"If I were the accusing type I don't think backers don't want anyone to know how easy it is (minus the restoration work)."
Every restorer can do hundreds of backing jobs a week (no restoration). There is no demand for anyone else doing this.
What no restorer can do is keep up with the amount of backing jobs that include substantial restoration. Before long, they are all looking for "easy" jobs to pay their bills, and they all end up with a big stack of unfinished difficult projects.
Linenbacking is easy to do if you don't care how the finished product looks or ages over time. It is very difficult to do WELL!
Bruce
Well, Bruce I not sure I understand your comment. I guess there seems to be a demand along the middle ground. Those posters that aren't valuable enough to spend $85 to $100 to back without or with minor (fold) restoration. If there was a backer that would do a quick cleaning, backing and fold touch-up for $50 (incl ship) I wouldn't be considering this attempt. But if I can make the initial investment; hone my skills step by step I may be able to reach the point were I can do this for around $30 in materials. Then compared to the market my $30 investment (for a 1 sheet) may increase my poster's value by $50 or more (depending on the poster)...
My goal is not to make a living linen backing posters. I just have a few posters with a tear here or tape stain there lying around that I don't feel like dropping a $100 bucks on to get linen backed w/minor resto and figured if I could figure out the easy part, as you say, then why worry about shipping, waiting, and paying someone else to do it. Jayn_J really nailed my intent.
I chatted with Dario and its quite involved, but not out of my league. I just think it would be fun to try and figure it out. If I fail and ruin a few crappy posters trying, then I'll be calling Dario for all my restoration projects. If I succeed, then I can linen back some of those $40 to $100 posters that I love and preserve them in a more presentable state.
I don't see myself doing any major restoration; besides I am color blind.
All that being said, it is quite expensive to get started so this may be an August project. I'll make sure and update the thread as I bleach and destroy my posters...