How I make emulsions and coat paper, film and plates

Photo Engineer · 03-05-2007, 09:55 PM

In answer to the many requests to see how I do these things, here is a montage of still photos, narrated by Tony Mournian who put this thing all together.

My thanks Tony.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4q0Ryh9pBE%0A

This is a simulation of what goes on in my darkroom when I make emulsions and then coat them. It is just a tiny taste of what actually happens and what I teach at the workshops.

Ron Mowrey

Buster6X6 · 03-05-2007, 10:28 PM

Very interesting Ron. Do you have drawing or sketch of dimensions for coating blades ?

Thanks in advance Greg

doughowk · 03-06-2007, 05:15 AM

For the coating blades you've designed, is there an approximate max length of paper you can do in one run (capacity of trough holding the liquid emulsion)?

ben-s · 03-06-2007, 05:19 AM

Very Interesting - Thanks Ron

Photo Engineer · 03-06-2007, 09:53 AM

The 8" blade will hold 50 ml of emulsion. This is enough to coat a carbon sheet with a huge laydown. I forget the entire amount. I think it is close to a 100 mil gap.

I have coated up to 13" wide, but with lots of defects with a 5 and 7 mil gap. I have coated 11" with few defects, so I'm having the 13" blade resurfaced and re-leveled to eliminate some problems I found during testing. I have a 16" blade but have not tested it yet due to time constraints.

As for length of coating, that is limited only to your reach. I can coat longer than 12" as is, but standing on a stool and extending my reach I can coat over 20" or more. If the paper is moved continuously, and the solution is added, this will coat any desired length of paper or film that you can handle. After all, a similar method was used originally to manufacture film and paper.

The blades are being sold at cost plus a pro-rated amount for prototypes at the present time. I will publish the drawings when I recover the cost of the blades currently made plus the development costs. Then I will exit this business and leave it to the moguls.

I made about 20 blades for my classes and to sell (10 for each). I have about 7 prototypes including the film and plate blades which are of a different design. So, it is a total of about 27 blades cost divided up into 20 blades. Each blade has about 1/7 the amount of development included in the cost.

I cover this and demonstrate much of it in the workshop. After all, part of emulsion making is the ability to get high quality coatings. If you want to, you can always use a brush or spray gun.

PE

Tupi-Guarani · 03-06-2007, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Photo Engineer

The blades are being sold at cost plus a pro-rated amount for prototypes at the present time. I will publish the drawings when I recover the cost of the blades currently made plus the development costs. Then I will exit this business and leave it to the moguls.
PE

I'm working now with a silver halide "parent" composition, Photopolymers for holography, the coating procedures are amazing similar, no doubt can be adapted to photopolymer production, any chance to buy it off the workshop?

See: www.polygrama.com

Thank you.

Sergio.

Photo Engineer · 03-06-2007, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tupi-Guarani

I'm working now with a silver halide "parent" composition, Photopolymers for holography, the coating procedures are amazing similar, no doubt can be adapted to photopolymer production, any chance to buy it off the workshop?

See: www.polygrama.com

Thank you.

Sergio.

Not sure what you mean with this. You can buy the chemicals and blades there right now.

PE

Dave Wooten · 03-06-2007, 04:41 PM

Very interesting, well done, thanks for sharing...1st class narrator btw!

Photo Engineer · 03-06-2007, 05:19 PM

Thats Tony. He should be an announcer on TV.

PE

CRhymer · 03-06-2007, 08:59 PM

Hello PE,

Great video! I have searched APUG and found a lot of useful discussion about which type of gelatin is suitable for emulsion making. I have not been able to find a recommendation or source of supply (pardon me if I missed the obvious). Since shipping is always an issue to my remote location - the North of Canada, I usually buy in bulk for supplies that are stable. Please advise, or PM me if you would rather not respond on list.

Cheers,
Clarence