Silly Little Matting/Mounting Question

[micatlady]

Ok, I used to do all the matting for my highschool art department (many many moons ago) but it was all drawings & painting, no photographs. So cutting the mats is second nature to me, but (yup I'm finally getting to my question) I need some advice about mounting my photographs.

1. Should I use a spray type adhesive (3M photo mount) or some type of archival tape?
2. Should I mount on foam board or just good quality mat board?
3. Is mat with 1 or 2 t's?

 

[ksmattfish]

I use dry mount tissue with a dry mount press, or I print the photo with a 1"+ border, and use homemade photo corners (made from archival paper and archival tape). The 1" borders allow the photocorners to be well under the mat.

 

[micatlady]

I use dry mount tissue with a dry mount press, or I print the photo with a 1"+ border, and use homemade photo corners (made from archival paper and archival tape). The 1" borders allow the photocorners to be well under the mat.

Wow, quick response! Thanks, can you explain the dry mount process a little for me, I've seen it mentioned before but never done it.

 

[ksmattfish]

Wow, quick response! Thanks, can you explain the dry mount process a little for me, I've seen it mentioned before but never done it.

You need dry mount tissue, which looks like wax paper, a dry mount press, tack iron, and a paper trimmer. Attach the tissue to the back of the print in three corners with the tack iron. Use the paper trimmer to trim the photo and the dry mount tissue, so the tissue doesn't show. Line up the print on the mat board, and tack the remaining corner to the mat board. Now it can go into the dry mount press for a minute or so, and then it's done.

 

[micatlady]

You need dry mount tissue, which looks like wax paper, a dry mount press, tack iron, and a paper trimmer. Attach the tissue to the back of the print in three corners with the tack iron. Use the paper trimmer to trim the photo and the dry mount tissue, so the tissue doesn't show. Line up the print on the mat board, and tack the remaining corner to the mat board. Now it can go into the dry mount press for a minute or so, and then it's done.

That doesn't sound to complicated! (I say that now - ha, you know how that usually works out). I'll have to look into it. I have quite a few peices that need to be framed, but I have to mat them first. My family is getting photos for christmas this year, now I just have to get my rear end in gear and start getting them all set. I have the prints done, but they're all just sitting there.
Thanks again for the tips.

 

[ksmattfish]

That doesn't sound to complicated!

It's not. The tissue and a used tack iron are fairly inexpensive. Unfortunately the dry mount presses themselves are very expensive. I bought an ancient, used, 10"x12" press for $100, but most run $600+++. Hopefully you can find access to someone or some place that has one you can use.

I like to be able to remove my prints from the mats, so the DIY photo corners work well for me. They are very simple and cheap. I have to print on larger paper than I used to, but I've come to like the big border for other reasons anyway: easier to handle the print, more buffer space for edge damage over time, etc...

I know there are plenty of peopl who use the spray adhesives with decent results, but everyone I know has had bad luck with them. I have a buddy who used some fancy,new, archival, spray adhesive when matting the prints for a show recently. Everything seemed to be fine, but 2 days into the show the prints started peeling off the mat board, and a few fell completely off.

 

[usayit]

Unfortunately, I do not have access to a dry mount press.. but if you can that is the best path to take.

I purchase 10 packs of 11x14 or 8x10 matte material from a local store for a really good price. I use one for a backing and another either precut or DIY cut matte. All my photographs are mounted using photosafe adhesive spray ( 3M brand ). I have not had any good luck with adhesive tape at all. With adhesive sprays, I think it is important to have the work mounted behind glass, using matte material as a backing, and not have the photograph directly on the glass.

 

[JC1220]

To do it right you need to dry mount to archival mat board. MT5 use to be the norm for tissue, but was recently discontinued. Seal repleaced it with a more universal tissue for B&W and color work, calumet or B&H has it.

For board, there is nothing finer than Artcare Alpharag 2ply or 4ply, the best for archival standards and actually neutralizes air polutants.

whether or not you use a boarder, not or cut to match your edges, is up to you and a topic for another post all together.

 

[micatlady]

Thanks to all for your replys and especially ksmattfish for the "details". I'll check at the college I attend to see if they have, and will allow me to use, a dry mount press. They probably have one, I don't know. They offer most of the photography courses in the daytime so I can never take them. I know they have a beautiful mat cutter. I don't know why they wouldn't let me if I used my own materials, but you just never know.

For now I'll use the 3M adhesive while I check into the dry mount. I've used dry mount on other art work and had good luck. I know the 3M is supposed to be photo safe, but thought I'd better ask all of you - just in case.

Thanks again for all the responses.