TheFlyingCamera

Gosh, I think the biggest hurdle to starting in to wet plate is all the different places you need to order the stuff from in order to start shooting. I'll try to run down the list -

Chemistry:

www.artcraftchemicals.com (silver nitrate, cadmium bromide, ferrous sulfate, ammonium iodide, Gum Sandarac)

AND

www.chemsavers.com (ethyl ether and glacial acetic acid)

AND

www.mavidon.com (collodion)

AND

the local liquor store (190 proof Everclear)

Equipment:

www.sciplus.com (glassware, thermometers, hydrometers, digital scales)

AND

www.miniscience.com (test tubes, spatulas, bottle stoppers)

AND

www.sks-bottle.com (brown glass bottles)

AND

www.maintrophysupply.com (trophy aluminum for making 'tintypes').

Sheesh!

Another fun part of this adventure is all the REALLY SMALL businesses you get to deal with. Artcraft is a one-man business; when I called to place my order, the owner of the company had to pull over on to the side of the road to take it down. Chemsavers is a similarly small shop, who seem to take their Southern (they're based in Richmond, Virginia) roots quite seriously and move at a "mañana" pace. Everyone along the way has been very helpful and friendly, and makes it worth the effort, but it is such an ordeal to get all this stuff - it would be quite nice to have a one-stop shop with pre-packaged chems-and-tools kits.