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How to straighten out rolled prints

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:20 pm
by otakii901
I have had my prints stored in their tubes for a few months while i've waited to get them framed, do they need to be able to lie flat by themselves before I frame them as they are currenty curled up? and if so whats the best way to straighten them out?
Thanks in advance

Re: How to straighten out rolled prints

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:21 pm
by Kramerica
Mist it lightly with water, place a piece of paper over it, and iron it.

Re: How to straighten out rolled prints

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:24 pm
by Jesusmalverde
Cologne bottles

Re: How to straighten out rolled prints

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:26 pm
by otakii901
Kramerica wrote:Mist it lightly with water, place a piece of paper over it, and iron it.
I think i'd be too scared to try that

Re: How to straighten out rolled prints

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:26 pm
by otakii901
Jesusmalverde wrote:Cologne bottles
Doyou mean just weigh down the corners?

Re: How to straighten out rolled prints

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:27 pm
by Kramerica
otakii901 wrote:
Kramerica wrote:Mist it lightly with water, place a piece of paper over it, and iron it.
I think i'd be too scared to try that
Good, you shouldn't do it.

Take them out of the tubes, let them rest for a day or so, and sandwich them between two sheets of foamcore or other acid free material. If they are really curly, you will want to put some weight on the top. Some framers can flatten out prints from what I understand but I am not sure of the process.

Re: How to straighten out rolled prints

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:29 pm
by otakii901
Kramerica wrote:
otakii901 wrote:
Kramerica wrote:Mist it lightly with water, place a piece of paper over it, and iron it.
I think i'd be too scared to try that
Good, you shouldn't do it.

Take them out of the tubes, let them rest for a day or so, and sandwich them between two sheets of foamcore or other acid free material. If they are really curly, you will want to put some weight on the top. Some framers can flatten out prints from what I understand but I am not sure of the process.
Thanks a lot, I have a couple of pieces and will try it :)

Re: How to straighten out rolled prints

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:46 pm
by CoA
otakii901 wrote:
Kramerica wrote:
otakii901 wrote:
Kramerica wrote:Mist it lightly with water, place a piece of paper over it, and iron it.
I think i'd be too scared to try that
Good, you shouldn't do it.

Take them out of the tubes, let them rest for a day or so, and sandwich them between two sheets of foamcore or other acid free material. If they are really curly, you will want to put some weight on the top. Some framers can flatten out prints from what I understand but I am not sure of the process.
Thanks a lot, I have a couple of pieces and will try it :)
Flattening prints depends on a lot on the weather. If it's hot and humid I find prints flatten a lot more easily. At this time of year with the the air very dry and relatively cold prints are a lot more difficult and take a lot longer to flatten out.

In the summertime here where it's hot a humid, a print will pretty much flatten out by itself overnight, with just a few more days with some weight to finish the job. I've got prints that I've had flattening for months since the start of this winter and they still curl.

Depending where you live, you may find it takes some time for them to flatten this time of year even if you sandwich them.

Re: How to straighten out rolled prints

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:58 pm
by ToolFanFromWayBack
depends on how it is going to be mounted. If floating they need to be flat. If they are going to be matted, they don't need to be perfectly flat as the mat will help keep it down. In either case you want it as flat as you can get it. If your framer uses the word drymount, do not use them (unless the print is really cheap and you don't mind irreversible process)

edit:
you can also carefully reverse roll the print around the tube. Meaning put the print with the curling down (carefully) place the tube at one end and carefully roll the print around the tube (did I mention carefully?).

Re: How to straighten out rolled prints

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:05 pm
by Jesusmalverde
otakii901 wrote:
Jesusmalverde wrote:Cologne bottles
Doyou mean just weigh down the corners?
Sorry, was a joke based on a pic someone posted.

Re: How to straighten out rolled prints

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:07 pm
by otakii901
ToolFanFromWayBack wrote:depends on how it is going to be mounted. If floating they need to be flat. If they are going to be matted, they don't need to be perfectly flat as the mat will help keep it down. In either case you want it as flat as you can get it. If your framer uses the word drymount, do not use them (unless the print is really cheap and you don't mind irreversible process)
Its definitely not going to be dry mounted, I was going to float mount it. Ill give it a few days to loosen up before taking it in. Thanks

Re: How to straighten out rolled prints

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:12 pm
by xbrc
alittle wrote:Never go tube to float

Re: How to straighten out rolled prints

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:14 pm
by jjbehren
I would not recommend reverse rolling. When you roll paper you damage it slightly by stretching the fibers. Reverse rolling does that again, but the other way.

If you do reverse roll, use a tube bigger than the one the print came in to wrap the print around.

Re: How to straighten out rolled prints

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:20 pm
by otakii901
jjbehren wrote:I would not recommend reverse rolling. When you roll paper you damage it slightly by stretching the fibers. Reverse rolling does that again, but the other way.

If you do reverse roll, use a tube bigger than the one the print came in to wrap the print around.
i was just going to leave it in the warmth for a few days to let the fibers loosen by themselves, then if need be weigh down the corners

Re: How to straighten out rolled prints

Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2015 8:03 am
by joseluisamado
CoA wrote:
otakii901 wrote:
Kramerica wrote:
otakii901 wrote: I think i'd be too scared to try that
Good, you shouldn't do it.

Take them out of the tubes, let them rest for a day or so, and sandwich them between two sheets of foamcore or other acid free material. If they are really curly, you will want to put some weight on the top. Some framers can flatten out prints from what I understand but I am not sure of the process.
Thanks a lot, I have a couple of pieces and will try it :)
Flattening prints depends on a lot on the weather. If it's hot and humid I find prints flatten a lot more easily. At this time of year with the the air very dry and relatively cold prints are a lot more difficult and take a lot longer to flatten out.

In the summertime here where it's hot a humid, a print will pretty much flatten out by itself overnight, with just a few more days with some weight to finish the job. I've got prints that I've had flattening for months since the start of this winter and they still curl.

Depending where you live, you may find it takes some time for them to flatten this time of year even if you sandwich them.
How about using a room with a humidifier? This should speed up the process.