Anyone tried BACK/0008?

[WelshFramer]

Is anyone using Simon's White lined acid free backing board (BACK/0008)?

From the small sample they sent me it looks pretty good. A tad thinner than Art-Bak Conservation (2 mm rather than 2.5 mm) but quite a bit denser. It's not corrugated like Art-Bak but has surfaces similar to Art-Bak Conservation. It also looks as if it has a slight curve like ArtBak but the 3-inch square sample is a bit small to judge that.

At £1.70 a sheet (or £1.50 in a box of 40) it looks as if it might be a good substitute for Art-Bak.

[Not your average framer]

I was thinking about that too! I asked Daniel Simons for more info at the time I was first shown it and if I remember correctly it's probably at least as good as the rest of the bunch. It's appears to have a completely waterproof membrane on the external surface, so it's likely to work best with a self adhesive backing tape.

I didn't know the price was so good. If that price is correct, I must check it out!

[Jonny2morsos]

I was offered this too, in fact, first thing the Rep. showed me on the last visit.

We usually use Art Bak Aqua or Art Back Conservation but at the price this is being offered it would seem to make sense to use this exclusively.

Look forward to hearing feedback from any users.

John.

[Not your average framer]

Would I be correct in assuming that they are the same size as Corricor (48" x 36")

[WelshFramer]

It's 1200 x 815 mm - so that's 47-and-a-bit by 32 inches.

[Not your average framer]

It's 1200 x 815 mm - so that's 47-and-a-bit by 32 inches.

Mmmm, that's actually quite helpful as I can store it in my under the bench mountboard rack.

Normally I have a separate undermount and backing board, but with my current emphasis on beating the recession, it also might save time and expense on my lower value jobs as it could double as an undermount and backing board all in one.

Also now I think about it, I wonder if it's smooth enough for dry-mounting too.

Perhaps I'd better get some!

[WelshFramer]

Mmmm, that's actually quite helpful as I can store it in my under the bench mountboard rack.

Normally I have a separate undermount and backing board, but with my current emphasis on beating the recession, it also might save time and expense on my lower value jobs as it could double as an undermount and backing board all in one.

Also now I think about it, I wonder if it's smooth enough for dry-mounting too.

Perhaps I'd better get some!

Exactly what I'm thinking.

[prospero]

Leaving aside the archival properties, I would be a bit windy about it swelling up in a frame if it ever got exposed to a damp atmos. The old solid grey board (of not-so-fond memory) would bow out the back of a frame if as soon as a dark cloud appeared in the sky. This stuff may be different, but I think a bit of testing is called for.

[WelshFramer]

I've stuck a piece in a glass of water - will see what it looks like in the morning.

[prospero]

I've stuck a piece in a glass of water - will see what it looks like in the morning.

Errrrrr...yes.... well I was thinking more on the lines of stapling both ends of a bit to a board and putting it in a shed.

[WelshFramer]

Well the result of the glass-of-water test is that it went all soggy and delaminated.

Interestingly, it didn't seem to expand or change shape as it took up water but it delaminated into two cover papers and two pieces of board. The brown outer covering has lost some of its waterproof qualities.

So, it clearly wouldn't be any good for under-water framing.

[Not your average framer]

I've been checking my facts with my area rep and need to correct something I said. The waterproof board I was refering to was in fact BACK/0010. BACK/0008 does not have a waterproof coating at all. Both boards are identical except for the waterproof coating on BACK/0010. They are both only 2mm thick, so perhaps not so stiff on larger frames.

Prices for BACK/0008 are £1.75 per sheet for up to 39 sheets and £1.50 per sheet for 40 or more sheets.

Prices for BACK/0010 are £2.05 per sheet for up to 39 sheets and £1.85 per sheet for 40 or more sheets.

I'm thinking of trying the BACK/0008, not only because the price is so good, but also as it should be good for using with Licky Sticky tape which is not only technically better than self adhesive tapes, but is also a lot cheaper.

Both are described as acid free, which is a not very precise term and therefore not particularly easy to make comparisons between boards from different suppliers. I suspect that they are all much the same and since I am looking to use this for run of the mill jobs, it will be more than suitable for my purposes.

[prospero]

Anyone tried drymounting onto it?

[WelshFramer]

They are both only 2mm thick, so perhaps not so stiff on larger frames.
.

I imagine they'd be as good as Art-Bak. They're not corrugated so are denser than Art-Bak. They do seem to cut nicely and more cleanly than Art-Bak (at least, that's my experience with a 3-inch square sample).

Unfortunately I've just bought a box of Art-Bak so will have to wait a couple of weeks before ordering some BACL/0008.

[Not your average framer]

I've just bought a box of Art-Bak so will have to wait a couple of weeks before ordering some BACL/0008.

Somehow, I've never really liked corrogated backing boards. I've always thought that if a customer opens the back of the frame they might think is just plain ordinary corrogated cardboard. Although I've still got about 35 sheets of Corricor, but I've still decided to go for it. I ordered a box of 40 sheets today and looking forward to trying them.

My instincts tell me it's a good move and I'm expecting to save time and money by using BACK/0008 on my lower budget framing. I will still use Artcare foamboard for my conservation framing and Correx or Conservatek for waterproof backing boards as before. Over time I hope to reduce my stock options and probably will cease to use Correx, which is not as stiff as Conservatek.

I have not ruled out using BACK/0010 as my waterproof board option, but I'm still thinking about that one.

[Not your average framer]

Well, my 40 sheets of BACK/0008 arrived today. So I eagerly opened the first box and discovered the both sides of the board are faced with white paper. At first I was wondering if I had been sent something other than BACK/0008 and therefore checked it out with Joe Davis at Simons. As a result of our conversation I not only found out that this is correct, but now know the specification of both BACK/0008 and BACK/0010.

Both boards are specified as acid free, before BACK/0010 was introduced, BACK/0008 was the highest spec backing board from Simons. It has a very good spec and I am told that is smooth enough for dry mounting onto. I already knew this and can confirm this as a friend already uses it for dry mounting. Back/0010 has a thicker white paper on one side and a waterproof coated brown paper on the other side and is described as conservation quality.

I suspect that the board sample which originally prompted this thread is probably BACK/0010.

Although I have not used any as yet, I am happy with what has arrived. It appears to be a little stiffer than Corricor Mk 1 and generally about the same stiffness as Corricor conservation. I am intending to get some BACK/0010 too, which I am told works well with licky sticky. A large part of my motivation being the price and my inspection of my newly arrived BACK/0008.

[WelshFramer]

That's interesting. I'm sure I asked for BACK/0008 and thought that was what I was sent -don't having the packing slip any more so I can't check.

Glad you can use what you got or I'd be feeling quite guilty.

[Not your average framer]

Glad you can use what you got or I'd be feeling quite guilty.

It's very versatile, useful stuff. It'll be put to plenty of use and at £1.50 a sheet, who's complaining?