Making a photographic plate by hand

[z-man]

I drove myself nuts trying to coat plates when we were putting the 'Silver Gelatin' book together. The best results I had with pouring on were when I preheated the glass, enabling the emulsion to stay hot & hence very mobile. A bit of dilution might also help, but you don't want to sacrifice density.

Apart from that I got very good results by totally immersing the glass in a bath of emulsion, then lifting & draining to one corner. The backs of the plates were protected with adhesive film that was subsequently peeled away.

NB, Aurum, the publishers have told me they are printing another 1000 copies of the book (no updated version though). Apologies for commercial break.

martin-thanx for all your past published info-goldmines for all

masking the back and dipping works and is fast - know-but being a frugal type i was not happy with the wastage

i was going to put two plates together and dip and separate when set-if glass is flat enuf and you moisten surfaces a little they will stick together by air presure-no need to seal edges

problem is glass sources-regular float glass for windows not flat enuf even in 1/16"

picture frame glass is ok if you get good quality, and when i get some -i want the textured non glare so i can coat on that surface-i feel it will get rid of frilling and will also add a type of halftoneing to printed image that will help whole process-i will will try double dipping first before i go to bar pulling-i allready know how to do that

some brit holo crews salvage old glass plate negs for glass only-soak in household bleach to strip old emulsion-easy

this a is an oppourtunity to share experience with holo crew and other prcesses that maybe not seem to be pertinant but the processes and xperience could add options:

get pastry marble or granite tile and freez and use as chilling table

THANK YOU PE AND FRIEND MARK FOR PUTTING US ON STRAIGHT COURSE

vaya con dios

[Neanderman]

Answering a few questions here:

1. Yes it is a potato ricer. I thought I had mentioned that. Sorry. At Kodak we used heavy duty versions.PE

I think there are photos of such a device, mounted on a post, in Baker. Here, I thought they were custom manufactured devices.

For my money, this is the most interesting forum going here right now. Thanks to all who have contributed!!

Ed

[paxette]

Mark has asked me to add this:

1. This method should not be confused with the wet collodion method. You might do that by not seeing the missing photos.


PE

I'm just starting to learn how to coat dry plates so I'm curious and a tad confused, what the difference between the two methods? How the plate is held or, is there more to it?

[rmazzullo]

I drove myself nuts trying to coat plates when we were putting the 'Silver Gelatin' book together. The best results I had with pouring on were when I preheated the glass, enabling the emulsion to stay hot & hence very mobile. A bit of dilution might also help, but you don't want to sacrifice density.

Apart from that I got very good results by totally immersing the glass in a bath of emulsion, then lifting & draining to one corner. The backs of the plates were protected with adhesive film that was subsequently peeled away.

NB, Aurum, the publishers have told me they are printing another 1000 copies of the book (no updated version though). Apologies for commercial break.

Hello Martin...

I am having one HELL of a time trying to get a copy of your book on the used market. Can you please post ordering details as soon as the new printing becomes available?

Thank you,

Bob M.

[rmazzullo]

Mark sent me the scans of the negative and print from the plates he coated. Here are the two samples. On the left is the negative and the right is the print. Note the coating defect in the corner due to being hand made.

PE

PE,

What formula did he use for the emulsion? Do you have any details on this or is the information posted anywhere?

Thanks,

Bob M.

[Photo Engineer]

Bob;

I have the formula and have Mark's permission to give it to my students, but not to post it. That will have to wait, as I respect his rights to it.

As for dry or wet plate coating, you would have to talk to an expert in that field. I only coat silver halide emulsions from gelatin in water.

PE

[Martin Reed]

Hello Martin...

I am having one HELL of a time trying to get a copy of your book on the used market. Can you please post ordering details as soon as the new printing becomes available?

Thank you,

Bob M.

I certainly will - I think this time I'll salt enough away so there's some stock left after Amazon have finished knocking it out. However the forthcoming book from Photo Engineer is going to demote it from pole position without a doubt, & is going to be very important in the period we're entering.

Martin

[Photo Engineer]

I certainly will - I think this time I'll salt enough away so there's some stock left after Amazon have finished knocking it out. However the forthcoming book from Photo Engineer is going to demote it from pole position without a doubt, & is going to be very important in the period we're entering.

Martin

Martin, thanks but, it can only sell if it gets published.

I'm at about page 100 of the rough draft. I have a lot of reorganizing to do and lots of figures to draw, cut, paste or scan. And, I have to get permission to use some of the material, I think.

PE

[z-man]

I'm just starting to learn how to coat dry plates so I'm curious and a tad confused, what the difference between the two methods? How the plate is held or, is there more to it?

i'm dazed and confused my self-we are forming support groups

colloidon very toxic to mix-very different from gelatine

dry plate very different from wet plate

exactly what are you coating? what is /are your sources of instruction?

what is your end product? -8x10" plate for continous tone neg not same as 6x6mm plate for trans holo in techniques used-many different ways to climb mountain

the method for coating any thing is a hot button topic

vaya con dios

[Douglas]

A simple gravy separator, available from a kitchen supply, does well in pouring bubble-free emulsion too. I have a crude three layer color plate coated this way as well as pictorial b&W plates.
Douglas.