[LargeFormat] Mounting Large Prints

[Les Newcomer]

I've always done the mounting corner routine for images up to 16x20,=20
really 11x14. Not because I was agast at hot mounting, just that I =
didn't=20
have access to one and a handfull of Light Impressions mounting corners=20=

takes up a lot less room in my drawer.  Infact one of my Professors =
hated=20
the corner mount concept. His idea was that less damage was done to a=20
hotmounted print because it 'stayed in one place'

The problem I face is not mounting the larger photos, but what to do =
with=20
them after I mounted them! I just don't have the wall space to explore=20=

prints beyond 16x20 beyond the first 4 or 5.

I'm somewhat embarrassed to say I do own a drymount press now. It was =
one=20
of my "Charlie Brown" purchases-- I bought it because I felt sorry for =
it=20
and it needed me. (those of you outside of the US that hasn't seen "A=20
Charlie Brown Christmas" can just ignore this blathering.

I was at a portrait studio auction--the State needed an off ramp and the=20=

100 year old building was in the way-- and in the basement was this =
Kodak=20
Hotmount press. While it was probably made in the early 30s, the heavy=20=

porclain rotary snap switch, the fine gold pin striping on the black=20
laquered cast iron body, and the nickel-plated handle made it look like =
it=20
was made in 1890s. The auctioneer tried the valuable antique angle, to =
no=20
avail. The opening bid dropped precipitously without any interest. At =
some=20
point some deep emotion, probably mercy, took over my motor function and =
I=20
raised my hand. In a flash I was the owner.
When the time came to free this forlorn machine from its dungeon, I =
looked=20
around for help and people old and young scattered into the anti-rooms=20=

like chickens spying a fox. I finally borrowed an abandoned hand truck =
and=20
shifted the beast for its 20-stair ascent. By the time I arrived into =
the=20
light of day, the beast had extracted its toll--several pulled muscles =
and=20
a handtruck with a bottom now listing at 20=B0. How I managed to cajole =
it=20
into and out of the van, I don't remember. I managed to move into my=20
garage and onto the landing of my attic stairs-the only thing I thought=20=

worthy enough to withstand it's weight.  It sits there to this day. I=20
cleaned it up, polished the nickel and yes it does get hot! But I have =
yet=20
to make a table capable of withstanding the weight, and really have no=20=

place inside the house to use it.

Even as I write this, it wonder if it was really worth a quarter.
Les


On Saturday, December 28, 2002, at 12:02 PM, S Dimitrov wrote:

> Some time ago, View Camera magazine did a piece on mounting prints. I
> don't have the issue number handy, but it's worth the effort of a =
search
> for it.
> I seem to recall that it turned our basic assumptions about archival
> mounting up side down.
> Slobodan Dimitrov
>
>
> Alan Davenport wrote:
>>
>> Since the advent of my large format experience, I find myself
>> making some prints that are larger than anything I was pleased
>> to produce from 35mm film.  Hmmm....
>>
>> I find that I need advice on mounting large prints.  To date
>> I'm trying foam board with a low-tack sticky surface on one
>> side, sort of like a Post-It note.  I'm not sure that's the
>> solution, though, and I'm eager hear what my more experienced
>> brethren and sistern are using.  Do I need to invest in a
>> dry mount press?  Or can I use a flatiron to dry mount?
>> Techniques? Materials?
>>
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