Mounting In Stereo Viewcards

[P3D <LeRoyDDD@xxxxxxx>]

Tim Smith asks questions about print mounting for Holmes format stereo
views...

     The last prints I did with my Realist were about 10 years ago. I
coordinated with a local One-Hour place and they either did a custom mask or
used their Instamatic mask, probably the latter, to do 3 1/2 inch prints.
     All my recent viewcards have been with the Nimslo. I send them off thru
my local One-Hour place, to a Fuji lab, I think. I note that they are 1/2
frame and that the black line at the top is OK and ask for the "standard" 3
1/2 x 5 inch print size.

     I measured the infinity separation of my Taylor-Marchant reproduction
viewer by letting a focused image sun burn holes in a blank card... I got
~85mm so I use this for infinity separation to mount my images.
     I've measured some Keystone card images and they seldom go over 80mm...
I've got one "closeup" Keystone where the out of focus infinity points are
about 83mm. They evidently pushed the subject back behind the window, thereby
separating the far points more than their standard spacing.

     I cut card stock to 3 1/2 by 7 inches... discarded office file
dividers... collectors a hundred years from now can personally chew me out
about them being non-archival... if they want to dig me up. :=)
     I built a jig out of this stock with left and bottom "pockets" of 1/2
and 1/4 inches, respectively. Slipping the blank card into this jig exposes
the card just where the left and bottom of the left print should be placed.

Ascii cross section of left side of jig:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX|-1/2 in-| <--xxxxxx... card slips all the way in
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.........

     To cut the prints, I use a paper cutter with a millimeter rule.
     First I put the prints in left/right order with far points at 85mm
separation and measure to see what 76mm horizontal spacing for framing is
possible. The processor is not meticulous about centering the negative and
sometimes there isn't much "play" for horizontal framing. I note a feature in
one of the prints which will be at one side of my composition and cut
vertically there. I then measure and cut the print to a 76mm width.
     I put the uncut print behind the one just trimmed to width and separate
infinity points by 85mm and free view as a check... if all looks good, the
edge of the trimmed print indicates where to cut for width on the second
print. After making that cut, I measure 76mm for the second cut on that
print. In the style of the Keystone cards, I don't have any spacing between
the prints.
     The above procedure is "infinity mounting" and gives prominence to the
"window" as a compositional feature. I seem to like mounting this way for
prints more than I do for slides, but don't hesitate to bring objects closer
to the window or even through it if the image seems to demand it. I seem to
mount images without infinity points "to or through the window" more often.
Of course, you have to make this choice before spacing and cutting the print!
     Finally, the prints have a lot more vertical image for framing and I
freeview to see if a foreground object may be too close or distracting and
cut the bottom edge of one of the prints. I cut the other print's bottom edge
the same as the first and measure and cut both prints to 76mm square. I don't
use the Keystone styling of an arched image extending all the way to the top
of the card.
     Assembling the card involves putting the card in the jig, spraying the
backs of the prints and placing the left image on the card according to the
jig and the right image right next to it.

     I hope the use of all this bandwidth may have been helpful to Tim and
others... other viewmakers please critique and comment as desired... I'm sure
there are lots of ways to do this... some may be simpler and make more
sense... typically the first way I do something that works is what I stick
with, no matter how convoluted and inefficient.

LeRoy Barco
LeRoyDDD@xxxxxxx


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