Hello,
I found a great source for copper supports and am familiar with how to prepare them. I was curious though, as metal supports become a bit more pliable at larger sizes, what sort of glue would be recommended for mounting them? I wouldnt want one to get accidentally dented from the front or back once framed and finished
If mounting to wood, should I glue 100% of the surface to take into account the woods hygroscopy? Or would it be better to ‘hang’ the mounting from the top, as one would when framing a drawing? I imagine it would be an easier process to mount to ACM panel.
Although people do not really think of copper as expanding and contracting with changes in Temperature it actually does to a minimal degree. That being said it makes little sense to adhere it to a cellulosic material (wood, corrugated board, etc) that WOULD experience dimensional changes with environmental changes in a different manner than the copper panel. If you are absolutely set on adhering your large copper supports to a panel, we recommend using ACM. However, one still would need to deal with probems of proper adhesion…you would likely need to first rough up the back of your panel as well as the polyester coating on ACM panel to give enough tooth. None of this takes into account the possibility of copper corrosion products that could form in between the adhesive and the reverse of the copper panel. No matter what type of adhesive you use this could be a problem. What we would recommend is the following:
Frame your piece in a sturdy wooden frame. You could make this yourself out of molding made from a type of hardwood (e.g. oak). You should apply felt tape along the inside of the rabbet where the oak would be in contact with the surface of the copper. Also consider sealing the surface of the oak so as to mitigate any potential off-gasing that could occur. Then simply place an acid free backing board behind your panel that can be secured to the frame (non-vented would be best in this instance).
