What's your print "handling" work flow?

[tlester]

Hi All -

I seem to have a horrible time keeping my prints clean and unmarked.  I prefer matte papers.  I've traditionally printed on Epson Cold Pressed Bright White paper for my higher ended prints and Moab Lasale Photo Matte for my "everyday" prints (i.e. client gift prints).  Then I did a bunch of low key portraits (not really technically low key, but on solid black backgrounds) and I've had a hell of a time keeping the all black areas scuff free.  I'm using cotton gloves.  I let them dry, I spray them with Moab Desert Varnish. 

However... I still manage to get little marks. 

So... what's your print handling work flow?  You hit print and the print comes out.  What's your process from there until it's in a clients hand or framer's hand?

[Schewe]

Clear bags from the moment a print is dry (sprayed or not) until it's matted or framed.

[Mike Guilbault]

I second what Jeff says... they're a great product.  And keep using the cotton gloves too! 

[hugowolf]

Most scuffing comes from paper against paper, not hands. Corners and edges cause the most damage. After an over night dry, I stack them in boxes with acid free interleaving tissue between each print.

If they are going anywhere before mounting and framing, I use clear sleeves.

Brian A

[Brian Gilkes]

Of course never touch the printed surface. I have had reasonable sucess with 2+ days air drying then interleaving with acid free tissue. I now think clear, thin , smooth plastic is safer. Spraying makes little difference and can cause problems on large absolute black areas.

[howardm]

same.  cotton gloves (may switch to nylon though), drafting brush and canned air to clean the sheet pre-print, 24+ hours under a layer of tissue after printing and then ClearBag (which I may slice off the adhesive flap if I think its going in/out of the bag)

[tlester]

I have another question...   Cutting.   That's another place where I have some challenges.  I'll manage to keep it clean and scuff free.  Then, I get a mark while putting it through the guide on the Rotatrim.  Any tricks to improve the safety of the image going into a cutter?

[howardm]

I've not *had* that problem but I've been concerned that I would.  Perhaps it's using thicker FA
types of paper.

One thought might be to unscrew the plastic guide and insert a thin washer between the baseboard and the underside
of the guide to raise it up a little bit so the paper surface doesn't contact the underside of the guide.  You'd just have
to press a bit more (probably imperceptible) to get the guide to hold it during the cut.

Or pass a sacrificial sheet of tissue under the guide and then slide the print under that.

[Some Guy]

I found my local architect's supply house has something called Duratrans (I think the name they call it?) which is a heavy acetate plastic clear film.  They get it in rolls to protect drawings from inkjets the designers use.  I have them cut it to twice the size of the largest print I make off their rolls, fold it in half, and make a sharp crease with a ruler or something.  Makes a nice sleeve and shows off the image too.  I have them in a very large zippered artists portfolio case and they seem to protect the image well and I can pull them out as individual sleeves and not slide the print out of them, just flip it open like a book from the acetate cover.

SG

[JayWPage]

I have another question...   Cutting.   That's another place where I have some challenges.  I'll manage to keep it clean and scuff free.  Then, I get a mark while putting it through the guide on the Rotatrim.  Any tricks to improve the safety of the image going into a cutter?

A piece of drafting Mylar works well to protect the print from being scuffed by the Rotatrim guide. Place the Mylar over the print and slide the print under the guide, then pull the Mylar back a bit to avoid trimming it. I imagine that the edge of a crystal clear bag would work too if you don't have a piece of Mylar.

[hugowolf]

I have another question...   Cutting.   That's another place where I have some challenges.  I'll manage to keep it clean and scuff free.  Then, I get a mark while putting it through the guide on the Rotatrim.  Any tricks to improve the safety of the image going into a cutter?

I just push the cutter to the far end and pull up the plastic strip, then slide the paper under it. You do need to keep the trimmer clean and dust free.

Have you tried different papers for scuff resistance?

BTW: a 24" x 1000' roll of acid free tissue works out at about 15¢ a linear foot.

Brian A

[Some Guy]

I have another question...   Cutting.   That's another place where I have some challenges.  I'll manage to keep it clean and scuff free.  Then, I get a mark while putting it through the guide on the Rotatrim.  Any tricks to improve the safety of the image going into a cutter?

I gave up on the Rotatrim.  Sometimes I got uneven edges, or bent and nicked starts.  A framer turned me onto them.

Went and bought a large Qlfa cutting mat, a 45mm rotary cutter of theirs (Seems sharper than anything out there!), and a quilter's "clear plastic" ruler/edge cutting guide.  With the clear ruler, I can put the 1/8" marks again the image's edge and cut a perfect border down to whatever size where I could easily do that with the Rotatrim.  I cut foam core, acetate or mylar envelopes, fabrics for sleeves, and almost anything with it.  You can find them on sale at most any sewing shop at 50% off with coupons or sundry sales days.

SG

[tlester]

Jeff -

BTW... I just ordered your book yesterday morning.  It should arrive tomorrow.  I'm super excited!

[DeanChriss]

I use an Epson printer, and lay the print on a flat surface with the printed side exposed to the air to dry for around 30 minutes. I think Epson recommends at least 15. Then the print dries with the printed surface in contact with a sheet of paper for 48 or more hours. I think Epson recommends at least 24. Epson says this is not necessary with mat finished papers because solvents can migrate through the back. IMO it is necessary if the print is backed with a material that is not breathable, like foam core. I do it regardless.

The second sheet absorbs some of the low vapor pressure solvents much faster than they would evaporate. If the print is framed under glass, this prevents eventual “ghosting” of the image on the glass, which takes years but really does happen. You’ll see the second sheet get “wavy” as it absorbs the solvents. If that “waviness” is extreme a fresh sheet of paper should be used for at least an additional 24 hours. To accomplish the goals of not scuffing the print and absorbing the solvents, a paper with a very smooth surface and reasonable absorptive capacity is best. Some papers that are readily available in large sheets, like sketching paper, are deliberately made with a rough surface to better take and hold charcoal and other media. Interleaving tissue has a smooth and soft surface, but because it is very thin it has limited absorptive capacity, you may need to change it several times.

After the print is completely dry it stays where it is, covered with the absorbing paper, until it is matted and framed – usually immediately. The longer a bare print lingers and the more it is handled, the more likely some sort of damage will occur. When possible I cut paper before printing. When that’s not possible, a long foam backed metal cutting guide, a heavy X-acto knife, and a cutting mat prevent any contact with the printed surface while cutting, assuming you are just cutting a border and not between two prints.  Most of these cutting guides are very nicely padded and can be very successfully used in contact with the printed surface, but I avoid that.

As always, YMMV.