Technically, the plate is simply a heat sink so the heat from the print
and substrate is removed while the materials are held flat. Any smooth,
heavy, heat-conductive material will work. Candy makers used marble slabs
to "set" their product.
You can buy a sheet of 3/4-inch aluminum or 1/2-inch steel from a metal
supplier and attach a simple door handle. It will be easier to file a smooth
edge on the aluminum. Always put a piece of thin paper between the print and
the metal plate.
Bobwww.makingKODAKfilm.com
On Thursday, December 28, 2017, 1:12:04 AM EST, `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://picturexhibit.com ;
Architextures series: http://picturexhibit.com/html/architextures.html
NYC and Silver Spring, MD 212-602-1809
--
Richard Knoppow
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
WB6KBL
