P3D Re: Slip-In Mounts

["David W. Kesner" <drdave@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Since no one else seems willing to speak out against slip-in 
mounts I guess I will have to.

They aren't good for anything more than a quick temporary look and 
then they aren't very good at that either. I don't know how many fine 
images have been ruined by being placed in a slip-in mount. Now 
before you get all riled up let me explain.

Here are the reasons I hear that people use them:

1) They are cheap.
2) They are quick and easy to mount.
3) You can re-use them.

That's it!

Here are the faults I hear people say about them:

1) The window is fuzzy
2) Precision mounting is near impossible
3) They can be hard to insert the film chip
4) There isn't any room to adjust the window

Now let's compare slip-in mounts to Spicer Cardboard mounts:

1) Cost:
slip-ins $12.95/50 (Reel 3D)
Spicer $5.50/50 $10.00/100 (RMM)

2) Mounting: Spicers do take a short amount of time to learn, but 
using the RBT jig method you can learn in one roll, be confident in 
two or three, and by five or six proficient. After that you will be able 
to cut mount and view a roll in less than one hour.

3) Re-use: for the most part you cannot re-use a Spicer mount.

4) Previewing: Using the RBT jig and a modified SV1 viewer you 
can preview all your images before you permanently mount them.

5) Spicers are a precision die cut mount - no fuzzy edges.

6) Spicers allow full and complete freedom to set the window and 
adjust for vertical, horizontal and rotational errors.

7) Spicers sealed in silver tape just make a damn fine looking 
finished product.

Give your images the quality mounting they deserve. It doesn't cost 
any more (actually less!) and it only takes a little more practice. You 
will enjoy your images more, your friends will thank you, and the 
judges at club competitions and exhibitions will give you 
acceptances rather than rejections.

For those not so easily convinced of the ease of mounting using 
Spicers mounts I will be giving a workshop at NSA Y2K. Come see 
me and I guarantee that I will have you precision mounting in no 
time at all - as long as you have two hands, all ten fingers, and at 
least a little manual dexterity!

Disclaimer - I am not affiliated with Spicer mounts, Rocky Mountain 
Memories, or Reel 3D Enterprises and have no monetary or 
political stake in any of these companies or products *{;-)

That's all for now,

David W. Kesner
Boise, Idaho, USA
drdave@xxxxxxxxxx