• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Do any of you guys press moderns?

Started by LarrysComics,

507 posts in this topic

bffnut

bffnut

Posted
Posted
Here is a good video from the Smithsonian on pressing using weights rather than heat press.

 

 

Can you use a weight press after a water bath, or does a water bath require a heat press afterwards?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ZaCrew

ZaCrew

Posted
Posted
Here is a good video from the Smithsonian on pressing using weights rather than heat press.

 

 

Can you use a weight press after a water bath, or does a water bath require a heat press afterwards?

 

I personally wouldn't use very much moisture at all because you run the risk of rippling if the moisture doesn't dry quickly enough.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HarveySwick

HarveySwick

Posted
Posted
I did have a bit of an upper hand because I was trained in document preservation and restoration at the Smithsonian a few years back. So I was able to apply some of that knowledge to comic pressing as well.

 

Wow, that is really cool!

:applause:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LarrysComics

LarrysComics

Posted
  • Author
Posted

 

What type of Press works best?

What type of modifications should be made?

What type of surface?

What type of release paper, if any?

In which cases should I use heat?

What temperature?

How long?

Should humidity be controlled?

What type of pressure?

 

 

My questions are endless,,

So are most collectors.

 

I'll drag it all into the light...

 

 

 

I use a dry mounting and laminating press. Jumbo 150

 

There are a few variations on them. Make sure you get one that has an on off switch.

 

Not really any modification but make sure the pad on the bottom is always fresh. I replace mine yearly.

 

You should always press comics between two dry mounting press boards that can be gotten at michaels or other art supply stores.

 

In addition to the boards, you should also use baking parchment paper as well.

 

The main thing that most never talk about is the humidity factor.

 

There are two ways to do this.

 

First is more time consuming and take a lot more effort but is safer if you are just leaning how to do this. Second is for once you have a good understanding of moisture application.

 

First being a humidity bath. Which consists of a large plastic tub with low sides.. The effed you want to create inside it would be liken to an island with a moat around it by taking a second smaller bin. On top of this second bin that is upside down in the middle you would place a cooking rack/drying rack on top of it, can be found in any store in the kitchen ware area. To create the bath, boil some water 6 cups or so. Place comic on the rack on the middle. Some like to open the book, some dont. I believe opening moderns is potential to cause more problems, we are just fixing non color breaking creases here. (Now dont pour the water yet until you are getting your press ready) But you pour the water in the bottom of the bin creating a nice hot moat around the center upside down bin. Cover the main bin with something like a large flat box that hasnt been made yet and make sure you slide it over to the side some to let steam escape. Time in bin is no more than a couple minutes.

 

Second moisture application that I prefer using is finding a very good hand held clothing steamer to apply moisture. The trick with these is that many of them have issues with water spritzing from the steam nozzel... DO NOT use a steamer like this. The one I have is an older one and I dont think they make it anymore but it's a My Little Steamer from Ingenious Designs. I use it to lightly apply moisture to the areas that are needed... with moderns this is mostly the spine area or areas of the book they have have a slight surface dent or something of that nature that a press can fix.

 

Something everyone should know about moderns when it comes to pressing. You have got to be careful with how long and how hot they get. The glossy pages in moderns are much more sensitive to pressing than books with newsprint pages. You can ruin a book if you forget and leave it in the hot press. Because the ink will melt and literally fuse the pages together.. and now you have a tile and not a comic book. Kinda neat if you wanted to create a wall of comics because they will be rigid lol

 

I have my press set at around 185. I turn it on about 2 minutes before I know I will be putting the comic in there. Once I place the comic between the parchment paper and dry mount boards and close the press, I let it set with the heat on no more than 30 seconds topps. That is the mistake many make with moderns, they dont need a lot of heat. Turn it off and just let it sit till the press plates cool to room temperature.

 

The reason you don't remove a comic from a hot press right away after say 15 minutes is basic science. At higher temperatures, molecules are spaced out and moving, and when they cool they shrink back into place. The shrinking causes the paper to curl and it's a sure sign of an amateur press.

 

The biggest thing I can say is practice, practice, practice. Learn how comics react to your press. Learn how different comics react to each phase of pressing.

 

Once you get it down you will be able to do it no problem but I warn you, in time you will have this HUGE stack, or multiple stacks of comics to be pressed that you never get to lol.

 

 

Finally a post that is actually educational and not damaging.

 

The initial posts were nothing more than inquiries.

Then your "delicate genius" panties got bunched.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LarrysComics

LarrysComics

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I found this a few months ago when I was looking to educate myself on comic book pressing:

 

http://comicpressing.wordpress.com/2013/07/27/pressing-tutorial/

 

Only thing the article doesn't touch on is adding humidity, but ZaCrew discussed/shared two different methods.

 

A CGC 1.8 to a PGX 4.0

means very little to me.

 

PGX is a pale comparison to CGC, IMHO.

 

great post though...

 

DM me address for a "Thank you package"

Any valuable additions to this thread get one...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ZaCrew

ZaCrew

Posted
Posted

The best result from CGC to CGC was a Hulk 181 I did for somebody which went from a CGC 7.0 to an 8.5

 

Also for my personal collection I had bought a raw Captain Marvel 33 listed as VF+ and had mostly cosmetic flaws on the cover. After press and grading I was able to add a 4th 9.8 to my collection.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HarveySwick

HarveySwick

Posted
Posted
I found this a few months ago when I was looking to educate myself on comic book pressing:

 

http://comicpressing.wordpress.com/2013/07/27/pressing-tutorial/

 

Only thing the article doesn't touch on is adding humidity, but ZaCrew discussed/shared two different methods.

 

A CGC 1.8 to a PGX 4.0

means very little to me.

 

PGX is a pale comparison to CGC, IMHO.

 

great post though...

 

DM me address for a "Thank you package"

Any valuable additions to this thread get one...

 

There are some great discussions re: pressing in these threads. Just sayin' :whistle:

 

PRESSING DISCUSSIONS:

HERE

HERE 2

HERE 3

HERE 4

HERE 5

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Go to topic listing