Mounting giclee prints to gator board / foam core

I have been looking into whether or not it is feasible to fully handle mounting prints to either gator board or foam core as an alternative to framing fine arts prints. So far I'm getting the impression that professional results are only really attainable via printing / framing shoppes, and that the use of, e.g. spray adhesives isn't appropriate for anything more than short term display.

Is this correct ? Does anyone mount their prints in this way and NOT use a $10,000 machine of some sort ?

Thanks !

i've done a couple hundred of these and i've never had anyone come back to me with any complaints. i've only had one peel and it was sprayed on MDF board and it took two years in a room that that big temperature swings daily. actually, i've had a few more peel because i ran out of quality spray and used some cheap elmer's stuff as a temporary solution. i suspect some of the home sprayed complaints were done with lesser sprays. for more piece of mind you could also use a high quality double sided tape on the edges in addition to the spray

i'd be more worried about curving. and they're also really fragile. i've had a gust of wind from an open door just blow them off the wall

I have been mounting on foam core board for years. To keep the board from warping I glue a wooden frame to the back that is about three inches smaller than the print, the stiff frame on the back keeps it from warping and gives me somewhere to fasten a hanger on to. Use a 3M acid free adhesive that I spray onto the back of the print to affix to the foam board. The frame on the back also "floats" the photo away from the wall.

where do you get your frames? it might add too much to my costs. are you attaching with glue?

i use the 3m photo acid free too.

Are you doing your own prints or getting them from a lab? If you're getting them from a lab it might be more economical to have them mount the photos.

Do it all here in my "darkroom", print on an Epson 3880 and have invested in a decent mat cutter. I rip the frame material out of yellow pine boards, then cut to needed lengths, use a butt joint and a hand stapler to make up the frame. I use a water based glue to fasten the frames to the back of the board after the print is mounted.

ShotByTom wrote in post #16549107
Are you doing your own prints or getting them from a lab? If you're getting them from a lab it might be more economical to have them mount the photos.

Apparently you don't know what giclee is.

Numenorean wrote in post #16549245
Apparently you don't know what giclee is.

Well, I thought I did...but your post was very helpful and provided a lot of insight..

ShotByTom wrote in post #16549267
Well, I thought I did...but your post was very helpful and provided a lot of insight..

Yes - it's allowing you to correct your ignorance of the subject. But apparently that's too much work for you to bother with.

Numenorean wrote in post #16549354
Yes - it's allowing you to correct your ignorance of the subject. But apparently that's too much work for you to bother with.

Go troll somewhere else, you're just being an ass.

Back on topic....

Ralff, what do you print on and where do you get it? I'm in the process of gathering sources for doing my own prints and mounting them myself as well.

Numenorean wrote in post #16549245
Apparently you don't know what giclee is.

Do you actually know what it means? Apparently not, it is basically an adaptation of French that means to spurt. Common usage is a fine art print made on an ink jet printer, what are you talking about?

Tom. I am using Cone inks in refillable carts in my 3880, have been using mainly RedRiver papers for over ten years. Buy my foam board and matte board by the case, much cheaper. Print with a 1/4 inch border and am getting very good at lining up the print with the foam core, then trim with my matte cutter. Good luck.

ralff wrote in post #16549989
Do you actually know what it means? Apparently not, it is basically an adaptation of French that means to spurt. Common usage is a fine art print made on an ink jet printer, what are you talking about?

I think he believes that labs don't use inkjet printers lol.

ralff wrote in post #16550010
Tom. I am using Cone inks in refillable carts in my 3880, have been using mainly RedRiver papers for over ten years. Buy my foam board and matte board by the case, much cheaper. Print with a 1/4 inch border and am getting very good at lining up the print with the foam core, then trim with my matte cutter. Good luck.

That's good, I've been reading up on Cone inks and am thinking about switching to cone inks for my Epson 7600 when the epson inks are empty, they seem to me very highly regarded and much more cost effective.

Have you heard of Pacific Mount (http://www.pacificmoun​t.com/index.htm)? I am looking at their standouts and different mounting options, they seem pretty reasonable.

Would something like THIS make mounting the prints easier?

Saw their ad and have posted on several boards for info from anyone who has used them and have not gotten any responses yet. Would like an opinion before I try them. Not sure if it would make it easier, would have to be more careful mounting, assuming I can trim the excess at the edges without disturbing the board.