RBT Mount as mounting jig

[P3D H a r o l d B a i z e <baize@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was too busy to post this during the long 
tread about which mounts are best. Most of my
shots are from the FED, a 7P camera. I use RBT
glass mounts for projection and competitions.
However, at close to $0.80 each there is a 
need for a less expensive mount for "keepers"
that aren't first rate. For these plentiful every
day slides I like to use the "Spicer" cardboard
mounts. These cardboard mounts differ from the
Realist format heat seal mounts by having no 
alignment tabs. As a result, I have always had 
difficulty getting the film straight. Even with 
Reel 3-D's mounting gauge some rotational error
would appear in the final sealed mount. It also 
was taking me far too much time to try to get 
them properly aligned.

I longed for the solid alignment and easy window 
adjusting features of the RBT mounts when 
using the cardboard. Well, with the sacrifice
of just one RBT mount I can now use the cardboard
mounts in less time and with greater precision.
All that was necessary was to cut off the bottom 
of the frames of an RBT mount. Now I use the 
modified RBT to set the stereo window and position
the slides. Then I square the RBT mount on the
cardboard mount and tape down the bottom of the
film chips where the RBT mount was cut away. The
result is quick, easy, near perfect mounting in 
the cardboard. 

Of course I will still consume a lot of RBT mounts,
maybe I should find a higher paying job. :)

Harold.


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