Luminous Landscape Forum

Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: Miles on February 02, 2009, 10:55:36 pm

Title: Canvas Mounting
Post by: Miles on February 02, 2009, 10:55:36 pm

In preparation for this summer's local art festivals, I have been giving some thought to selling framed canvas prints.  I print with a z3100 on Breathing Color canvas and then apply a protective glamor gloss coating.  I am now looking for an easy and relatively inexpensive way to mount the canvas into the frame, as profit margins at the art festivals are small.  One method that I just tried that is quick, is to mount the canvas on 3/16" self-adhesive gatorfoam, without any stretching or wrapping around the sides or back.  I use a small roller to assure the canvas is well adhered to the gatorfoam.  The final product is perfectly flat and looks nice once framed.  I plan to go as large as 24" x 36" with this method.

Are there any major pitfalls to this method?  Will the adhesive eventually fail and the canvas bubble or separate?

Any other suggestions on how to accomplish this?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Title: Canvas Mounting
Post by: bill t. on February 02, 2009, 11:39:18 pm

Sacrifice a mounted print to seeing how easy it is to peel off.  If it's easy, don't use that technique!  Use an Xacto blade to carefully separate the print and the gator so you have a little tab to pull on.  If it rips and tears you may be OK, if the print comes off more or less intact try something else.

My gut feeling is there isn't enough adhesion with that system, which is the case when using standard drymount sheets for canvas mounting.  Since canvas is rather ripply you get many isolated attached points where the texture is wide, and lots of voids in between.  I personally prefer rolling Miracle Muck onto the mounting board (generous coating) and lowering the print onto that.  Don't get any glue on the surface, have a wet towel ready to remove any such glue immediately.  Coat the print with Glamour or whatever first.  Best if the canvas is a little bigger than the board, then trim the excess when it's dry.  The thicker transfer adhesive rolls may also work OK, but I never have much liked transfer adhesives.

Title: Canvas Mounting
Post by: a.lorge on February 03, 2009, 01:33:48 am

I've used this method before.  It works well.  The adhesive on the gatorboard clings well to the fibers on the back of the canvas.  Just make sure to give it plenty of pressure if you are rolling it by hand as opposed to sticking it through a laminator.  Assuming you don't have a laminator on hand, I would suggest getting some 3" PVC piping from the hardware store.  Roll your canvas tightly around the PVC pipe before applying it to the gatorboard.  Please reference this spectacular diagram:


[attachment=11344:rolling.JPG]

Title: Canvas Mounting
Post by: blansky on February 03, 2009, 10:46:59 am

Glamour II works as an adhesive on the back of the canvas. You can mount it to fomecore or whatever. Check Breathing Colors website for directions.


Michael

Title: Canvas Mounting
Post by: Miles on February 03, 2009, 08:22:49 pm

Thanks for all the suggestions!

I tried using Glamour II as an adhesive, performing separation tests compared to the self-adhesive gatorfoam and found that, in my opinion, the gatorfoam adhesive held just a little better, while Glamour II was certainly more flexible in its grip.  I wonder if that extra flexibility would help in letting the canvas move with variations in humidity?  I like the rolling out the canvas using pvc pipe suggestion as well as trying miracle muck for glueing and may give that a try down the road.  One thing about the self-adhesive gatorbfoam however, is that it sure is simple and quick.  Everyone's help is appreciated.

Title: Canvas Mounting
Post by: Doyle Yoder on February 03, 2009, 09:33:37 pm

Quote from: Miles

Thanks for all the suggestions!

I tried using Glamour II as an adhesive, performing separation tests compared to the self-adhesive gatorfoam and found that, in my opinion, the gatorfoam adhesive held just a little better, while Glamour II was certainly more flexible in its grip.  I wonder if that extra flexibility would help in letting the canvas move with variations in humidity?  I like the rolling out the canvas using pvc pipe suggestion as well as trying miracle muck for glueing and may give that a try down the road.  One thing about the self-adhesive gatorbfoam however, is that it sure is simple and quick.  Everyone's help is appreciated.

And here I thought I could find some use for the Glamour II I have sitting unusable in cans around here?

Doyle

Title: Canvas Mounting
Post by: Craig Murphy on February 06, 2009, 09:52:18 am

I have used a double layer of Fusion 4000 by Beinfang to mount canvas onto regular foam core and it works great.  No way its coming off.  Its a general purpose dry mount that melts under heat.  Get in touch with me and I'll send you some small pieces to mess with.    I have a Vacu Press but I don't see where that would be necessary.   Have also used Yes Paste and it worked fine also.  A little messy though and if you get any on the front of the piece your screwed.  BTW.  Always keep your eye out for used Vacu  press's!      I wish I also had whatever unit Doyle uses for laminating.

