3M Photo Mount spray

[VesaL]

Hello !

3M Photo Mount spray

Does anyone Know how "acrhivally safe " is this stuff to use mounting the prints to matting board ?


vesaL

[Ian Grant]

There's more than one type. One is semi-permanent, the other permanent.

It isn't archival, and goes against all recommended practice.

Ian

[craigclu]

I work for 3M (different division than this) and dropped a note just now to the area that produces this. I asked what the company statement is regarding the archival nature of the photo adhesive. I'll let you know what I find out. I've never used it for photos but have used it many times for producing foam core board displays of printed materials for visiting exec tours at work, etc. It works very nicely for that duty as it doesn't saturate standard paper or seem to interact with inks, etc.

[Pinholemaster]

I wouldn't use it on anything of value.

If you want archival, dry mount.

[bdial]

One view of "archival" is that it should be reversable. Using that definition, neither the spray adhesive nor dry mount tissue are archival.
Either way, the print can only last as long as the mount does, and if the mount is damaged, it cannot be replaced without severe risk to the print.

[glbeas]

I've used 3M spraymount to mount RC paper to polystrene board for 'quick and nasty' mounts for photo contests. So far the only problem I've had is the adhesive coming loose in a hot environment. I've seen no deterioration of the print itself in eight years so far.

[vdonovan]

I use it all the time. I don't know if my prints are going to live forever, but it sure is easy and I like the results.

[Ian Grant]

One view of "archival" is that it should be reversable. Using that definition, neither the spray adhesive nor dry mount tissue are archival.
Either way, the print can only last as long as the mount does, and if the mount is damaged, it cannot be replaced without severe risk to the print.

This is the accepted view. I guess I've been using 3M Spray mount for well over 30 years, for commercial applications. The prints were never needed to last more than a year or two, most are just as good now as when produced,and very few have come apart.

If you need archival prints then Spray mount isn't the solution, but if you want a good quick method of mounting RC prints then it's excellent.

Ian

[VesaL]

Thank you all for your kind help.!

vesaL

[craigclu]

The tech service person assigned to this within 3M supplied the following information:

Thank you for your interest in 3M aerosol adhesives.

3M Spray Adhesive's: 77, Photo Mount, Vac-U-Mount and Spray Mount have been tested by the Rochester Institute of Technology, Image Permanence Institute for pH and Photographic Activity. They are all pH neutral in the dry adhesive film state and pass the Photographic Activity Test for both color and black and white photographs.

Those are the only two tests we are aware of that would indicate if a spray adhesive is suitable for mounting prints/photos. We should not reference "archival" but rather these tests.

If I can try to help in any other way, please let me know.

Regards,

Robert ( B. Jay ) Inserra

3M Industrial Adhesives & Tapes Division
Technical Service - Aerosol & Cylinder Spray Adhesives
3M Center, Bldg. 230-2S-29
St. Paul, MN 55144-1000
651-733-8337 office
651-216-8005 cell
651-737-1920 Fax
rjinserra1@mmm.com