[alt-photo] Re: pre-shrinking paper

[Judy Seigel]

I agree with Marek's suggestions (below) & add that an effort to keep 
humidity and timing constant is a big help-- That is, the time after 
sizing, then the time after coating, plus temperature & humidity, as 
constant as possible (for a given print)...  That's much easier than it 
sounds if you can get in all your coats in a day -- but if you note on the 
print something like "2nd coat next day" or whatever, that's good too. 
But a print begun, say,in winter when the heat is on, then continued in 
damp hot summer, is trickier -- (tho still doable -- at least 
theoretically).

Among (other) strategies is dampening the back of the print and checking 
as it dries... tho best is probably what AFAIK only  what's his name (the 
Canadian) has -- a temperature/humidity-controlled workroom.

(Tho rough paper covers a few sins as well... and a great big print is 
probably trickiest of all.)

Judy

On Mon, 18 Jan 2010, Marek Matusz wrote:

> Francis,
>
> I second soaking paper with warm water (not hot). My experinece is that 
> I could not find the hot water pre-soak did any better then warm water 
> presoak, as a matter of fact very hot water soak tended to change the 
> paper somehow (for worse). SInce gum is developed at room temperature so 
> should be the soak conducted at room temperature. That was always 
> sufficient for me. Now, there is another issue, that is ambient 
> humidity. Paper will shirnk and expand according to ambient humidity. 
> FOr example I have learned never to put first cyan layer on a rainy day. 
> I always have difficulties registering on top of that layer.
>
> Your drying of the gum coat should be consistent as well as it will 
> affect paper size.
>
> I have printed up to 13x17 with no issues.
>
> It is helpful to mark a piece of paper with line and dimensions (full sheet works well) and do some pre-shrinking experiments. For example mark the fresh sheet, warm water soak 30 minutes, dry for a day and measure the shrinkage, next soak, dry, measure. See what you get. This way you can arrive at the procedure/paper that suits you. DIfferent papers shrink differently as well so you might want to look at that
> Marek