Poster Mountain

[Hellboy]

Most of you guys have probably heard of Poster Mountain by now if you've been collecting art prints/posters for any amount of time. Apparently they do some amazing restorations and can repair just about anything. They also flatten prints that might be a bit wavy due to being tubed for to long which can be problematic when framing.

So after talking with them it looks like I'll be sending off my first print to be flattened. I figured I'd start a thread here for those who might be curious (as I was) about the process, how much it costs and what the results are.

The print I'm sending in is my Tyler Stout Big Trouble in Little China. Its been tubed for years (before I bought it) and as a result is a bit wavy due to the heavy stock paper. Framing this is costing me a lot and I want the print to sit as flat as possible. As is I'd have some shadows between it and the mat according to my framer so flattening is the obvious choice.

I'll post info on my experience as it come in.

[Luminous]

Looking forward to you sharing your experience with them.

Hopefully, I'll never need their services, but it's nice to know there are options.

[ReplicantSavior]

Originally Posted by Hellboy

They also flatten prints that might be a bit wavy due to being tubed for to long which can be problematic when framing.

So after talking with them it looks like I'll be sending off my first print to be flattened. I figured I'd start a thread here for those who might be curious (as I was) about the process, how much it costs and what the results are.

The print I'm sending in is my Tyler Stout Big Trouble in Little China. Its been tubed for years (before I bought it) and as a result is a bit wavy due to the heavy stock paper. Framing this is costing me a lot and I want the print to sit as flat as possible. As is I'd have some shadows between it and the mat according to my framer so flattening is the obvious choice.

I think their blog talks about the flattening process on one print. I believe it involves wetting the paper. But yeah, only flippers keep a print tubed. These are on paper that shouldn't be rolled to begin with. I remember the days of getting Dynamic Forces prints and they sent those flat. And the paper wasn't as thick as a Mondo or other screenprint.

[Bullseye]

What sort of money are you looking at for the process?

[ReplicantSavior]

I'm sure it's $100+. The paper conservation people I use start there.

[FROBAY]

That's a worthy print to start with.

[pavehawk78]

Originally Posted by ReplicantSavior

I think their blog talks about the flattening process on one print. I believe it involves wetting the paper. But yeah, only flippers keep a print tubed. These are on paper that shouldn't be rolled to begin with. I remember the days of getting Dynamic Forces prints and they sent those flat. And the paper wasn't as thick as a Mondo or other screenprint.

I bought 2 prints from Dynamic forces and they shipped them flat with very little protection. I'll take tubes over how they ship them any day.

[Hellboy]

Originally Posted by ReplicantSavior

I think their blog talks about the flattening process on one print. I believe it involves wetting the paper.

Yeah it involves humidity. The flattening process will also take out any creases.

Originally Posted by ReplicantSavior

But yeah, only flippers keep a print tubed. These are on paper that shouldn't be rolled to begin with.

I dunno about that man. That's a pretty broad statement. I keep my prints tubed simply because I don't want to pay the kind of money a flat file or presentation case would run me when they'd simply be temporarily housed there until I can afford to frame them. I'm sure a lot of people do the same and aren't what most would qualify as flippers.

I do agree that Mondo prints shouldn't really be rolled to begin with though.

Originally Posted by Bullseye

What sort of money are you looking at for the process?

$75 for the flattening process itself and $40 for return shipping as its shipped back flat. Well worth it in my case given the print in question fetches upwards of $1500 on the secondary.

Originally Posted by pavehawk78

I bought 2 prints from Dynamic forces and they shipped the flat with very little protection. I'll take tubes over how they ship them any day.

Having Poster Mountain ship my print back flat was a concern of mine. That was until I saw pics of how well protected they are. Obviously you're paying for it at $40 though, but I was impressed.

[Bullseye]

Do they also frame?

[ReplicantSavior]

Originally Posted by pavehawk78

I bought 2 prints from Dynamic forces and they shipped the flat with very little protection. I'll take tubes over how they ship them any day.

They shipped my Spider-Man vs Green Goblin flat and that's a huge print. There's always the risk of the shipper putting a knife in it. Yes, something like that happened to me before with FedEx. I can't remember but I'm sure Dynamic Forces used multiple layers of cardboard and the print was in corner mounts with another board holding it down. My TRON Girl print from Acme was shipped flat too. That was the last flat shipped print I've received. A Mondo print is on a similar paper to comic art. It's just a bit lighter. But I've never seen comic art rolled.

Originally Posted by Hellboy

I dunno about that man. That's a pretty broad statement. I keep my prints tubed simply because I don't want to pay the kind of money a flat file or presentation case would run me when they'd simply be temporarily housed there until I can afford to frame them. I'm sure a lot of people do the same and aren't what most would qualify as flippers.

I do agree that Mondo prints shouldn't really be rolled to begin with though.

How long are you keeping them in the tube? The longest I kept a screenprint in the tube was my Craig Drake Matrix which was a few weeks. Just because I was behind on other stuff. This is what I use for now.

http://www.universityproducts.com/ca...entId=&navTree

There was a time when I kept my movie posters flat. But those can be rolled and flattened easily with no real damage unless you roll them too tight or have heavy hands.