380 Tacking Iron to Aid Dry Mounting

240v 25w heated iron for tacking dry mount tissue into place when using dry mounting tissue

The smooth wide convex shoe is crafted by hand in the UK from steel in small batches. The face is carefully hand shaped and highly polished then is chromium plated for a lasting finish. The shoe is fitted to a high-quality soldering iron. The perfect tool for a special task.

Tacking must be done in one spot only, at one end or along one side. Second or more tacks could cause wrinkles as the paper expands/contracts when adjusting to temperature and humidity.

Step 1 - Position the print on paper with a sheet of DMT adhesive larger than the print beneath it onto the chosen substrate.

Step 2 – Cover the chosen spot to be tacked with a small piece of release paper, shiny side down.

Step 3 – Set temperature to medium heat. Using a small circular motion the size of a coin for about 5 seconds. This will bond all three layers together and stop them moving as the ‘sandwich’ is moved inro the press.

Also used with heat-activated conservation adhesive tapes in special applications. These include some Filmoplast tapes from Neschen.

More info:

The tip of the Tacking Iron is hot – make a stand from a tin can or similar to keep it clear of the worktable. Switch off when task is finished.

See also:

3771 The bible of all kinds of hot, cold and gum mounting is ‘The Mounting & Laminating Handbook’. 170pp by Chris A Paschke PF, GCF.