Cradling Aluminium Composite Material

dencal

Folks

This looks like a pretty expensive ‘off the shelf’ solution. There are simpler extruded aluminium strips at hardware suppliers. However, the video shows just how easy it can be. A French Cleat can be devised from cheap aluminium strip for fixing to the wall.

Lion hardware is used to cradle the ChromaLuxe Print. https://www.lionpic.co.uk/

https://youtu.be/bweczChDzbI




Denis

tfloraditch

Denis, I am not comfortable with aluminum composition material.  Typically ACM has a plastic core and a thin aluminum face and back.  The problem is the plastic core is not an archival material.  It drys out and the aluminum will delaminate. It will take 20 - 30 years but you want your paintings to last 100s of years right?  The aluminum is too thin to survive on its own.  If you like aluminum to paint on see if there is a sign company near you that makes aluminum signs.  They will have lots of scrap and will likely give it to you.  Buy the shops employees coffee to keep the supply coming.

skutumpah

Thanks for the link Dencal.  I don't cradle my ACM panels but probably should on the full sized 4x8 footers. My friend cradles them with fairly cheap aluminum L stock epoxied to the back and I have seen 1x2 pine used as well. I think I might use CA glue purchased by the pint, with a spray accelerator to attach them since it can be dissolved with acetone.

Not wanting to start a debate - Just giving my views on this -  As for ACM panels being non archival, I disagree. They are probably the single most archival painting surface you can buy short of heavy and expensive solid aluminum, stainless steel and copper sheets. I don't think that the core in an ACM panel is going to become unstable even within 500 years if stored indoors at room temperature. The core and the metal skin are both far more archival than Canvas or Hardboard panels. I have some raw ACM panel test pieces that have been laying out in the weather for many years, subjected to direct sunlight, wind, snow, rain, 102 F to -20 F temps. Neither the cores nor the aluminum facing are damaged.  No delamination and the metal is flat and smooth. 

The core material for most ACM panels is polyethylene. There are 50+ year old plumbing pipes made of this stuff that have had water running through them constantly and are still good today. The conservative estimate on the service life of polyethylene pipe is 100 years. They make above ground water tanks out of black polyethylene that last more than 35 years in desert environments, being exposed to direct 115+ F temps in the sun and below freezing temps the winter. It is VERY tough stuff.