This is the instructions kindly documented by Roger Howell after his very successful picture mounting demo at the club workshop night.

Material & equipment Image mounting demonstration 19th May 2009

Mat Cutter – Logan model 4000 pull type. Fitted with a measurement bar which makes marking out a doddle.
Measurement bar is removed for the cutting operation.

Marking out and cutting board with straight edge – made from a piece of MDF board obtainable from most timber yards. Size not that critical but needs to be around 630 x 530mm. Thickness of 9 mm makes for a lighter structure but probably better if 12 mm is used. This will enable hinges to be attached to the straight edge and holding bar to be attached to the base with small half inch wood screws. (Mine uses glue but it has been known to require repair – see illustration) The straight edge is made from a 50mm strip of clear Perspex obtainable from glass shops who will cut it from an off cut.

High-density cutting mat easily obtainable from most art shops – usually green and marked out in squares.

Stanley Knife for cutting card from large sheets.

Small fine blade scalpel type knife for detaching obstinate corners of cut mounts. A little practice with the Logan mat cutter will avoid this need most of the time.

Steel straight rule 600 mm – best in steel – obtainable from hardware stores.

Magic tape for attaching print to mount.

Double sided tape if mounting full size back boards to mat.

L-plates for sizing image prior to cutting mount board – A pair of these are made from a piece of mount card. They need to be fairly large – large enough to go round your largest print and about 60 mm wide.

Work flow.

Note: – This is the way I did it in the demonstration and using the tools I had. There are other ways but at the end of the day it’s up to the individual as to how he or she tackles the exercise.

1. Size the print using L-plates – note inside horizontal and vertical
   measurement and decide on border width. It will be found that 60 or 70 mmwill be sufficient but it is a matter of opinion.
2. Add twice theborder width to each of the horizontal and vertical measurements to determine the size of the mat required.
3. Check all measurements and if correct cut mat to correct outside size.
4. Set mount cutter measurement bar to border width and mark left and
   right hand margin on the back of the mat.
5. I advised that it was better to displace the image by about 2mm
   towards the top of the mat. To do this – set the measurement bar to the border width less 2mm – mark the top border on back of mat and put a ‘T’ on the board to identify the top. Now add 2mm to the bottom width – set the measurement bar accordingly and mark the bottom border.

   You should now have a correctly sized mat with four boarders marked on the reverse side and the letter T identifying the top of the mat.

That’s the lot.

Roger

The June 16 workshop will be a sound triggered flash and still life night.

In one room George Skarbek will set up his sound triggered flash rig and in the other we will attempt to do some table top photography. This means you have to bring some stuff with you on the night… Your camera and tripod for one.

For the sound triggered flash you can bring whatever you like that will make a noise to set the flash off. George is going to bring some balloons to pop with a dart. It wouldn’t hurt to have more balloons on hand so if you have some handy bring them with you. Other things that will work on the night could include breaking a light globe with a hammer, perhaps we could get in close and photograph a match being lit.

I am counting on you to come up with some more, interesting options. What about coating someone’s hands with flour and getting them to clap? There are endless possibilities so please bring any blown light globes you have lying around and anything else you want to have a go at. Please keep in mind that if you want to make a mess you will have to clean it up.
Because we will be smashing glass please bring your sunglasses or another type of eye protection with you. The last thing I want on the night is to have a piece of glass lodge itself in someones eye. It’s unlikely but best to be prepared. I will have a few pairs of safety goggles but not enough to go around.

In the other room we will attempt to do some table top photography. Dave Sumner is going to bring some older style cameras for us to take pictures of. You might have a bunch of flowers or a model train that you would like to shoot.

BRING THEM IN.

It doesn’t matter what it is this is really an exercise in composition and lighting. We also need you to bring some light sources with you. Any kind of light source will do be it a desk lamp or torch or whatever else you can think of. If it needs to be plugged in we will also need you to bring extension cords and powerboards. If you have these things and don’t bring them in then what’s going to happen if everyone else thinks the same as you?

This has all the makings of a really fun (and educational) night but it’s up to us – we’re only going to get out what we put in. See you there.