Non-print equipment & services: Techniques for mounting flat materials

Rubber cement

• easy to use
• inexpensive
• cement dries out and thickens when exposed to air for any length of time
• sticking power lessens over time
• can eventually damage and discolour photos

Dry mounting

• Sealing flat materials, e.g. pictures, maps, charts to cardboard, cloth or other surfaces
• a permanent process
• requires heat, pressure, and a heat-sensitive adhesive
• three variables in the process: temperature, pressure, and time
• if either the item to be mounted or the cardboard backing contains moisture, bubbles of steam may form under the item when heat is applied and result in wrinkling

Laminating
The process of encasing and sealing material in plastic film.

• Hot (thermal) lamination most common process
  o requires laminating machine
  o uses heat and pressure
  o applies film to both sides at once


• Cold lamination
  o used with inks or papers too sensitive for thermal process
  o a one-sided process
  o cold film more costly

For further info check web page of Ledco (a laminator manufacturer) at http://www.ledcoinc.com

Overhead transparencies

• Variety of methods for creating
  o Direct drawing
  o Thermal transparency
  o Photocopying
  o Computer generated transparencies

Direct drawing

• “Overhead projector pens” specially made with translucent inks so light can pass through to reproduce colour of the ink
  o Permanent ink requires solvent to remove
  o Water based can be wiped off with damp cloth so likely to smear
  o Wax based pencils least commonly used as most will only project in black

Producing transparencies
Thermal transparencies

• A heat process which requires a thermal copier and “special” transparency film
• Original must contain heat absorbing material containing carbon e.g. soft lead pencil, India ink, photocopied page, laser printed page
• Two types
  o Single film
  o Double film
  Don’t use
• Felt tip markers
• Ballpoint pen
• Wax pencil
• Ink jet printer

Photocopied transparencies

• Electrostatic film process using plain paper copier
  o Black and white
  o Colour using colour copier
  · Correct acetate for brand of copier must be us ed

Computer generated transparencies

• Laser printers
  o Black and white
  o Colour (colour laser printer)


• Ink jet
  o Black and white
  o Colour
  
  Each type uses a different type of acetate.