The Framers Forum

I've melted a customers cherished photograph

OK, to fill in the details;

Customer took a photo into a photographers who enlarged onto a photogloss paper which she then gave to me to mount and frame.

Using my "ademco 2226 laminating and heat press" proceeded to destroy said pride and joy.

So could I have some basic users advice please as I cant find a manual anywhere on the internet.

I've managed to do plenty of paper posters so far with out a problem so I'm guessing too hot but what should the temperature be and for how long?

Also what's the sponge for and is it used under or on top of the print?

Very Very Sheepishly,

Bear.

Hi,

The temperature depends on the dry mount tissue - it should have a note on the packaging at the optimum temperature - around 85 - 90 degrees seems about right for most. Buy a cheap kitchen minute timer and set it for two minutes everytime you use the press - stops you leaving a picture under the press for hours when you get distracted.

The foam sheet is for heatsealing - put it on top of the heatseal to allow the air that gets trapped under the sealing sheet to eascape and avoid bubbles forming.

We used to do loads of drymounting when we sold mainly unlimited posters and prints , do much less nowdays as we now sell mainly limited editions.

I think the hot press is a good tool but it is the process where you can destroy many pictures.

RobinC

OK Thank you very much.

Bear.

Baer,
It seems from your post that you don't have much knowledge on heat mounting. The trial and error method of learning is fraught with danger when using someone' 'precious' item for practice, as you have now discovered.

My advice is "get thee to Steve Goodall" before you do any more damage!

Yeah, thanks for the input!

Sorry to hear that Bear

I am not sure that any heat should be used with some types of photos, and inkjet prints, especially anything vaguely glossy. Like Ormond suggests, the best thing if you intend to do more mounting is go on a course at Hotpress in Bristol.

I used to get a local specialist company to mount down photos. I recently got a small Jetmounter so now do most myself, using double sided mounting film (pressure sensitive) and foamex for glossy photos.

Bear,

Just to echo what Richard says, I speak as an absolute novice, I bought a jetmounter for the very reason that it seems a lot more gentle on prints and photos than the old Ademco type press.

Even a couple of hours basic tuition on the machine with Steve Goodall is worth its weight in gold, but nothing beats practice on non valuable items.

If you fancy a dabble with a jetmounter, see my post in ads section re a jetmounter for sale for handy money...
Regards
Rob

I have both a hot glass and a jet mounter

for gloss prints i prefer diabond for mounting than foamex, its smoother and you dont get that orange peel effect

the other thing that works not bad is simons back 10

if you are careful you can use the hot glass vacum press with gloss prints, the trick is to use fresh release liner as it wont then mark the print

but be very careful with diabond in the vacum press it gets bloody hot!!!!

Why bother with heat? cold mount with this, cheap as chips, the print is only a Gloss Inkjet print and so is repeatable.
http://www.seawhite.co.uk/acatalog/5mm_ ... board.html

There are other products such as

http://www.lionpic.co.uk/product/Bienfa ... 11415.aspx

the reason i use heat, i think the finish is actually better than with just cold.

Oh Dear Mr Bear...

Steve Goodall from Hot Press here...

Why not give me a buzz on 07714 523780 & I can send you all the stuff you need technique-wise to get the best out of what is still a great machine - I stuck my first ever picture down in an Ademco 2226 - way back in 1979 (I have to add I was studying photography at school - I'm not "that old").

Both Hot & Cold systems have their merits - what is more important than "mine is better than yours" is...

..."how to get the best with what you have got"!!!

REMEMBER - I am here to help - so call me!!!

steve, jeez dude there was me always thinking you were 102.

but steves right, getting the best from your kits is the way it should be

i would add its worth spending on the hotpress laminates etc, i have tried others and they dont come up to the same standard

stcstc wrote:the reason i use heat, i think the finish is actually better than with just cold.

Can you explain, I have used both, hot on matte and cold on gloss.

With gloss I use an 8inch wide roller (Lion) on self adhesive foam board, never had any problems with finish.

With matte I use an old manual hot press, I find this more a problem ie. choosing the right type of board.

if i am laminating i always yous a gloss paper

when cold rolling you can get silvering etc but when i put it in my hot glass vacum press it gives that extra little squeeze and the heat softens the laminate just enough to produce a better finish


I am using a Jetmounter and hotglass vacum press both products from hotpress

and now always use their laminated and mount films and tissues

Well that was a good response. Thank you all very very much indeed, lots of information and help to digest.

Excellent Thread.

Felt really quite lost last night but thanks to everyone I'm ready to go again.

Spoke to Steve Goodall and what a star he is!

Hugs and kisses,

Bear.

High fives all round!!!

The hugs were "man hugs" & the kisses - well they were "air kisses" - honestly

Houston - We have a solution!!!