here's an example place online but it would be cheaper locally to avoid
shipping costs:
https://www.xometry.com/sheet-metal-fabrication/
Search for "sheet metal" near you.
Russ
On Dec 27, 2017, at 3:41 PM, Adrienne Moumin <photowonder2010@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Happy Holidays, everyone!
I am looking for a metal plate for print flattening post-drymounting.
I'm in the planning stages of mounting 24 8x10 prints in an array of 4 high
x 6 wide, for a total image size of 39" x 44". I am mounting on a sheet of
4-ply Rising mat board. So I will need something to quickly flatten and
cool each section as I pull the entire behemoth out of my 16x20 press. I've
done smaller mounted photo collages before, but I will need to move fast
with this one.
I vaguely remember some sort of flat lead(?) plates, with all 4 sides
up-fluted for easy grabbing, meant for exactly this purpose. Perhaps I
don't know the right search terms, or perhaps such things went out with the
Model T.
This is the closest I have found, but it's pretty expensive for the large
size.
http://www.talasonline.com/Paper-Weights
I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas or leads for what I'm seeking?
With advance thanks,
Adrienne
*Adrienne Moumin Handmade B&W photographs and photo collages:* http://
<http://picturexhibit.com/>picturexhibit.com
*Architextures series: *http://picturexhibit.com/html/architextures.html
NYC and Silver Spring, MD
212-602-1809 <(212)%20602-1809>
--
Richard Knoppowdickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
WB6KBL
