Digital BW, The Print

Cheers Tom
It is likely that they don't allow air transport of an aerosol, because 
it is a "pressure vessel". Being at a different atmospheric pressure 
could cause it to rupture.

I would be really interested to learn what print shield is. I wondered 
if an automotive "Clear Coat Acrylic" would be any use. I don't mind 
painting a couple of prints with this and sending them to members of 
the list for assesment.

Clear Coat is a top finish that is used to increase gloss. It is also 
designed to go on "thinner" than paint or primers, so I am not sure if 
it will gloss up matte prints too much or not, or if it will be too 
brittle and prone to flaking if the print is rolled up or flexed. One 
problem some have mentioned about Print Shield, is that it can appear 
gritty or grainy until you get three or more coats on. This is almost 
certainly due to a combination of the aerosol spray tip, and also the 
thinning chemical in the Print Shield. It is crucial to have your 
"paint" correctly thinned. Dirrerent tempreture and humidity will 
require a different thinner to achieve a high quality finish. When they 
put product in aerosol cans they do change it basically into winter and 
summer mixtures. It is often hard to know which one you have. Aerosols 
do not atomise the "paint" (meaning product being sprayed) nearly so 
well meaning you tend to get a heavy "orange peel" type of finish on 
whatever you are painting.

Something I have read about in my short time here is "bronzing". I am 
not exactly sure what this is. Does it refer to a texture in the top 
coat coating the print, or does it mean a colour shift if you look from 
an angle at the printed surface. Either could be due to too heavy a 
coat of finish.

I think it would be really interesting to put on some automotive finish 
and see if the finish holds it together and if the finish has enough UV 
protection in it to increase the life of the print.

Of course the thinners in the clear might make the print run all over 
the page.

Stephen

On 19/12/2003, at 1:32 AM, Tom Baker wrote:

> Stephen  -
>
> This is a very good spray applicator.  But, to you question, there are 
> apparently laws/rules/regulations that permit sale of certain 
> chemicals to the general public that are considered hazardous as long 
> as they are packaged in small volume.  This may be one of them.  
> You'll notice that it can only be shipped surface.  I was told by one 
> supplier that they had to get special permits to be able to ship it 
> UPS. Also, I saw a quote from some big print house that said they did 
> not coat their prints because they would have to get special permits, 
> etc.  Maybe someone who know what's in this stuff can tell us for 
> sure.
>
> Tom Baker