Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Conservation Issues
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prospero
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Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by prospero »

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Mary Evans
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Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by Mary Evans »

I’ve re-read through all the posts and I still don’t know what else I’m supposed to be answering. I’ve already agreed that a high BWS doesn’t provide greater protection to the artwork – it is purely aesthetic. The information may not help the “average framing business”, but I would expect that some framers will find it helpful. Those who don’t can ignore it. Personally, I welcome more information about the products I’m using.
I posted in the Conservation section because only Conservation mountboards are required to state the BWS. Cotton Museum boards all have to reach BWS 5.
I don’t think there is anything more I can add to this thread.
Mary
Roboframer

Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by Roboframer »

More information is good, but 'fade and bleed resistant' is nice and simple - that's what the boards I use state - followed up with a load of ISO/DIN/TAPPI/PAT numbers that I'm never going to research, but if they faded or bled (under normal conditions) I'd look elsewhere, but they don't, so I don't need another standard that I also won't research, I already know how the boards I use perform.
Mary Evans wrote:I’ve re-read through all the posts and I still don’t know what else I’m supposed to be answering.
The bits with question marks are a clue vvvvvv - but if it's off topic a new one could be started.
Roboframer wrote:if there is an actual stated figure on the BWS for mountboard at museum level, why is there not a stated level of UV filtration for glass instead of just 'high'? If the BWS is 5 for museum level, what should it be for conservation level - 4? If 8 is as high as the BWS goes is half way down or just one above any good? Is 7 or even the maximun 8 realistic?
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Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by kev@frames »

Quote: Mary/FATG
"it is a requirement that Conservation boards state a BWS".

If something is a Requirement, this means it is demanded or obligatory. Or it did last time I looked in a dictionary.
Requirement is quite a significant word in this context.

That is a fair distance from the original implication of "We recently asked mountboard companies if they would consider including BWS rates on their selector sheets next time they reprint".
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Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by kev@frames »

simply asked the FATG what the term "requirements" meant.

no rush.
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Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by Roboframer »

kev@frames wrote:Quote: Mary/FATG
"it is a requirement that Conservation boards state a BWS".
Mary Evans wrote:only Conservation mountboards are required to state the BWS. Cotton Museum boards all have to reach BWS 5
Your quote is not verbatim but tying what was actually said in to what was said previously, I'm reading it's more of a desire to have conservaton boards state a BWS like museum boards already do??
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Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by Not your average framer »

It would be good to have BWS figures shown for all types of mountboard. It would be a really helpful up-selling tool.

Also there are times when I could use such information to convince wavering customers that a competitors cheaper quote could be poor value for money in the long run!
Mark Lacey

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Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by Roboframer »

I'm afraid that after years of reading into the FATG's standards and levels ... and others' too, that I've adapted a lot of my own levels and standards and one of them, which I totally leave out, is 'BWS' but without the 'W' !
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Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by GL@profile »

Colour migration from board to artwork anyone?
It is possible that on really top museum spec conservation framimg you should not use coloured boards anyway.....

(P.S. tedious note back in the mists of time, the top specification for mountboards was always referred to as conservation . Both Daler and Slater's produced washed linen core, ph neutral boards marketed as "conservation" (with a ph neutral paper core range marketed as museum boards) -- when Arquati (as Arcadia was then known) launched a similar range of washed linen core boards as "museum" spec, it all became rather confused....
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Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by prospero »

Just lately I happen to have had the chance to see some things I framed about 20 years ago. One was a Robert Taylor print that I did in Crescent ragmat with a dark brown facing. It looked as good as the day it was framed. (Even the masking tape that I sealed the glass/back sandwich with was still gamely clinging on - but that's another story. :P )

Three others were my own paintings that I mounted with Daler Ingres Standard core board. They looked as good as new also. No brown bevels. :D
The only thing I did notice, and I have seen this before, is a slight blotchiness on the inside of the glass where the mount is. Not a conservation issue; it just needs the glass cleaning. This must be some form of migration from the facing paper. "Sweaty Mountboard Sydrome" :lol:
But if this is the worst that the board can do in 20 years, I ain't complaining. It would still have happened if I had used "conservation" grade.
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Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by Not your average framer »

It would be nice to know how much difference there is between the BWS specs of standard boards and conservation boards. It may just work to our advantage when convincing customers to pay the extra for conservation boards.
Mark Lacey

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Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by Roboframer »

They don't get the choice here :)
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Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by prospero »

I'd be inclined to think that they use exactly the same facing papers on both. Just the core that is different.
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Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by kev@frames »

kev@frames wrote:simply asked the FATG what the term "requirements" meant.

no rush.
still no rush, although the lack of response to a polite question might appear to some as contempt for the queston, or contempt for the questioner. From my experience with the FATG I'm inclined to assume the latter, but to give you the benefit of the doubt, it is never to late to reply to the question.
I asked what the term "requirements" meant
Roboframer

Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by Roboframer »

It helps if the question has been seen - Mary's last visit to the forum was before it was asked.
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Re: Blue Wool Scale rates on Mountboards

Post by kev@frames »

three and a half months ago then?
nice to see the FATG find the framers forum so interesting ......

opened some C04 Colourmount today (pretty much the cheapest, cream core, neutral ph, budget priced contract board you can get)
It has BWS 4 printed on the back.

I am switching all my white core and conservation boards to arquadia, anyway.
And this BS of printing BWS numbers on budget board, and the fact that colourmount print their packets with the FATG URL has a lot to do with it.
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