Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: BobFisher on May 17, 2010, 09:28:01 am
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I recall seeing on here in a discussion about canvas printing a product some folks have used to spray on the back of a canvas to retighten a canvas that has started to sag a bit. Did a search but couldn't find it. There's a product available called Tight 'n Up but it's not recommended for use on inkjet printed canvas. I know a bit of water sprayed on the back will swell the fibres and retighten but that would be pretty temporary. I've been restretching but that's a tedious chore.
Thanks.
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It's best, if you don't stretch canvas when the ambient humidity is very low. If you are using a water resistant canvas, you might try spritzing the back of the canvas with water before stretching. Some canvas stretcher bars allow tightening wedges to be inserted into the corners.
Found this product when I did a Google search--
http://www.rexart.com/product4460.html (http://www.rexart.com/product4460.html)
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Thanks John. That's the same stuff I found. Too bad it's not recommended to use with inkjet prints.
Yep there are tensioning keys available. The tensioner keys only work if the bars aren't glued. A lot of my stuff doesn't use the standard size stretcher bars so I either make my own or cut down commercially available ones. That means gluing.
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I have the tighten-up and it works great. I use it here at my canvas workshops. I too saw the no ink jet notice but purchased it anyway. I have used it on about a half dozen prints in the gallery as a test
and in 6 months no issues as of yet. You may want to do your own tests if you elect to try it.
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Thanks, Dan. If you've tried it without problem then maybe I'll give it a shot.
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I bought a bottle of Tight'n'Up and used it on a print done on Breathing Color Chromata White canvas on my Z3100.
The bottle must have been old, since it had no warning on it about inkjets. After seeing this thread I contacted the manufacturer and got this reply:
"If the ink(s) on your giclee didn't run immediately, then you're probably fine. We don't recommend Tight'n'Up for use on giclee prints because we don't know if people are using solvent-based inks or water-based inks (these are the inks that can run, but not always). Most of the time, Tight'n'Up works just fine on giclees because there is a gesso barrier that separates the Tight'n'Up from the ink. However, we cannot guarantee that our product will work 100% of the time on giclees."
I used it sparingly along the top and bottom of my canvas and it worked fine with no damage visible.
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Anybody want to venture a guess as to the physics are behind this process? Is it acid free?
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NO physics just what I've read. The base water portion of the Tighten-up when sprayed causes the canvas cotton fibers to shrink. The additive has sort of a glue base and as it dries it holds the canvas in the tightned or slightly shrinked position.
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According to the write up from the manufacturer it is acid free.
If the manufacturer is concerned about the inks on the front of the print running from the moisture of the solution, they must be expecting people will soak the canvas pretty extensively with the stuff.