Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: AFairley on January 23, 2015, 11:40:46 am
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Anyone know of instructions for a home-made decurler? I did a little googling but didn't find anything. thanks.
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Buy a roll used in windows from a home improvement store and roll the printed sheet in with printed side up.
I replaced the core of the roll with a solid metal shaft and it works better.
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I used a window pull down blind and a 3" tube and taped the blind to the tube and made sure the blind covers the tape before rolling the print. Some painters tape holds it closed till it is done.
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36 inch long piece of 3" diameter sprinkler pipe (36") long from hardware store.
1.5 yards of white fleece from fabric store.
Duct tape to tape the fleece to the sprinkler pipe.
Done.
The fleece will sort of stick to itself like Velcro once you roll it up. I just put it aside laying flat on whatever until I'm ready to use it.
SG
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Home Depot is your friend here.
I use a 2” diameter grey PVC pipe (the type used for built-in vacs) with two sheets of clear flexible acrylic film (from the window covering area of HD).
The film is taped to the pipe and the print is inserted between the sheets of film and rolled up against the curl direction.
Using two sheets of film allows you to wipe the contact surface clean and minimize the dust or grit that may get embedded to the print surface by other techniques.
Depending on the paper, I leave it 10-15 minutes in the rolled up state. Keep the roller and film in a plastic bag between uses.
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I use a 2" cardboard roll core, rolled up with a long, piece of waste inkjet canvas. The canvas is attached to the tube with masking tape. I never use the last couple feet up near the tape attachment, that avoids getting impressions from the bump made by the end of the roll. One advantage of cardboard/canvas is that it generates zero static charge. The canvas lays super flat which is a nice feature in this application, one only has to deal with the curly print. Some fine art paper on the soft side might do as well, or even butcher paper from a cheap roll bought at Michael's hobby store.
I think the most effective diameter is just a bit over 2 inches/ 50mm for most media.
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One core roll from a used up roll of canvas or paper.
One bad canvas print that you are ready to toss.
Tape one edge of the used canvas to the roll, roll it and place it standing on the corner until you need it.
Cost 0$
Works great
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I have found that the rolling methods work OK with light weight papers but when dealing with heavier weight (i.e. 300 gsm) papers that it often seems to impart a "wavy" pattern in the paper, especially in the stiff alpha cellulose papers. This wavy pattern seems to be most noticeable when light is reflected off of printed surfaces. I've tried a variety of roll diameters from 2" to 4" without much improvement.
I find the best results are when I press multiple sheets of paper between pieces of foam board for a few months.
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I find the best results are when I press multiple sheets of paper between pieces of foam board for a few months.
I'm not sure my clients will wait that long! The method I use (similar to the others above) takes about a minute. - Jim
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Drymount presses flatten with a vengeance. Let the hot print cool between two pieces thick Gator, fomecore, couple pieces of Masonite, whatever. About the best quality of flatness available but look out for grit particles. Warms up the room during cold weather, let's not talk about July.
Mounting the print is also a pretty good flattener.
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Lot of good options! (as were a few in another thread about this)
JayW, I don't know if this method is for your personal work or what, but anything over 1 hour (maybe 1 day if I had to for the reasons you claim) would be too long for me.
I remember when one of my Epsons came with a clear acrylic pocket to sandwich a print to de-curl...But interesting point about static build up if its an issue.
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Thanks for all the suggestions!