Print Dryer

Overview

RC paper dries flat almost by itself. Fibre paper does not: it curls tightly toward the emulsion side and stays that way, which makes it hard to store, hard to mount and hard to judge.

There are two approaches. A heated drum dryer pulls the wet print against a polished heated drum with a canvas belt and delivers it flat and glossy — fast, but heat is a risk and the drum needs absolute cleanliness. A screen or rack dryer holds prints flat between absorbent layers with no heat at all, taking several hours but with no risk to the emulsion.

For archival work the unheated route is safer. Heat accelerates the residual chemistry you failed to wash out, and a print dried at 60 °C will yellow faster than one dried at room temperature.

What it does well

• Flattens fibre prints instead of leaving them curled
• Unheated racks carry no risk to the emulsion
• Heated drums deliver flat, glossy prints in minutes
• Blotting-paper layers keep prints separated while drying
• Also useful for flattening prints that curled in storage

Safety notes

Working notes

• Dry RC paper in air, on a screen or a line. It needs no heat and heat will damage it.
• For fibre, air-dry between blotting paper under weight — slower, but the safest route to a flat print.
• Never dry prints with a hair dryer or in an oven. Uneven heat causes uneven drying and cockling.
• If a fibre print has curled in storage, re-soak it briefly and dry it flat under weight.

Compatible with