Unbuffered and preferable acidic mount board

sirch

sirch

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I want to mount some cyanotypes and they need an acid environment to stop them fading. Most of the mount board I can find is buffered and I assume at least pH neutral if not alkali. To make life more difficult I would like a dark green or dark grey board. I can find a few suppliers of unbuffered boards in cream but that seems to be about it. Does anyone have any suggestions?

As an aside, what makes a board acidic, would a really cheap board be acidic anyway? Could I use a neutral board and do something to make it slightly acidic?
 
Perhaps contact the
sirch said:
I want to mount some cyanotypes and they need an acid environment to stop them fading. Most of the mount board I can find is buffered and I assume at least pH neutral if not alkali. To make life more difficult I would like a dark green or dark grey board. I can find a few suppliers of unbuffered boards in cream but that seems to be about it. Does anyone have any suggestions?

As an aside, what makes a board acidic, would a really cheap board be acidic anyway? Could I use a neutral board and do something to make it slightly acidic?
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Perhaps contact the RPS or the V&A conservation department(s)......as certainly sounds like you need some specialist help!

HTH? :)
 
Old fashioned dry mounting tissue would work as it creates a barrier between the print and the board. It was shellac based and. You can make it yourself with shellac and gum arrabic dissolved in surgical spirit. Then it will not matter what the pH of the board is. I do not know if the modern ones based on PvA would work.
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
Old fashioned dry mounting tissue would work as it creates a barrier between the print and the board. It was shellac based and. You can make it yourself with shellac and gum arrabic dissolved in surgical spirit. Then it will not matter what the pH of the board is. I do not know if the modern ones based on PvA would work.
Click to expand...

Thanks Terry, I hadn't thought of a separation layer between the board and the photo, I'll do some Googleing
 
Looks like PVA is either neutral or acidic depending on which google result you believe so that might be the way forward.
 
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