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Author Topic: De curling Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta  (Read 3958 times)

pearlstreet

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De curling Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta
« on: October 19, 2017, 03:38:48 pm »

I'm ready to pull my hair out. I'm trying to decurl this paper and it is impossible for me. Does anybody do this successfully? It crimps very easily and trying to flatten it for several days under a heavy weight leaves so much curl, I'm getting head strikes coming and going. grrr.
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Alan Goldhammer

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Re: De curling Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2017, 03:58:07 pm »

I share your pain!!  I haven't found a Hahnemuhle paper (I use several of their matte papers) yet that doesn't suffer from that same problem (mostly use 13x19 inch cut sheets).  The only thing to suggest which is what I do is to reverse roll it onto a cardboard mailing tube (mine are 4 inches in diameter) with a sheet of archival paper over the surface.  You need to do various timings to see what works out best.  In terms of gloss surface papers, I've found that Museo Silver Rag has the least curl.  they company has new owners now and I don't know whether newer batches of paper are still curl resistant.  Unfortunately it is a warm paper and not Baryta.
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pearlstreet

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Re: De curling Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2017, 04:02:03 pm »

Alan, I've tried the tube method but this paper creases so easily. I'm pretty discouraged.
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Panagiotis

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Re: De curling Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2017, 04:49:14 pm »

I have a Canon PRO-1000 (which doesn't have a roll option) and I print exclusively on cut sheet from rolls. I don't use this paper you mention but I use other stiff papers and I find it difficult to decurl single sheets. It's much easier to decurl 2-3 meters from a roll and cut it later in sheets. The cut pieces are perfectly flat then. I use mailing tubes and thick tablecloth (which is like canvas). I place 50cm of the beginning of the roll paper between 2 pieces of tablecloth 1 meter each. I start to wrap the tablecloth around the mailing tube, first the part without the paper inside and then gently the start of the paper. After the 2 first rounds I pull the paper from it's box gently on a long table as I continue wrapping for 2-3 or more meters. I let it rest for a day and then I unwrap it and cut it on a cut mat. If there is negative curl I place on the cut sheets a heavy cutting mat for a while to flatten them. It sounds complicated but it's not if you practice it. I printed 4-5 50ft roll with this method. Hope that helps.
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Czornyj

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pearlstreet

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Re: De curling Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta
« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2017, 05:37:42 pm »

Thank you both!
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makaphoto

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Re: De curling Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2017, 05:16:44 am »

A cheap method I use all the time for de-curling: A roll of wall paper where I roll the print into with a thin protective paper on the printed side. The prints are usually flat after a day. This way you can de-curl a bunch of prints at the same time. No danger of creases.
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Frodo

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Re: De curling Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2017, 04:02:20 pm »

+1 to decurling around a mailing tube and using tissue, etc to protect the printing surface.
I have a larger tube (I use a plastic drain pipe) to go around the paper which is around the mailing tube.  This holds the decurling paper evenly in place.
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pearlstreet

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Re: De curling Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2017, 06:20:10 pm »

The problem with decurling this paper around a tube is that it leaves marks in the paper. It's pretty heavy and soft.
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MarkBarbieri

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Re: De curling Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2017, 06:49:34 pm »

I've been using a D-Roller for years. Works like a charm.
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JayWPage

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Re: De curling Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2017, 10:10:30 pm »

The success of the reverse rolling techniques really depends on what paper you are trying to flatten and on how fussy you are about the results. Some people seem to be happy with reverse rolling, but I've had no success at all with the heavy weight Hahnemuhle papers, and their alpha-cellulose papers are even worse than their photo rag papers. My experience with these papers is that when they are reverse rolled they often develop a 'wavy' profile which is noticeable later on when they are framed.

After wasting a lot of paper and ink trying to deal with this, I now just cut roll paper to the lengths I commonly use (+ a couple of extra inches) and I press them between sheets of foam board for a year or so. After that they often have a gentle, residual curl which slowly disappears while they are stored in a large map-style storage drawers. So I buy paper a year or so in advance of when I think I might need it it.

If you are cutting up rolls of paper you don't usually have problems with the sides curling which can catch the printer head, and if you cut the sheets a few inches extra long then the print head is already parked when the end of the paper comes off the rollers (which can spring up if there is a bit of residual curl left in the paper). Cut sheet papers like Harman Baryta Gloss, which sometimes have a bit of side curl never seem to flatten out and flexing the edges back to try to flatten them often just buckles the paper and wrecks it. I don't know what to do with them, other than making sure the platen gap is at it's widest setting.
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Jay W Page

pearlstreet

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Re: De curling Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta
« Reply #11 on: October 20, 2017, 11:14:35 pm »

The success of the reverse rolling techniques really depends on what paper you are trying to flatten and on how fussy you are about the results. Some people seem to be happy with reverse rolling, but I've had no success at all with the heavy weight Hahnemuhle papers, and their alpha-cellulose papers are even worse than their photo rag papers. My experience with these papers is that when they are reverse rolled they often develop a 'wavy' profile which is noticeable later on when they are framed.

After wasting a lot of paper and ink trying to deal with this, I now just cut roll paper to the lengths I commonly use (+ a couple of extra inches) and I press them between sheets of foam board for a year or so. After that they often have a gentle, residual curl which slowly disappears while they are stored in a large map-style storage drawers. So I buy paper a year or so in advance of when I think I might need it it.

If you are cutting up rolls of paper you don't usually have problems with the sides curling which can catch the printer head, and if you cut the sheets a few inches extra long then the print head is already parked when the end of the paper comes off the rollers (which can spring up if there is a bit of residual curl left in the paper). Cut sheet papers like Harman Baryta Gloss, which sometimes have a bit of side curl never seem to flatten out and flexing the edges back to try to flatten them often just buckles the paper and wrecks it. I don't know what to do with them, other than making sure the platen gap is at it's widest setting.

Thanks Jay. That is exactly the problem I'm having - wave like creases. I dont really have space for storing paper a year ahead of time. This will be my last roll of this paper.
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Stephen G

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Re: De curling Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta
« Reply #12 on: October 21, 2017, 05:12:43 am »

If you have the time: hang the print, with small weights attached to the bottom of the sheet. With large prints the weight of the paper is enough to stretch it out.

In higher humidity, like 70% and up, it'll go flat overnight. 60% and lower it might take 1-2 days.

I use a thing called a Wundarail to hold the prints, and then use paper clamps as weights. Spread 3-4 weights along the base of the print, depending on the width of the paper.

I have no idea what the generic term is for a Wundarail, and the local reseller's website seems to have died. It's a horizontal aluminum tube, with a narrow opening down its length, and it's full of glass marbles. Just slot the print into it and the marbles grip the paper. I've got 3m of this in my print room and it can hold 2 meter long, 111cm wide prints without any hassles.

Edit: what I have is basically a 3 meter long restaurant order holder.
Search for images of 'restaurant order holder' and you'll see what I've been talking about.
« Last Edit: October 22, 2017, 10:01:07 am by Stephen G »
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pearlstreet

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Re: De curling Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta
« Reply #13 on: October 21, 2017, 11:12:18 am »

Thanks, Stephen. I'll look for that.
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