Re: nu arc mat

[John Cremati <johnjohnc@core.com>]

I had built a large  5 foot by 7 foot  vacuum frame several years ago.. I
use it to make large silk screens.  I used commercial rubber  roofing
membrane as the mat which has no dimples....... It worked nicely but  I
silicone a nylon rope to the  inlet hole area and I would wrap that  rope
around  the outside edges the thing that I was contact printing so the
vacuum pump could do its job....The reason for the textured surface on the
mats is to allow the vacuum to reach all areas and not seal itself off....
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sandy King" <sanking@clemson.edu>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, May 07, 2002 4:10 PM
Subject: Re: nu arc mat


> Judy Seigel wrote:
>
> >Since the vacuum only comes through the one hole I
> >just cut that hole in the vinyl. The advantage, besides not putting
> >dimples in my prints (in a couple of cases for some reason permanently
> >marking the negative), is it's removed so easily for cleaning.
> >
> >I never could figure out why they made the mat that way, though
presumably
> >there was a reason...
> >
>
>
>
> When I first started using a vacuum frame with carbon printing I got
> all sorts of dimples on the print from the surface texture of the
> mat. As a remedy I now use a piece of phenolic plastic of about 1/32"
> thickness slightly larger than the print between the mat and the
> print. This prevents the dimples and I still get more than sufficient
> pressure from the vacuum.
>
> Sandy K.
> --
>