Title: Canvas Mounting
Post by: Doyle Yoder on February 06, 2009, 06:22:37 pm

Quote from: Craig Murphy

I have used a double layer of Fusion 4000 by Beinfang to mount canvas onto regular foam core and it works great.  No way its coming off.  Its a general purpose dry mount that melts under heat.  Get in touch with me and I'll send you some small pieces to mess with.    I have a Vacu Press but I don't see where that would be necessary.   Have also used Yes Paste and it worked fine also.  A little messy though and if you get any on the front of the piece your screwed.  BTW.  Always keep your eye out for used Vacu  press's!      I wish I also had whatever unit Doyle uses for laminating.

I wonder how the Fusion 4000 would work in a roll laminator. I just have not had any call to mount canvas that way. By the way my unit is the Seal 6100 ultra.

Doyle

Title: Canvas Mounting
Post by: Miles on February 06, 2009, 07:16:48 pm

Quote from: Craig Murphy

I have used a double layer of Fusion 4000 by Beinfang to mount canvas onto regular foam core and it works great.  No way its coming off.  Its a general purpose dry mount that melts under heat.  Get in touch with me and I'll send you some small pieces to mess with.    I have a Vacu Press but I don't see where that would be necessary.   Have also used Yes Paste and it worked fine also.  A little messy though and if you get any on the front of the piece your screwed.  BTW.  Always keep your eye out for used Vacu  press's!      I wish I also had whatever unit Doyle uses for laminating.

Thanks for the offer Craig!  I will be in touch.

Miles

Title: Canvas Mounting
Post by: Bob Smith on February 06, 2009, 07:21:53 pm

I've recently tried mounting some canvas to either Dibond or GatorFoam sheets with a DryTac cold roll laminator and some of their cold mount adhesive.  Works like a charm.  Very fast and easy to do.  Good adhesion... the canvas isn't going anywhere once it's stuck to the board... and the finished product is very flat.

Bob Smith

Title: Canvas Mounting
Post by: mrportr8 on February 09, 2009, 01:17:23 pm

I prefer Drytac Drymount Film in a heated vacuum press. It links better with the canvas and substrate. Pressure sensitive adhesives only bond the high points of the canvas so you only get at best about 50% bonding. Drymount Film and even Drytac Giclee mount will do a far better job. Don't try this with a hot laminator as there will not be enough dwell time to properly activate the adhesive.
Scott

Title: Canvas Mounting
Post by: petermarrek on February 09, 2009, 02:06:26 pm

For years I canvas mounted Ciba prints on much rougher textured canvas than the present material being sold for inkjet printing. Stretching was a mixed success, when the humidity rose, the prints would expand and ripple. I ended up mounting the canvas onto tempered masonite using drytac... heat set adhesive with a foam blanket for 4-5 minutes to allow the adhesive to penetrate the hollows of the canvas. Apply adhesive first, then mount on masonite. No problems. Currently I mount canvas using isophtalic ( yellow carpenters glue) resin glue, coat the masonite with glue, place canvas, cover with lots of paper and run through my cold laminator with low pressure. It's a bit messy but with lots of kraft paper on both sides it cleans up ok. Let it dry, trim the edges and frame. Haven't had any problems in several year. The drytac method is cleaner,& faster. For info try Drytac Canada, they have always been helpful. Peter

Title: Canvas Mounting
Post by: Miles on February 09, 2009, 07:57:26 pm

Thanks everyone!

Title: Canvas Mounting
Post by: Bartone on February 10, 2009, 12:01:05 am

Quote from: petermarrek

For years I canvas mounted Ciba prints on much rougher textured canvas than the present material being sold for inkjet printing. Stretching was a mixed success, when the humidity rose, the prints would expand and ripple. I ended up mounting the canvas onto tempered masonite using drytac... heat set adhesive with a foam blanket for 4-5 minutes to allow the adhesive to penetrate the hollows of the canvas. Apply adhesive first, then mount on masonite. No problems. Currently I mount canvas using isophtalic ( yellow carpenters glue) resin glue, coat the masonite with glue, place canvas, cover with lots of paper and run through my cold laminator with low pressure. It's a bit messy but with lots of kraft paper on both sides it cleans up ok. Let it dry, trim the edges and frame. Haven't had any problems in several year. The drytac method is cleaner,& faster. For info try Drytac Canada, they have always been helpful. Peter

can you expand on the drytac with the heat set and foam blanket?